Rachelle Ann returns to Disney in Tarzan

Rachelle Ann Go had always wanted to be an actress. Like most young girls, she practiced movie scenes before the mirror and rehearsed her award accepting speech over and over again. You know how it goes, “I would like to thank the Academy…” But then she grew up into a very good singer and ended up making hit songs and thanking MYX or MTV instead. Not bad at all and she was happy singing.

Then in a career turn that nobody, even she herself, imagined would happen, Rachelle Ann became an actress and got honored with an award for her first lead role. This happened two years ago when she was tapped by Bobby Garcia and Chari Arespacochaga to play the part of Ariel in the Atlantis production of the musical Disney’s Little Mermaid. 

While she had done some acting on television and gotten into some workshops, Rachelle Ann had never done theater before. But she could sing and one of the requirements of the role was an extraordinary singing voice. Atlantis took the risk and Rachelle Ann, to everybody’s surprise, gave a performance that exceeded expectations. She was funny and poignant and sang Part Of Your World beautifully.

A year later, the very surprised Rachelle Ann had her Best Actress Award from Broadway World and she thanked the givers profusely. It was truly a dream come true. Not only that, she had not only become a theater actress who played to standing ovations and rave reviews, she is now also that very special creature, a Disney heroine. 

We are all familiar with the type. From Snow White to Belle to Mulan, they are pretty, spunky do-gooders with angelic voices. In fact the highlight of these Disney feature films is often the solo song by or about the leading lady. The style may change with the times. More soul, Pocahontas or more R&B, Princess and the Frog, but the trills and the upbeat delivery remain the same. Someday My Prince Will Come, A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes, A Whole New World, Reflection and others.

Now thanks to her excellent performance as Ariel, Rachelle Ann has earned the privilege of singing more Disney songs in Tarzan. This is based on the Disney animated picture of the same title that was in turn based on Tarzan of the Apes, the novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan tells the story of a baby raised by gorillas in the jungles of Africa. He grows up believing he is an ape and only realized he is different when an expedition of humans arrives and he meets Jane. 

The show boasts of an Academy Award-winning score and theme song, You’ll Be In My Heart by the famous Phil Collins. More songs were added, all of them, also written by Collins, when Disney adapted Tarzan for the stage a few years ago. This is the Viva Atlantis Theatricals presentation that will run at the Meralco Theater from June 14 to July 7, this year.

Rachelle Ann plays Jane Porter in Tarzan. She is the daughter of Professor Porter, an explorer who is studying apes in Africa. It is there that she meets and falls for the tall, handsome and rather odd stranger named Tarzan. Jane is the typical Disney heroine. She is wholesome, pretty, spunky, adventurous and really a bit of a tomboy.  Most of all, she has a trilling, crystal clear singing voice. The latter is a main requisite for the role to better sing those beautiful soaring melodies composed by Collins.

Once again, Rachelle Ann’s sweet vocals will be in the spotlight in Tarzan with songs like Waiting For This Moment, Like No Man I’ve Seen, Strangers Like Me, For The First Time and others. Aside from this, the acting bar has also been raised to a higher level. Tarzan is no fairy tale. I am sure that local audiences will be glad to find out. It is a fun, musical about self-discovery, the importance of family and how humans relate to animals. This play requires serious acting.

Tarzan is a huge challenge for Rachelle Ann but I am sure she will be fine. She is talented and hard-working and her director is again Arespacochaga from Little Mermaid. She is also part of a wonderful cast of seasoned performers. Rock of Ages star Dan Domenech was brought in from Broadway to play Tarzan. Ima Castro and Calvin Millado are Tarzan’s adoptive ape parents, Kala and Kerchak. Former Smokey Mountain boy singer Jeffrey Hidalgo returns to performing as Tarzan’s ape best friend Terk. And playing Jane’s father is singer Eugene Villaluz.