Bright lights, big Sitti

It was when she was fresh out of high school, with her whole life ahead of her, that 16-year-old Sitti Navarro decided to dip into the world of music as a professional singer on the lounge circuit. “It was only supposed to be a summer job,” quips “Sitti,” as she is fondly known to the public, who is in her second week playing the innocent and playful yet physically and sexually abused Martha in Atlantis Productions’ Spring Awakening, adding, “I enjoyed it so much that it became a part-time thing all throughout college.”

What started out as a hobby for Sitti grew and became more of a regular artistic pursuit, delivering tunes that consisted mainly of standards, light jazz and bossa nova. “I was in my third year of singing when I decided to focus on an all-boss nova repertoire,” she says, adding that her chosen niche came from a desire to distinguish herself from other musical acts in the industry. She recalls, “It was a collective observation too from my audiences that the genre really suited my voice well.”

Breezy, relaxing and beautiful in nature, Sitti was everything that bossa nova required of its practitioners. A song rolls out of her mouth and everyone is left mesmerized. “I’m really glad that bossa nova has made its entrance and mark on the Filipino consciousness.” She beams when asked about the genre going mainstream of late. But like most youngsters who grew up in pop-crazed environments, Sitti was every bit the love child and progeny of pop. “I guess you could say I was your regular popster,” reveals the ASAP ’09 regular. “Britney, Spice Girls, Mariah, the works!” She was a teenage girl like any other, whose admitted predilection for popular music may have been the reason she decided to try her hand at musical theater — especially in a play that, like Rent, has been able to differentiate itself and set itself apart from classical Broadway contemporaries.

 Spring Awakening won the Tony award for Best Musical back in 2007 and is one of those once-in-a-blue-moon productions that celebrates and energizes a generation. “I love that this is not a conventional theater production for both the story and the music,” says Sitti. “The songs are very, very relatable,” adding that the musical, sprinkled with catchy pop music, serves to attract younger audiences to come and watch theater. After all, the piece was composed by Duncan Sheik — an industry beacon in the pop-acoustic hall of fame, and a former fixture on the Billboard Top 100 charts.

Sitti was contacted by Atlantis Production’s creative director and founder Bobby Garcia and Spring Awakening director Chari Arespacochaga to come in and audition for the role of Martha — a physically and sexually abused teenager who dwells in a society that has considered, and still considers, domestic abuse a taboo subject. She shares, “Chari and Jenny (Jamora, assistant director) gave us materials on sexual abuse and incest, and exercises in which we could investigate our character and explore what they were feeling, their disposition and thoughts.”

Admittedly, Sitti’s training in Bossa Nova didn’t easily translate to doing triple threat work from the get-go. According to her, her number one challenge has been vocal projection, citing that vocal clarity was a close second. “I’ve always been a soft-spoken person,” she concedes. “I am really trying my best to match everyone else’s volume. Also, I get really bulol (tongue-tied) at times.” But director Chari Arespacochaga has been nothing short of helpful and supportive of Sitti and her fellow actors.

Sitti shares that Chari encourages the cast to “give 1,000 percent” to the show — to forget about trivialities and just really plunge head-on into that stage and their characters. “I think that she’s a really, really great and intelligent director,” shares Sitti of the celebrated director whose credits include Footloose: The Musical and High School Musical. “She sees the material for what it is and the underlying notions behind every line or song. And I love her comments, too! She calls us ‘Children of the Corn’!” she says, laughing.

At the moment, Sitti is busy balancing her singing career and television work, with appearing onstage alongside veterans Jett Pangan and Cheska Inigo, who play the male and female authority figures respectively, and industry up-and-comers Wacky Valdes, Kelly Lati, Pinoy Dream Academy’s Miguel Mendoza, Nico Manalo, Bea Garcia, Yannah Laurel, JC Ramos, and a slew of other talented, young individuals. “It’s a wonderful experience really,” shares Sitti when asked about what it’s like to appear onstage with both seasoned and newbie actors, adding, “Everyone’s been really supportive and we help each other out.”

In parting, I asked Sitti what for her is “the bitch of living” — as a song from the show might put it. She replies, “All those societal norms that man created that prevent us from living a life of full self-expression. There’s so much freedom to be had.” Amen, Sitti! Amen!

The show is directed by Chari Arespacochaga; Jenny Jamora is assistant director, Tuxqs Rutaquio is the show’s set designer, Dexter Santos is choreographer, designer Rajo Laurel is costume designer, Voltaire de Jesus handles lights, and Jojo Malferrari is the musical director. Spring Awakening features songs by Duncan Sheik, including The Song of Purple Summer, Mama Who Bore Me (which you may have seen Shenae Grimes performing in the first episode of the hit CW remake of 90210), Totally F***ed and The Bitch of Living.

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Due to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, the Oct. 3, 2 p.m. show has been moved to Oct. 18, Sunday at 8 p.m. The Oct. 3 8 p.m. show has been moved to Oct. 11, Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets for the original play dates will be honored on their specific new play dates.

 Spring Awakening runs at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza till Oct. 18. Shows are Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Due to some explicit content, parental discretion is advised. For further inquiries, you may call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or 840-1187. You may also visit http://www.atlantisproductionsinc.com.  

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