What Rufa Mae is afraid of

Did you know that the one thing Rufa Mae Quinto is afraid of is performing live onstage?

"Ever since, fear ko na ‘yan," confesses the sexy actress-comedienne.

Friends say Rufa Mae is a good singer and dancer, and she’s guested in shows of other artists, but she’s never done a concert of her own because she has never had the courage to try it.

But the best way to conquer one’s fears is to face them head-on. And so, thanks to the prodding of several friends – including director Joyce Bernal, who directed her in Booba, her first big hit and who has virtually become one of her mentors in the business – Rufa Mae has finally decided to do her first full-length concert to be held on May 27, on the eve of her birthday, at the Aliw Theater.

It’s called RMQ: Bombshell Unleashed. At first, Rufa Mae laughs that when she, Direk Joyce, writer-director Peter Serrano and Ryan Brusola were conceptualizing the show and they presented her a list of about 10 titles, she chose Bombshell Unleashed without realizing what it meant.

"Di ko maintindihan, kasi English!" jokes Rufa Mae. "Basta pinili ko lang yung pinaka-sosyal."

She even had to ask them what it meant. When Peter explained that it meant "pinakawalan", Rufa Mae said, "Okay, ‘yan na!"

She identifies with the title because on that night, says Rufa Mae, she is going to "unleash" her talent as a concert performer. It’s a side of her not many people have seen.

"Puro guesting lang ako sa shows ng mga major artists," Rufa Mae tells us. "Tapos naisip ko, try ko kaya, ako naman ang mag-show, at sila naman ang guest?"

She’s totally serious. She even watched concert videos of Madonna and Beyoncé, hoping to pick up a few pointers and ideas for the show. Yes, Rufa Mae admits the thought of performing live onstage in a big concert still makes her quiver, but like they say, no guts, no glory. "Sabi ko, I have to overcome my fear – to complete myself," says Rufa Mae.

"This is a serious concert," says RMQ: Bombshell Unleashed director Peter Serrano. Not only will Rufa Mae have a whole gaggle of guests (that include some of the most gorgeous, talented men in showbiz – Polo Ravales, Paolo Contis, Alfred Vargas, Wendell Ramos, Antonio Aquitania, JayR, Mark Bautista, Janno Gibbs and Concert King Martin Nievera – plus fellow comedians John Lapus and Teri Onor) and the Hotlegs. It’s going to be a "theatrical concert" where they will tell Rufa Mae’s story through song and dance. It will trace her colorful beginnings as a showbiz wannabe, then moving on to become the country’s hottest actress-comedienne.

The production design is nothing to sneer at either. Rufa Mae is expected to have 10 – yes, 10 costume changes, with all gowns made by top designers.

The concert is even for a good cause. Rufa Mae’s beneficiary is the Rural Improvement Club of Sta. Monica and Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte. It is a really poor community – a fifth-class municipality, says Serrano. By donating part of the concert proceeds to them, Rufa Mae hopes to help improve livelihood projects and community development projects in the area. At present, residents of the community make their living producing citronella oil and making candles out of recycled plastics.

But even as she’s busy preparing for the concert, intrigues continue to hound Rufa Mae. Not just about her love life and her supposed romance with South Border lead vocalist Duncan Ramos, but about her challenging Ai-Ai de las Alas’s title as the "Comedy Concert Queen".

According to Rufa Mae, she’s not out to prove anything. She’s not doing this concert to challenge anyone, much less Ai-Ai, a good friend and a fellow Backroom artist. "We can’t be compared because Ai-Ai is my idol," protests Rufa Mae.

As for Duncan – who’s currently touring with South Border in the US – Rufa Mae would rather not say anything. Asked by one reporter what her birthday wish is (the concert will be held on the eve of her birthday), Rufa Mae says she has almost everything. "Dyowa lang ang wala!"

Does that mean there’s nothing going on between her and Duncan? Or is it over? She’s not talking.

"I’m so excited and nervous. I’m more nervous than when I’m making a movie. But now that I’m here," she says, and takes a deep breath, "Kakaririn ko na!"