Gender-bender musical opens Aug. 10
August 8, 2001 | 12:00am
Close on the heels of the successful How I Learned to Drive, Jesus Christ Superstar and Rent, Atlantis Productions kicks up another hit – the gender-bending musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The musical is about a German glam-rock queen who tells her sad story through songs.
"The character is that of an internationally known but largely ignored song stylist who is always on the verge of making it but never does. To top it all, she has a botched sex-change operation and her songs were stolen by her rock-superstar boyfriend Tony Gnosis. They become hits, but not Hedwig’s," says Bobby Garcia, who’s directing the production.
The musical is presented in a concert format and being site-specific, this particular production has Hedwig doing a gig in Manila.
"This flexibility allows productions in different locales to inject their own variations. In this case, Hedwig is terrified of the Abu Sayyaf," says Garcia.
Hedwig’s hysterical, over-the-top monologues are interspersed with songs – ballads, punk and country.
Jake Macapagal, who essays the lead, says the role of Hedwig is tailor-made for him.
"I’ve never seen a role that seems like it was almost written for me. It’s a material where I could let my hair down," he says.
Macapagal, for whom going drag is an art, recalls one instant when he received a standing ovation from foreign cast members of Miss Saigon.
"We had this turnabout party and I did an Eartha Kitt number. They all went crazy!" he says.
The only other character in the musical, Yitzhak, is played by Lana Jalosjos.
"He is a Croatian, whose only means of escaping the turmoil in his country is to marry Hedwig," says Jalosjos.
The role is underwritten.
"I have very few lines, and if ever I speak, the words that come out of my mouth are blasphemous. It is very challenging because I have to rely on facial reactions," she says.
The role is a unique one because Lana has to portray a man who does drag.
"I had to learn to walk like a man, look strong, but then I’m a man in drag," she adds.
"It’s what I call double drag," Macapagal laughs.
But he quickly adds drag is not the be and end all of the musical.
"I hope the audience will see beyond the costumes. The characters dress in drag but their problems and struggles are pretty much the same as those experienced by other people, whether straight, gay or lesbian," he says.
Jalosjos, whose background is choral singing, will be doing rock for the first time.
"She has the voice for it," says Macapagal.
There’s no doubt Hedwig and the Angry Inch will duplicate the success of Rent. Garcia is getting to have a reputation as a director of productions that are very now, musicals and plays that mirror contemporary ethos.
"I like to push things but of course I don’t do controversial material just for the sake of doing so. I choose the shows I want to direct," he says.
His ultimate goal is to have an open theater hereabouts, meaning he wants his talents not to come from the ranks of theater actors alone. He wants people from movie, television and pop stars to perform in stage productions. He also envisions the Philippines at the forefront of theater in the region. After all the talent for most major theater productions in places like Singapore and Hong Kong come from the Philippines.
In spite of the economic downturn and drastic cuts in sponsorship budgets, Bobby is undaunted and goes by theater’s age-old battle cry – the show must go on.
After Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Atlantis productions will mount a repeat of Rent, starting Oct. 5. Next year, they will mount Proof, starring Lea Salonga, then do an updated take on the rock opera Tommy.
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