Nyoy joins Nikki in Legally Blonde

MANILA, Philippines - Two years ago, many people marveled at the dance moves and the vocal stylings of Nyoy Volante as Seaweed J. Stubbs in Atlantis Productions’ Hairspray. Those who had worked with Nyoy would say, “Nyoy, I never knew you could dance like that.” And Nyoy would flash them his charming smile and reply, “Neither did I!”

Theater always seems to bring out surprising, magical qualities in Nyoy. At first, it was simply the surprise of finally getting onstage after doing backstage work as part of his on-the-job training for his technical theater course in college. He sang his way to the lead role in Big In God’s Eyes.

Suddenly, his was the voice everybody wanted.

Nyoy always found his way back to the theater stage with appearances in The Rocky Horror Show, RENT in Concert, Dreamgirls and Hairspray. “Doing theater is just magical. There’s nothing like the connection you create and the bond you establish with your co-actors, the crew, the musicians and, of course, the audience.”

This June, Nyoy plays Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde opposite Nikki Gil’s Elle Woods. Emmett is the super smart teaching assistant who becomes Woods’ unlikely ally as she follows the man she thought she would marry to Harvard Law School. With Emmett’s help, she realizes she’s got a “chip on her shoulder” and then conquers the halls of justice and finds the guy she was meant to marry.

“When Chari Arespacochaga gave me the CD of the show while we were doing Hairspray I could not stop listening to it. I am really, really excited to do Legally Blonde. The music is great and the script is really funny,” enthuses Nyoy.

“We have always enjoyed having Nyoy in our shows. And no one can quite turn on the charm like he does. I am looking forward to the Emmett Forrest he will create,” says Chari who directs the musical.

Legally Blonde is the Broadway musical based on the hit Reese Witherspoon movie. It is currently on a sold-out US National Tour and playing in London’s West End. With music and lyrics by Laurence O’ Keefe and Nell Benjamin and a book by Heather Hach, Legally Blonde runs in Manila from June 25 to July 18 at the Meralco Theater. It is presented via a special licensing agreement with Broadway Asia Entertainment.

For details, call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or 840-1187.