Anthony Rosaldo
With not much else to do during the first few months of lockdown, Anthony Rosaldo found himself streaming a 2019 recording of the jukebox musical “Ang Huling El Bimbo.”
Theater was foreign to him. But for some reason, watching the show made him feel like he could be on that very stage. “Something in me said, ‘I can do that, too.’ I could see myself performing onstage … I was so moved I cried,” he said in a recent virtual conference.
So, when Full House Theater Co. announced that it was planning to restage the musical this 2023, Anthony didn’t think twice about auditioning.
“They were looking for new cast members, so I emailed a video of myself singing. I wasn’t expecting anything, but I was hopeful. I got a callback. I was so nervous because I didn’t know what auditions for theater are like. Luckily, I passed. I got a final callback, and then the script came,” he related.
Directed by Dexter Santos and written by Dingdong Novenario, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” taps into the music of the iconic rock band Eraserheads to propel a complicated story of four friends: Joy, Hector, Anthony and Emman.
Big deal
Anthony, a finalist in the first season of the GMA 7 singing contest “The Clash” landed the role of young Hector, whose adult version is played by Gian Magdangal. “I’m thankful to Gian, who helped me internalize my character,” he said.
As a former band vocalist who grew up on the music of the Eraserheads, Anthony said that being part of the musical is a dream come true. “As [a] 1990s baby, performing the band’s songs in the musical is a big deal for me. Because the songs are already well-known, the people find the show easily relatable,” he pointed out.
“The way the songs were used to weave the story and characters together was amazing,” the 29-year-old Sparkle artist said.
Prior to joining show biz, Anthony and his band used to do grueling 24- to 30-song sets at every gig. But theater rehearsals were a different kind of grueling. “Here you also have scripts to worry about. You have to internalize your character, not copy what the previous actors did,” he said.
Taking care of his voice
“You also have to be physically fit because there’s dancing involved. You have to do that while singing and acting, so you really need to have the stamina,” added Anthony, who takes care of his voice by getting enough sleep.
“I’m used to pukpukan when it comes to singing. Now, I take care of my voice by getting eight hours of sleep, if possible. I don’t drink. Ekis na rin ang mga gimik.”
But despite the challenges, every rehearsal day is a learning opportunity. “I’m the newbie in the group, so I have lots of catching up to do. I have to be quick to pick up because I’m with experienced theater actors. I have to keep up with their energy or pace. I get nervous every day, but I’m happy because I learn a lot,” he said.
“Ang Huling El Bimbo” will kick off its run on April 21 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Is Anthony ready to make his theater debut? “Yes, I’m more confident now,” he said. INQ