From underdog to winner

He may be a standout on TV and stage. And he may be surnamed Laurel. But life has not always been a bed of roses for Franco Laurel.

At the awkward age of 12, he was ranked among the shortest in class, and how he hated it. How we wished he had the height to match his towering classmates. But Franco had to content himself sitting in the front row because well, he was "vertically-challenged."

When he entered showbiz as host of Eezy Dancing, Franco felt the big difference all the more as he stood beside statuesque beauty queens like Charlene Gonzalez and Dayanara Torres, his co-hosts.

But although the woebegone feeling was still there, something inside him was slowly changing. It was his attitude. Franco gradually realized it is not "height that matters, but how you carry yourself." College in Japan and exposure to the klieg lights made him realize that even if you have the height of Mahal, you can still outshine ‘em all if you exude self-confidence. Thus began Franco’s amazing transformation from ugly duckling to swan.

He immersed himself in recording (his first album was under Dyna), TV and theater (one of his most memorable roles was in Rama at Sita, where he met his wife, Ayen Munji). He enjoyed himself so much the height issue was all but banished from his mind, never to rear its ugly head again.

That’s why Franco can relate to his role as Ugly in Trumpets’ upcoming production of Honk! (Aug. 1 to Sept. 7 at Meralco Theater) very well. Like the ugly duckling in Hans Christian Andersen’s renowned tale, Franco had to bounce back from a physical shortcoming. And when he did, the results are amazing: the ugly duckling turns into a swan!

The role doesn’t come easy for a TV person like Franco, though. He had to adjust to many things, among them the physical demands of his role. He’s on stage 90 percent of the time, jumping, strutting, moving a lot.

These movements are not the limited, space-constricted types he is used to on TV. In Honk! as it is in all kinds of stage work, Franco must enlarge his movements as much.

But Franco is not complaining. Far from it. In fact, he appreciates the sobering effect of theater all the more.

"Here, there are no superstars. Everyone is equal. All of us pay P250 every time we come in late for rehearsals," says Franco.

The rehearsals — six to seven hours a day — are done sans a microphone. So Franco, Carlo Orosa (a veteran hand in theater who also plays Ugly) and the rest of the 20-strong cast must learn how to project their voices on the modernized set all the time.

Thus, Franco is not taking chances with his voice. Gone are the late-nights-out that can wreak havoc on any singer’s precious vocal chords. Franco would rather relax at home with Ayen, their nine-month-old daughter Angia and her siblings (aged 12, eight and nine).

Franco also says no, thank you to sweets, even if they’re offered at his own presscon for Honk!.

That well-preserved voice comes in handy during singing engagements in the Metro and even out of town.

When Franco works, he does so as if he is not in to the manor born. He shuttles from one taxing production to another (he just finished doing a tribute to National Artists at the CCP and the Best of Aliw at the Aliw Theater) and even does out-of-town shows in-between. What gives?

"My parents brought us up to work hard. We get only what we need," Franco explains the spartan upbringing that molded his character.