What Ricky Davao and Krystal Brimner consider their silver lining

Ricky Davao (L) and Krystal Brimner | PHOTOS: Instagram accounts of Ricky Davao and Krystal Brimner

Ricky Davao, who plays lead in the musical “Silver Lining,” which aims to take its audience back to the most challenging times of the ‘70s, said a workshop had to be conducted first to orient the younger cast members on what happened during the martial law period.

“This is so that the young ones will be able to relate. There were a lot of things they had to absorb first, like the terminologies used during that era, as well as the way of thinking of those who lived then,” Ricky told Inquirer Entertainment in an interview after a special preview of the show prior to its public screening that started on Oct. 22.

“Silver Lining” is a journey of rediscovery in two timelines—the 1970s and today. It is about understanding the struggles and conflicts of both periods through mirthful moments and potent drama.

The movie follows three friends Leo (Ricky), Anton (Joel Nuñez) and Raul (Raul Montesa), now in their senior years, who have gotten together to form a band for their golden anniversary homecoming. They’ve pulled together their wives and teenage kids to help them. But conflict arises when Leo suggests that they create a musical about their lives instead.

“The story is very positive, that’s what I liked most about it,” admitted Ricky. “Although we had to tackle politics-related issues, this couldn’t be avoided because people really experienced this during the so-called First Quarter Storm. I actually met some of the people that the characters in the story are based on.”

Meanwhile, Krystal Brimner plays young Julia, a character who Leo falls in love with in college. Krystal, 16, said she auditioned for the project because both the story and the cast are “multigenerational.”

‘Not the usual’

Davao (left) and Brimner rehearsing for “Silver Lining” —THEATER FAN MANILA/YOUTUBE

She added: “It’s not the usual musical that you see nowadays. What stood out for me was how the characters overcame their problems. When it came to dealing with mental health, they all understood where each of them was coming from in the end.”

In trying to find where she and Julia are similar in terms of personality, Krystal said: “Julia is very persistent. She fights for what she wants. I relate to her in that way. To all the Julias of today, keep fighting for what you want and for the people you care for.”

She added that becoming a part of the musical was actually her silver lining. “I’m happy that I got to go back to theater. It’s been a long time. This is like my comeback,” she said. Prior to “Silver Lining,” Krystal was seen in “Annie” in 2016, “Sound of Music” in 2017, and “A Christmas Carol” in 2018.

“I wish people would come and see theater more. I’m so passionate when it comes to theater. It’s everything I love in one production—dancing, singing and acting. It means so much to me when people come and see theater shows because they’re so much different from movies and TV. I hope to audition for ‘Miss Saigon’ soon. To do that is really my dream, as well as to be part of ‘Hamilton,’” said Krystal.

Meanwhile, Ricky also considers the show his silver lining. “When this was offered to me, I immediately read the script and found it cute. I agreed to do it, even though I was part of a teleserye at the time and was still waiting for some directorial jobs. I said, ‘When will I ever get to play a lead role in a musical again at my age?’ I love to sing and act, and here, I get paid to do both,” he explained.

The first two weeks of a two-month-long rehearsal were stressful for him, said Ricky. “I had to learn a lot of songs. I’m now too lazy to learn new songs. In fact, if you ask me to sing, I can confidently sing only the standards, the classics. For this, I had to study almost all of the songs because, while I may not be part of all of them, I’m also in the chorus,” he said. “I couldn’t get all the songs into my head… even up to now. I hope people don’t notice. After all, a play is live, it’s very organic. A mistake becomes part of the scene. Doing live theater gives you a different high,” he said.

Ricky’s last stage play was “Baka Naman Hindi” in 2018. He was also part of the musical “Contra Mundum: Ang All-Star Concert ng ‘Ang Larawan” early this year.

“I keep going back to theater because I consider it food for my soul. It’s not all about money, fame or popularity. This one is a gamble. I really hope it will be a hit. That would be a silver lining, too,” he declared.

Catch “Silver Lining” at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of the RCBC Plaza in Makati City from Oct. 27 to 29. It is by RockItWell Studios and Music Artes Inc. INQ