A turning point in Alma’s life

Alma Concepcion’s latest role onstage is one she is most proud of. She is playing Mary Magdalene in Tanghalang Sta. Ana’s Lenten presentation Martir sa Golgota.

Martir sa Golgota is a yearly passion play that was started 15 years ago by Manila councilor Lou Veloso. This year’s presentation is being held free to the public up to Black Saturday, at Plaza Hugo in Sta. Ana and five other venues in the 6th district of Manila.

What excites Alma the most is the fact that this is her first Lenten play, her first at a community-based theater and her first musical role – playing one of the most colorful characters in the Bible.

The play could not have come at the most opportune time, Alma believes, when she is passionate about her current reading – The Purpose Driven Life authored by Rick Warren.

Confessing to changes in her life after reading the book, Alma says she now lives with a purpose.

"I feel that all I will do now is for His glory," she muses. "And playing Mary Magdalene is an opportunity for me to contribute and use my borrowed talent to expand His teachings."

The presentation also depicts the unique Filipino tradition during the Lenten season.

Alma comes from a family of artists. Her grandfather, Jose Carvajal is the father of the zarzuela in the Philippines.

As a theater artist, Alma has appeared in various productions like Ibong Adarna for Bulwagang Gantimpala, Rashomon for Dramatis Personae and Without Seeing the Dawn for Dulaang Balintataw. Her last movie was Goodbye America. She was also seen in the TV drama series Ikaw Sa Puso Ko.

Joining Alma in Martir sa Golgota is English teacher turned theater actor Richard Signey, who plays the role of Jesus Christ.

To Richard, playing the most famous character in the world is the biggest challenge. "He’s been around for more than 2,000 years. His impact in the world we see around us has been tremendous, and it’s difficult to re-invent or re-interpret him without meeting a lot of resistance from people," he exclaims.

Already, Richard has been getting comments that he looks the part. "But it’s one thing to look the part," he says, "and quite another to portray it effectively."

Adding more pressure to Richard’s performance is the fact that he is not particularly a religious person. "I’m also trying to put myself in Christ’s sandals, so to speak, to try to get a better feel of how much it is to be such a complex character with complex emotions, especially at this particular moment in his life."

A newcomer to theater, Richard has appeared in two grand productions, Grethology and Hudhud. He also had a small role in Butterflies Are Free.

Past productions of Martir sa Golgota had big names such as Christopher de Leon, Ariel Rivera, Rez Cortez and Daniel Fernando portraying the role of Jesus Christ and Rita Avila, Pinky Marquez and Carmi Martin playing the role of Mary Magdalene. Direction is by Lou Veloso.

Let Me Be

If you’re one of those tuned in to Jam 88.3, then you know the song Let Me Be, which became one of the radio station’s most requested songs on its second month of airplay. The singer behind this song is Filipino-American diva Emily Rey, who has been making waves in the local music scene with her broadcast radio performances.

Emily Rey started her musical career in the United States, where she has her own following in the Filipino-American community of South California. With her own need for creative independence, she turned her poetic ability to writing her own songs and producing her debut album in the Philippines. Let Me Be, featuring all her original compositions showcasing her wide range of vocal styles. Her music is a combination of rock, alternative, R&B, hip-hop, jazz and pop.

The album’s current single, The Reason, is fast becoming a favorite among radio listeners and is also being used by the youth-oriented TV series Click as background music.

The album is released in the Philippines under Synergy Music. For more information, you can visit Emily Rey’s website at www.emilyrey.com.email: or at [email protected]