Jett Pangan excited for Singapore run of Sweeney Todd
MANILA, Philippines — When Jett Pangan first saw the Tony-winning musical thriller Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, he remembered being blown away, but also swearing to himself, “I would never do this thing.”
That was a decade ago — a production starring Audie Gemora and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo.
Little did The Dawn frontman know he would later on be offered the title role of the tortured barber turned serial killer — specifically two years ago — by director/producer Bobby Garcia of Atlantis Theatrical Productions. He initially didn’t want to do it.
Jett noted Sweeney Todd is famous (or infamous) for being “a beast of a musical.” For him, the title role is daunting, acting and vocals-wise, thanks to the genius, exhaustive and richly textured musical score of the Stephen Sondheim. “I almost hate the guy,” he previously joked at a presscon for the level of difficulty he and the rest of the cast were subjected to in the musical.
Then there’s Lea Salonga. And the pressure of sharing the stage for the first time ever with the theater superstar, who plays Sweeney’s creepy-ish, cray-cray and chatterbox of a business partner slash lover, Mrs. Lovett.
Jett said he has been friends with Lea for a long time now, even guesting in her concerts. They “literally” just shared the stage in Baby The Musical in 2004, but never did scenes together.
Nevertheless, direk Bobby, bless him, truly believed no guy could, pardon the pun, slay it other than Jett. He’s been one of Atlantis’ favorite leading men since his “theatrical baptism of fire” via the lead role of Jon in the Atlantis staging of Tick, Tick… BOOM! in 2002.
Jett recalled how nerve-wracking it was to transition from being rocker to thespian, “immersing in an unknown world,” but he credited that experience for giving him the confidence to take on anything.
To date, Jett has essayed at least 10 unforgettable roles for Atlantis productions. These included Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show, Jimmy Early in Dream Girls, Nick in Baby The Musical, The Beast in Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, Dan in Next To Normal, Guido Contini in Nine, among others. There was even a time when the “Atlantis baby” would do “1.5 shows in a year” for the stage producer. “Thank you to direk Bobby for giving me these opportunities!” he said.
Fast-forward to Sweeney Todd, which just concluded its successful run at The Theatre of Solaire over the weekend.
“It’s been a tiring and challenging three weeks for us doing the musical,” he told The STAR, a few days before the show closed on Sunday, “but very rewarding.”
Earlier, in a social media post, Jett gave an idea of the amount of effort that went into the show: “It’s probably the first time ever in my many years of doing musicals that I felt like crying from a mix of exhaustion and relief after yesterday’s evening show, and it takes a LOT to even make me wanna cry (make me laugh or Hulk-smash angry, it’s much easier). In (other words), it was a helluva tough climb to get here.
“That said, I couldn’t have asked for a better, more enriching experience than being a part of this AMAZING beast of a production. At close proximity day-in day-out, I’ve seen unbelievable hard work from a world-class leading lady to that guy gluing together a stage prop. I am humbled and grateful, indeedee (indeed).”
Jett also penned appreciation posts for his co-actors and the ensemble: “The show will not be complete without your amazing talents.”
He said it’s always a “blessing to work” with Nyoy Volante, who wasn’t feeling well a few days ago but still nailed his character as the flamboyant “King of the Barbers” Adolfo Pirelli because “the show must go on.”
He also praised Nyoy’s wife Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, who plays his daughter Joanna, because she can do anything. “As in, anything.”
On Gerald Santos, Joanna’s love interest Anthony, Jett said the “theater world can look forward to a capable leading man from hereon.”
Jett also wrote that “it’s always a thrill” to be a scene partner with Ima Castro, who is a scene-stealer as a mysterious, crazed, vagrant woman.
He also had the “best (barber) seat in the house” because he got to watch Andrew Fernando, as the main antagonist Judge Turbin, perform with his “majestic voice.”
Arman Ferrer, Jett gave props for his “kick-ass voice” and excellence not just in his role as Judge Turbin’s sidekick Beadle, but also as the production’s “assistant vocal coach and set mover.”
Luigi Quesada, Jett went on to note, delivered a “heart-wrenching (and quite athletic) Tobias!”
And Lea? He reserved the highest praise for Lea “for looking after each and every cast member to ensure that we all do our best musically (and that I don’t forget my stage right from my left). Very generous global superstar, indeed.”
According to him, Lea gladly shared her vast experience and helped in perfecting singing parts or in his case, the blocking, but never went out of bounds by meddling in how they chose to interpret their characters, “and that’s what I like about her,” said Jett.
“She’s already a brand, she’s up there, but she’s very down-to-earth. It’s an honor to share the stage with her. She inspires all of us to always do our best.”
Of course, Lea is Lea, but Jett held his own. His scenes with her could easily be favorites, especially the A Little Priest duet, when Sweeney was mentally collapsing with revenge consuming him, and then conspiring with Mrs. Lovett to make pies out of his victims. They’re a match made in musical heaven. More of their tandem, please!
This writer watched one of the last (sold out) shows and couldn’t imagine what it took to pull it off without any alternates. Jett said he would try to recover from each show by getting enough sleep and “no drinking hahaha!”
Meanwhile, Jett, Lea and the rest of the Sweeney Todd Manila cast will continue serving chills and thrills plus more hot pies on the side at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on Nov. 28 to Dec. 8. “I am very excited with the Singapore run because even though I’ve toured abroad with my band The Dawn, it’s my first time to perform before an international audience in a musical,” he told The STAR.
Apart from the musical, the rock icon is also busy judging via Skype the Indonesian reality singing contest Dangdut Academy Asia 5 airing on Indosiar, after also serving as judge on its previous show Golden Memories Asia. After Sweeney Todd, it’s back to rock and roll with gigs and digital releases from The Dawn. He will also be part of a TV series in December.
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