Franco Laurel shares the stage with his three daughters
MANILA, Philippines — Singer-actor Franco Laurel cannot be any happier that he is sharing the stage for the first time with his three daughters — Mariella, Sophia and Lucia — in 9 Works Theatrical’s forthcoming offering, “A Christmas Carol.”
“I can’t take away my being a dad when I’m with them,” he told The STAR. “They grew up watching me and their mom (Ayen Laurel) perform. Now, seeing them in a field that they love…
“We never forced them to get into theater. They are the ones who actually like to get into it. To get into character and discover their talents during rehearsals, it really makes me proud as a dad.”
Fun fact, according to Franco, Lucia was actually born during their production week eight years ago in November 2017 when they first did “A Christmas Carol.”
“So this is like a full-circle moment with our family because now, she is part of the show. I’m just so happy about it.”
“A Christmas Carol” marks the first time that all four of them are performing together. “This is Sophia and Lucia’s first professional theatrical production,” Franco offered. “I previously worked with Mariella in ‘A Christmas Carol’ in 2017. This is like a family affair for us.”
Franco, who shuttles between theater, TV and film, remains constantly amazed that he gets to discover new things about his daughters while they are doing rehearsals.
“Both Sophia and Lucia are very smart,” Franco said. They are very observant. When they are given directions, they take them in, but when they start acting onstage, they’re on-point. So that means they are thinking about their characters and they are adding their own flavor to it.”
That makes the dad remark that his girls are really smart. “Not that I want to just praise and admire them,” Franco said. “They are really theater kids, as they call themselves.”
When the family watched the musical, “Side Show” last August, director Robbie Guevarra asked Franco if he’s free to do “A Christmas Carol” again.
“I didn’t give an affirmative answer right away,” Franco recalled. “I told him I need to check my schedule because I’m doing a movie and a teleserye at the same time. Then I went out to the rest room and when I returned, Robbie told me, ‘Franco, your two girls are in the cast of ‘A Christmas Carol.’
“Then I said, ‘Give me a week to fix my schedule.’ Then one dinner at home, Sophia and Lucia were praying, ‘And Lord, we pray that Dad will do ‘A Christmas Carol’ (again) with us.’ How can I say no to that? They already talked to God. So I made it a point to fix my schedule and here we are.”
When Sophia, 11 and Lucia who’s turning eight, are in rehearsals, Franco allows his daughters to act freely, aside from the guidance of direk Robbie. “What’s so cool about it, I asked Ayen, who’s a theater major from UP (University of the Philippines), to give a workshop to the kids,” Franco said.
“So at home, just to bring out more from my daughters, I allowed Ayen to coach them, guide them and help them rehearse. In their rehearsals, they do their choreography and blocking. But discovering their character, I let them do it on their own.”
Admittedly, Franco can’t help being a (stage) dad even when they are in rehearsals. “I always encourage my daughters to bring out the best in them,” Franco said. “I would even call them and remind them that they are next. ‘You are going to come in already.’ Sometimes, they are not aware of it. I always remind them to give their energy onstage.
“When I’m the only one acting, I just think of myself and what I’m going to be doing for my character. This time, I’m consciously thinking, ‘Where’s Sophia? Where’s Lucia? What’s next? When they know what they’re doing already, I get calm rehearsing.”
Franco is playing the Ghost of Christmas Past, reimagining his previous role in the musical in 2016. “It’s like riding a bike, because I did it before, I wanted to add something new and different to the role,” he shared. “You will see it when you watch the show. It’s the same. I want to still retain what I created eight years ago. But I want to do it differently. Add something new in terms of nuances and choreography.
“Adding to PJ’s choreography and Robbie’s direction, just adding a little bit here and there, it’s still the character I created eight years ago. We have a new Scrooge. I worked with the late Miguel Faustmann. Arnel Carreon is the new Scrooge. He reacts to something new that I do. That’s what’s nice about it.
With this 2025 cast being new, that also allows Franco to give a different take and nuance to his role.
Joining Franco is Lorenz Martinez as the jovial Ghost of Christmas Present, Carmelle Ross as the haunting Ghost of Christmas Yet To Be, Boo Gabunada as Jacob Marley, CJ Navato as young Ebenezer, John Joven Uy as Bob Cratchit, Anna Santamaria returns as Mrs. Cratchit, a role she played in the 2016 staging, the first time 9 Works staged “A Christmas Carol.”
“A Christmas Carol” runs on all weekends of November, starting Nov. 29 until Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati City.
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