Rocker Jett Pangan explores man’s duality on stage and off

THE DAWN frontman (right) with “Jekyll” costar Cris Villonco

Rocker Jett Pangan fully understands the duality of his character, a doctor who turns into a monster, in Repertory Philippines’ staging of the Broadway musical, “Jekyll & Hyde.”

Jett leads a double life himself, as rock singer and musical-theater actor. He juggles the two worlds quite easily, though.

Sometimes the parallel universes intersect – for example, when his band, The Dawn, provided the music to the rock opera “EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay Nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson” four years ago.

But he’d be the first to admit that rock music and the theater couldn’t be more divergent. Case in point: Preparing for “Jekyll & Hyde,” where he plays (with Michael Williams) the titular character, has involved a lot of “pain.”

He conceded: “This isn’t rock ’n’ roll. Theater entails a lot of discipline – blood, sweat and tears.”

At the end of each rehearsal day, he recounted, every inch of his body was sore, his mind and voice pushed to breaking point.

“It’s a demanding role,” he said. And he’s referring not just to the soaring ballads like “This Is the Moment” –  which has become a staple in amateur singing contests.

JETT in rehearsal at Onstage in Greenbelt

“It’s easy to fall into the trap and turn my character into a vicious beast,” he pointed out. But Jett endeavors to explore the “dark” side, minus the stereotypical tics and mannerisms.

“I want to know how a person addicted to power would change … physically,” he said.

Addiction is a seductive force, he reckoned. “I have a cousin who struggles with that problem, so I know how hard it is. Merely thinking about it takes its toll on me. These days, I need to get a massage more often.”

No first monster

It helps somehow that it’s not his first time to portray a monster onstage. In 2005, he starred with KC Concepcion in “Beauty and the Beast.”

“That was a walk in the park compared to ‘Jekyll,’” he said. “As the Beast, I was aided by makeup and costumes.” In “Jekyll & Hyde,” director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo wants Jett to not rely on the usual tricks of the trade. Said Menchu: “I challenged him … Jett’s gift is that he can use his eyes to look really sinister.”

The director, who previously acted with Jett in “Next to Normal,” is directing him for the first time. “I always love working with Jett,” she said.

Apart from hosting “Myx Live,” Jett is still the lead vocalist of The Dawn. “We’ve become a lot more selective with our gigs,” he said. “But we hope to come up with enough material for a new album soon.”

Acting in indie films (Mike Sandejas’ 2006 Cinemalaya winner “Tulad ng Dati”) is a bit tricky because he’s booked to do theater for the rest of the year, he explained. “After ‘Jekyll,’ I’m supposed to do ‘Rock of Ages’ and then ‘Nine,’ both for Atlantis.”

He’s not complaining. “I am blessed that I can do theater and rock music,” he said. “If only people could see what I see onstage – whether I’m in a musical or a rock concert. If only they could feel what I feel … 10 years and 14 musicals later, it’s still exciting. Wow!”

“Jekyll & Hyde” runs from March 16 to April 15 at Onstage, Greenbelt 1 in Makati City.

Photos by Richard Reyes