Take it from direk Bobby

Multi-awarded musical theater director Bobby Garcia believes that instead of great things, an actor should aspire for greatness.

He said it recently when our conversation came to what local actors can do in order for them to make it to Broadway or West End. While acknowledging that we have some of the best actors in the world, Bobby pointed out that if putting their name on the marquee in those two places is their ultimate goal, then they are in the wrong frame of mind.

“The greatest goal of an actor is to put his heart and soul into telling the story that he was hired for — whatever show that is and wherever it’s staged. If they do this extremely well — if they are passionate about this — then that’s their success,” he said.

With due respect to theater actors who have conquered the international scene, Bobby said that aside from talent and hard work, luck determines how far an actor can go. Because an actor or a singer who is damn good at what he does, doesn’t mean he is assured of getting the breaks he wants.

“To be given breaks is out of your control and to think otherwise is to court frustration,” he quipped.

Bobby knows what he speaks having worked with the best of them not only here but even abroad including China and Singapore. He said that when he steps into a rehearsal room, a theater, a stage, he forgets where he is because the work, the process is the same.  

Actors can take their cue from Bobby. He has been in the business for 20 years now yet his passion for his craft remains strong. The way his eyes light up when he talks about good material — whether his or someone else’s — says so.

Bobby is clear about his parameters, true to his convictions. He doesn’t ask for approvals because he won’t even start something he doesn’t fully believe in. That if Bobby is in it, to borrow the tag line of an advertising campaign for a wallet a few years back, it must be good.

One of these is the Atlantis Productions’ staging of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Next to Normal, which returns to Manila for a limited two-week run from Oct. 7 to 16 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. Bobby is directing some of the country’s best theater actors in the musical, including Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo , Jett Pangan, Felix Rivera, Bea Garcia, Jake Macapagal and Markki Stroem.

Bobby describes Next to Normal which delves on bipolar disorder, as one “challenging” material. This is the reason he feels so blessed that the Filipino theater audiences have embraced it despite its almost taboo subject.

Then again, it would have been the audience’s loss if they hadn’t. After all, Next To Normal, according to Bobby, has some of the most exciting rock music for theater. It actually broke lots of ground when it opened off-Broadway some years ago, he added.

“When I saw Next to Normal… I was once again excited for the future of musical theater,” Bobby said.

Coming from someone like Bobby, who has remained such a potent force in theater for his integrity, it’s really saying something.     

What makes a RajoMan

Here’s great, intoxicating fashion news from Sunny Ku of Masterminds International…What would you call the pairing of the world’s quintessential cognac brand and one of the country’s top design houses? Well, nothing short of design heaven as heavyweight brands RajoMan and Remy Martin combine to bring you a high-spirited fashion event brimming with taste and style.

The House of Rémy Martin represents almost 300 years of French wine growing and cognac making tradition, offering a cognac of unique aromatic intensity. With a fine heritage dating back to 1724, Rémy Martin has been driven by one quest — to capture the Heart of Cognac, exclusively blending 100 percent of its cognac from the most sought after rare grapes from the Cognac region. This has earned Rémy Martin the prestigious recognition of being a Fine Champagne Cognac by the Appelation d’ Origine Controlee, the official governing body for fine spirits of France. 

From the House of Laurel, RajoMan traces its beginnings in 2007 when acclaimed designer Rajo Laurel, together with his brother John, decided to address a serious fashion conundrum, the lack of decent fashion brands that catered solely to men. With a mission and a clear-cut vision in mind, the two took to the drawing board. Thus, RajoMan was born.

With a design spectrum that caters to the more sartorially timid male (think button downs, jackets and shirts in neutral colors, classic cuts and the richest fabrics) as well as the serious fashion player (bright colors and patterned materials in cutting-edge combinations are a staple), RajoMan has got something for every man. Designs adhere to the House of Laurel’s up-to-date seasonal trends, too, so the RajoMan customer is always spot-on when it comes to being in style. With a solid customer base in places even outside Manila (Davao, Hong Kong, you name it!), and with its recent launch held at the House of Laurel in Makati, the powerhouse brand shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.