The many colors of Honk!

"It was a very interesting audition process," debuting stage director Chari Arespachochaga says of the tryouts of the new Trumpets musical, Honk! which will be staged at the Meralco Theater starting August 1 (and will run for a few weeks).

One thing Chari discovered at the tryouts is that the Philippines is "definitely rich in gifted artists". "We are blessed in that department. In fact, Chari and the Trumpets team are having a difficult time narrowing down the list of aspirants and choosing the final Honk! cast.

"Usually, you make the first cut after the singing and dancing tryouts," Chari takes us through the audition process. "We did that and still there were a lot of potential players. So when we had callbacks, instead of doing the usual singing-dancing, we tried script reading."

Still, Chari and the Trumpets team are having an arduous time drafting the final cast list. Seasoned veterans and enthusiastic newcomers came in full force. Stage stalwarts like Nanette Inventor, Carlo Orosa, Carla Martinez, Sheila Francisco, Tonipet Gaba, and Sweet Plantado gamely participated in the auditions.

Young talents like Paolo Valenciano, Cathy Azanza, and Noel Rayos joined the highly competitive tryouts.

From an initial 180 aspirants, the list was trimmed down to 50. Eventually, that number would have to be slimmed down to the final 20 cast members.

"There are so many factors to consider," Chari enthuses. "We need actors of all ages and physical types. We also need to match the actors with each other. If we have a number of strong sopranos, we need to get just as many strong altos, to balance things."

Despite the challenges, Chari is pretty confident "that we’ll end up with a strong cast."

"We need all-around performers," Chari chimes in. "Especially since Honk! is a deceptively simple ensemble show. There will be 20 actors onstage, but they will be portraying 54 different roles. So they need to shift characters."

When Chari herself did this play in Singapore, she had to juggle seven to eight myriad characters. Make that a menagerie of characters, since Honk! is a barnyard musical with an all-animal cast of characters.

"I played the Gander, the Queen of the Duckyard," Chari looks back. "Also, a Fish and a Goose, who was like a Stewardess/Flight Attendant. In one long production number, I had to portray all three animals. All I did in that production was exit, change costume, and go back onstage. Exit, change costume, and go back onstage," she roars.

In spite of the challenges (and daunting costume changes), her work in Honk! for the Singapore Repertory Theater gave Chari the chance to collaborate with the play’s author and original director Anthony Drew.

When Chari told Anthony about Trumpets‘ interest in staging Honk! in Manila, the award-winning British artist was very accommodating and encouraging.

"He really helped us in securing the rights and clinching a reasonable royalty rate," Chari beams. "We are grateful to him."

Anthony also gave Chari an invaluable piece of directorial advice. "Go wild with it". "In fact, he wants to fly over from London and watch the play’s premiere on Aug. 1," Chari enthuses.

Chari is thrilled about the prospect of making her directorial debut with a prize-winning musical. (Honk!, based on the inspiring fable The Ugly Duckling, won over The Lion King as Best Musical at the West End in 2000).

If Little Mermaid made waves with its flying actors (in harness) and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe drew raves with its fabulous makeup and costumes, Honk!, Chari emphasizes, will have a whole new different look.

"Trumpets followers can expect a lot of colors and different silhouettes, in terms of costumes and sets," Chari chimes in. "We are not doing this show the same way they did it in Singapore and London. We are rethinking the set and, as such, we are also rethinking the staging."

For this herculean undertaking, the first-time director is relying on a tried-and-tested team of theater professionals. Chari, in fact, has gathered a topnotch group of experts to work with her behind the scenes.

"Costumes and sets are by Gino Gonzales, who trained in New York," Chari reports. "Our musical director is Ronnie Fortich. Choreography is by James Laforteza. Lights design is by Gerry Fernandez. Associate director is Audie Gemora. The fact that it‘s a new creative team should give Honk! a whole new different look and feel."

The musical director of the Chicago and Singapore stagings of Honk! Brad Haak, will be visiting Manila "to give a master music rehearsal to the entire cast," Chari states.

Again, talk turns to the cast.

Chari believes that the success of Honk! all boils down to having a good ensemble. "My belief is always that the actors make the show," Chari intones. "I don’t go for superfluous gimmicks and pyrotechnics." Chari strongly feels that the heart and soul of a show rest on a strong, solid cast.

Judging from the highly talented turnout during the auditions, Chari is assured of a Honk! cast that will make a lot of noise.

The Philippine premiere of Honk! will be held at the Meralco Theater on August 1. The musical will run up to Sept. 14. For inquiries, call Trumpets at 633-4387, 633-5010, 636-2842.