Sue Ramirez in a press conference for the Manila run of “Little Shop of Horrors” and a character poster with co-actor Reb Atadero. Images: Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective
Sue Ramirez admitted that she had to “unlearn everything” in acting and singing — particularly in voice control — as she’s set to make her theater debut in the Manila run of “Little Shop of Horrors.”
In “Little Shop of Horrors,” Ramirez plays Audrey, an unlucky-in-love woman who is dating the abusive Orin. She had always been the girl of Seymour’s dreams, which have been reciprocated all along.
Audrey will be played alternately by Ramirez and Karylle throughout the musical’s run, where they are paired up with Reb Atadero and Nyoy Volante, respectively.
“I think I had to unlearn everything. It’s a totally different world out here. [But] what I like about theater is that [actors] are tuned to make mistakes,” she said of her theater debut at a press conference in Quezon City.
“Unlike on TV, it’s fast-paced. You have to do everything in one take, which somehow proves your talent as an actor. But here, it’s okay to make mistakes,” she continued.
WATCH: One of the highlights of the media con for “Little Shop of Horrors” last June was a sample performance of “Skid Row” featuring its lead stars Sue Ramirez, Reb Atadero, Karylle, and Nyoy Volante. @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/cYHYiDxdrT
— Hannah Mallorca (@HMallorcaINQ) July 2, 2024
Touching on the preparations for her role, Ramirez said being in theater is “very technical,” but she’s grateful for the support of her co-actors who have always been generous with tips to improve her performance.
“When you fall, many will help you. They will also share tips to help in improving and making your performance beautiful,” she said. “The rehearsals are really fun. We’ve been making mistakes and we’re still working on it. These people all inspire me and they’ve been so helpful.”
Theater as a childhood dream
On the sidelines of the event, Ramirez told reporters that she always dreamed of being in a musical as a little girl. She then expressed her gratitude to its production team for opening their doors to her, regardless of her film and TV background.
“Since I was a kid, I always dreamed of doing musicals. I stood in front of a mirror and would sing ‘Mamma Mia’ or ‘Phantom of the Opera’ songs. It’s a huge honor for me to be cast… It’s so nice that they opened their doors to us TV and movie actors, and they’re helping us,” she said.
Ramirez pointed out that “Little Shop of Horrors” is a “love story” that reminds viewers of the importance of loving themselves and being mindful of relationship red flags, even when they’re far away.
“It talks a lot about self-love. You would realize that there are times when you would rely on other people to make you feel happy even if you can do it yourself,” she said.
“Let’s turn our attention more to that. Do we really love ourselves when we’re alone? When you look in the mirror, are you happy with what you see?” she further added. “You must learn how to see the red flags even when you’re far away. It will not get better. When you see a red flag, you have to turn your back. It will never change.”
Sue Ramirez and Reb Atadero in a promo photo for “Little Shop of Horrors.” Image: Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective
Also joining Ramirez, Atadero, Karylle, and Volante are Markki Stroem, David Ezra, Audie Gemora, OJ Mariano, Mikee Baskiñas, Abi Sulit, Paula Paguio, and Julia Serad.
Meanwhile, part of the Audrey II ensemble are Franco Ramos, Francis Gatmaytan, Cheska Quimno, Kirby Dunnzell, and Jacqui Jacinto.
The musical will run from July 6 to 28 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater.