Theater’s favorite leading man

CEBU, Philippines – When career uncertainties plague Mark Bautista, he briefly contemplates

fleeing to his provincial southern hometown of Cagayan de Oro, away from all the hubbub that comes with being a celebrity.

It’s a scenario that similarly besets music producer Nico Escobar, a role he plays splendidly in Resorts World Manila’s “Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical,” currently on its second run.

Admitting there are “depressing” periods in his singing and acting  journey, Mark says he has often asked himself “What’s next?”

“Nico feels tired of showbiz and all the intrigues that come with it, so he decides to return to his province and just be with his family for the rest of his life,” the “Star For A Night” runner-up says.

“I can relate to that, because I hail from a province too, and there are moments I feel that after my success in Manila, what’s next?  After andoon ka na, ano ng susunod na gagawin mo? Do you just settle down, have a family of your own, move back to the province, and find another career?”

When he emerges from these moments of self-reflection, Mark says he comforts himself by thinking “that everything must come to an end.”

Mark, together with new theater darling and Cebuana Monica Cuenco (who plays Dorina Pineda, previously portrayed by no less than Megastar Sharon Cuneta and Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo), recently held a whirlwind tour in Cebu City to promote the second run of their original, all-Filipino production.

With upgrades on both context and content, the musical takes it up a notch in terms of design, music, and cast. Among the changes is the incorporation of more songs, improvement in special effects and costumes, and additional dialogue that allows audiences to delve into each character deeper.

“Our first run actually got mixed reviews,” says Mark. “Others would say some songs were too long, so we edited some. Some say the romance between Dorina and Nico, and Dorina and Garry were not that established. In this second run, we give more life to the love triangle. This second run is definitely an improved version. Viewers will be surprised with the various changes. It’s a like a teleserye on stage.”

Joining Mark and Monica on stage are Ronnie Liang as musical director Garry Diaz, and returning showbiz sweetheart Antoinette Taus who alternates for theater luminary Cris Villonco as popstar diva Lavinia Arguelles.

Mark is aware there were a few first-run viewers who were rooting for Dorina and Garry to end up together, and this is no problem for the 32-year-old. He’s glad that audiences are engaged enough with their characters to care that deeply.

Also reprising their roles for the musical are Jay Roa as Zosimo Blanco, Jon Santos as Auntie, John Nite as Kuya Germs, Michael Williams as Larry Calma, and the First Lady of Philippine Musical Theater Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Edith.

Other additions to the cast include versatile actor Epy Quizon, who will alternate for Jon Santos, and premier all-male vocal group PRIMO who adds musical firepower.

Mark reveals he was hesitant to accept the role when it was offered by Viva right after his London stint for the musical “Here Lies Love.”

“I was thinking ‘Bituing Walang Ningning’ was more on the rivalry between Dorina and Lavinia,” he explains. “But my role and exposure turned out okay, so I’m quite happy with it.

“Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical” brings to life a story originally told over a serialized comic strip by fictionist Nerissa Cabral, later on  made into a blockbuster movie in 1985, and was then re-made into a TV series in 2006.

The challenge with this kind of project, Mark dishes, is maintaining the same level of enthusiasm show after show.

“When you do something every day, you’ll feel like a robot. Sometimes if there’s an emotional scene, huhugot ka from your own sad experiences. If you use that again and again as a source for internalization, the emotional effect wears off later on. So you find another source of inspiration and motivation.”

“Sometimes, you’re simply not in the mood, or it’s a bad day,” he continues. “But I must maintain the energy and emotion for every show – make it better even from yesterday. What I always keep in mind is, this might be my nth time performing the same thing, but it’s the first time for our audience.”

His efforts pay off once he hears the audience reaction right in front of him. “That’s what’s great with theater. It tests your artistry and forces you to always come up with fresh performances,” says Mark.

While Mark delights in performing for his fellowmen, he admits to missing the normalcy an anonymity that living in London afforded him.

“In London, it was every day. Sunday was my only rest day. So that was really back-breaking work. Here, you have TV guestings and out-of-town promotions like this. There, you’re focused on nothing else but the show,” he recalls of his six-month London stint.

“The audience in London, Britons mostly – I felt like I had nothing to prove to them that I was this TV star. It was back to zero for me. I felt relaxed and not pressured there, because they don’t know me as Mark Bautista. It was theater, home, theater, home….like a normal person. That was a great time! Here, I feel people constantly judge you because you’re a celebrity or a TV personality. There’s so much going on here: TV spots, mall shows, that there’s a tendency at times to lose focus.”

Catch “Bituing Walang Ningning: The Musical” at Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until January. Tickets are available at all TicketWorld and TicketNet outlets and at the RWM Box Office.