"It’s totally different," Jett acknowledges," tick, tick…BOOM! was about real people. Rocky Horror is one crazy play from someone’s crazy mind.
Rocky Horror presents a whole new set of challenges for Jett. tick, tick…BOOM! was draining because Jett had to be onstage for almost the entire duration of the play. "I was practically singing the whole time," Jett expounds. "But Rocky Horror is also vocally demanding in the sense that the pitch is higher. The piece requires a lot of belting," he says. He is, in fact, working closely with musical director ManMan Angsico to perfect his performance.
Jett is leaving no stone unturned in mastering his role. "Every time we rehearse I make sure I get the right placement, the right phrasing, the right delivery," Jett affirms. "I don’t want to sound like the guy in our study tapes."
In the latest US staging of Rocky Horror, Jet reports, Riff Raff was played by Raul Esparza, the same actor who coincidentally essayed Jett’s role in tick, tick…BOOM! To amuse his classmates during rehearsals, Jett sometimes imitates his US counterpart. "They really laugh when I do that," Jett shares. "And that guy has a pretty powerful voice. He is so good!"
Speaking of challenges, Jett will go drag for his role as Riff Raff the buttler. "My makeup is glam," Jet quips, "but Calvin’s makeup is really scary." (He is referring to Calvin Millado, who is playing his master Frank ‘N’ Furter.) Has he prepared his wife for the glimpse into his feminine side? "My wife is cool about it," Jett confesses. "Nothing shocks her anymore."
The play marks a departure for the serious Dawn rocker. "When I usually sing onstage with the Dawn for example, I’m not portraying a character. I’m just being myself. But for Rocky Horror, I’ll be playing someone who is obviously far from my real personality." Riff, Raff, in Jett’s eyes, is "a typical B-movie Igor" with a strange sexual twist. He’s the incestuous brother of Magenta the chambermaid, portrayed by Anna Fegi. "It’s like falling into a perverted world," Jett roars. "That’s my attack."
Indeed, stepping into the shoes of colorful characters is a refreshing change of pace for him, performance-wise. "The experience of theater is really unique," Jett attests. "It’s a different kind of high. Working with different talented people. Performing with a different set of audience every night. I get a kick out of it."
Jett lauds the Atlantis troupe for making his theater odyssey a thrilling journey of discovery. "I love the way they work," Jett confirms. "They’re very organized. There’s no second guessing because they know what they want."
When Bobby Garcia first broached the project, Jett was all ears, in fact. "It was halfway through tick, tick…BOOM!, which Bobby also directed," Jett recalls. "I would’ve have auditioned anyway if I got wind of their plans of mounting Rocky Horror. Fortunately, he offered it to me. So he must believe in me somehow. I consider it a big compliment that I was considered for this play."
Jett sings praises for his director Bobby Garcia. "He has it down pat," Jett says of Bobby. "No B.S. You just have to trust the guy. He has a very clear vision. Although he knows how to achieve it, he is very open to suggestions. As an actor, you just have to let him direct you. He sees the material way beyond anyone…He’s very cool."
Jett adds that Bobby gives his total confidence and trust to all his actors. "He acts more like a friend who guides you, who brings out the best in you," Jett concurs. Jett strongly believes Bobby will still come up with a Rocky Horror that is hilarious and yet is on the cutting edge. "There’s shock value pa rin," Jett says.
And for an unshockable audience, that’s good news. "I expect it to be a lot of fun," Jett crosses his fingers. "I hope the audience will be laughing and singing along. I mean, there’s no heavy message. No moral lesson. It’s just a fun and crazy ride. That’s what it’s all about."
The Rocky Horror Show opens tonight and runs until Dec. 8, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium. RCBC Plaza, Makati. For ticket information, call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or Ticketworld at 891-5610.
Claudine, who stars in the box-office smash Kailangan Kita is happy working with Secosana. "The bags are nice and they are at par with imported ones," she says. The young actress, who headlines the soap opera Sa Dulo Ng Walang Hanggan also gives her ideas to the bag company. In fact, she personally designed some of the bags of Secosana.
With all achievements, what else would she want "to bag?" "I’m so blessed. Wala na akong hihilingin pa. Except peace of mind I guess. Doesn’t everyone ask for that?"
You’re right, Claudine.