Will RJ overcome the theater ‘stigma’?

Curtain-raisers:

• Aiko Melendez clarified that the goodlooking foreigner mentioned in Funfare three issues ago is not her suitor. They were spotted in an animated conversation in Boracay over the weekend. "I only met him there," said Aiko (who, according to rumors, is being courted by Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista). "Let’s wait na lang if something beautiful will develop. Hindi pa naman nanliligaw e!"

• Reacting to yesterday’s item about her and Brad Turvey having spent a two-week vacation in Australia, Pops Fernandez said that Brad wasn’t happy being called her "toy boy." Oops! I’m sorry. I should have stopped when I wrote that he is her "special someone." You see, added Pops, "He’s new in showbiz and the culture here is different from that of Australia (where the Turveys are from), so Brad was somewhat ‘uneasy’ being called that."

• Several readers have called my attention to a slight error in my Conversation with Regine Velasquez two Sundays ago where I mentioned that Regine’s real name is Chona. Her full name is Regina Encarnacion, meaning "queen in the flesh." Chona is only her nickname, the first name she used when she was new in showbiz. Now, reader William Palanca III is asking, it is true that Martin (Nievera) is courting Regine? Not true. They are just the best of friends.

* * *

While some artists have made theater a jumping board to movies and television, among them Lea Salonga and Jenine Desiderio (both graduates of Miss Saigon where they both played Kim), RJ Rosales considers his theater background more of a liability than an asset – even a ‘stigma’ of sorts.

"People think that just because I came from theater I am ‘elite’ and that I can’t be ‘masa’," complained RJ whose work at a bank in Sydney (after he graduated with a degree in Mathematics from the University of Western Sydney) was rudely interrupted by his diversion to theater. "I’ve been in the business for more than two years now and I feel as if I’m having an ‘identity crisis’ – you know, what ‘image’ to project so I would fit in."

In those two years with the ABS-CBN Talent Center, RJ (for Roseo Jose) co-hosted on a semi-regular basis the Sunday show A.S.A.P. and appeared in a few soaps (Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka as a lawyer, Attagirl as a swishy gay and Da Pilya en Da Pilot as Aga Muhlach’s sidekick). He was also under contract with Star Records (ABS-CBN’s sister company) but so far, he has done only one single, Together Forever (a duet with Carol Banawa), which was included in the soundtrack of the Jericho-Kristine starrer Forevermore.

And then, a blank wall.

His contract with both Talent Center and Star Records have expired and RJ, with his older sister Maricel as manager, is thinking of going freelance.

"There have been broken promises and disappointments but I don’t have any sama ng loob for the Talent Center," said RJ. If it wasn’t for Talent Center, I wouldn’t be able to start a career here."

In 1997, with no formal training in theater, RJ auditioned for Miss Saigon in Sydney where the family migrated in 1988. He sang Empty Chairs and Empty Tables (from Les Miserables) and passed the audition, prompting him to quit his job at a bank. In Miss Saigon, he was a member of the ensemble (playing a waiter, a refugee, a soldier, etc.). There was no other offer after his six-month stint with Miss Saigon, so he resumed his work in the bank.

"I was depressed," recalled RJ, "I experienced withdrawal symptoms."

Nine months later, he auditioned for the Singapore-based musical Chang and Eng (the Siamese twins) and bagged the Chang role (with Singapore Robin Goh as Eng).

"The group of Cameron Mackintosh had been all over Southeast Asia looking for the actors," RJ said, "and they were on the last leg in Sydney. I was made to stand beside Robin and that was it. They found me perfect for the role."

Mickey Muñoz, an executive producer at ABS-CBN, saw Chang and Eng in Singapore and he invited RJ to co-host the Centex (Center for Education of Children) show at the PICC with Pops Fernandez. "It was a summer special and I was in trunks," laughed RJ, "my lucky trunks."

That’s how he got into Talent Center.

So where does RJ go from here?

"People don’t give him a chance," lamented Maricel, eldest of the four Rosales siblings. "I think the tag ‘theater guy’ is working against him; it’s not doing him any good. Actually, my brother is very flexible. People find him suplado when he’s, in fact, a funny person, a jologs."

Donita-Eric wedding principal sponsors

Some readers, especially those in the US, are requesting Funfare to publish the complete list of principal sponsors of Donita Rose and Eric Villarama’s wedding on June 9 at the Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, California.

Here it is: Gary Valenciano and Angeli P. Valenciano, Leo Martinez and Gina Maria Martinez, pastor Larry Matsuwaki and Elaine Matsuwaki, Ricco Ocampo and Tina Ocampo, Butch Albert and Cris Albert, Menardo Jimenez, Sr. and Annabelle Gutierrez, German Moreno and Tess Cruz, Manny Pangilinan and Wilma Galvante, Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Rev. Dory Villanueva, Bishop Eddie Villanueva and Felicita Ong, Tani Silva, and Nanette Inventor, Tony Tuviera and Mother Lily Monteverde, Peter Bullard and Elsie Chua, Diego de Guzman and Jocelyn de Guzman.

Donita and Eric decided to have their wedding in California because their church will hold a conference the day after. And then they’ll fly to Hawaii for their honeymoon.

What’s up?

• Frederick Peralta is hosting a radio show called Fashion Radio on Wave 89.1 FM, 6 to 7 p.m. starting this Saturday, May 17, with Melanie Marquez as his first guest. Eventually, the weekly program will invite as guests Frederick’s fellow designers. Tune in.

• Now available at National Bookstore outlets is Oscar Landicho’s book Ethics in Journalism, a "must" for journalists. Landicho is based in Australia.

• Producers who want to join the Metro Manila Filmfest in December have until May 31, 5 p.m., to submit their letters of intent. Forms are available at the MMFF Secretariat at the MMDA Building, 3rd Floor, Orense St. corner EDSA, Makati City. For details, call 882-0849.

* * *

E-mail reactions at [email protected]