Carla: Doing Nine is liberating

Carla Guevara-Laforteza is one of Philippine musical theater’s most brilliant performers. She has performed internationally as Kim in Miss Saigon in London’s West End, as Kate Monster/Lucy The Slut in Avenue Q Singapore and as Olive in Spelling Bee Singapore.

Locally, she has played numerous roles such as Emma in Song and Dance, Lucy in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Marta in Company and Tuptim in The King and I, among many others. She now takes on one of her biggest challenges as Carla in Atlantis Productions’ staging of the Tony Award-winning musical Nine, directed by Bobby Garcia. Nine runs from Sept. 21 to Oct. 7 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.

Carla joins an all-star cast that includes Jett Pangan, Eula Valdez, Cherie Gil, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Sitti Navarro and Ima Castro. Nine also features set design by Tony Award-winning set designer David Gallo and costumes by Robin Tomas. We caught up with Carla during a break from rehearsals.

What got you started in musical theater?

“My parents had an annual subscription to season tickets for Repertory Philippines and would always take me to see the plays. I’ve always wanted to perform onstage so when Repertory held auditions for Aladdin in 1992, my cousin Robbie Guevara, who is a Repertory baby, urged me to audition for Bibot Amador and Baby Barredo, and I got in!” 

What are some of your most memorable roles and why?

“Kim in Miss Saigon London of course, for obvious reasons; Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut in Avenue Q because it was my first Atlantis show; and Tuptim in The King and I because the songs and music were just so beautiful. Emma in Song and Dance (Tell Me on A Sunday) — it was my comeback role/show for Repertory Philippines after being in hiatus for six years, and it was an extremely challenging role as it was a one-woman show. Doing Maureen Johnson in Rent and Lucy Van Pelt in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown were the most fun!” 

How does it now feel to be a part of the cast of Nine?

“I feel honored and appreciated for what I can do because I was handpicked to be part of this show.”

What excites you about the show? 

“The cast! When I was told I will be sharing the stage with Menchu Yulo, Cherie Gil, Eula Valdez and Jett Pangan and to be directed by Bobby Garcia, I almost fainted! And of course, I’m excited to play Carla Albanese because her role is very liberating and I get to showcase my singing, acting and dancing all at the same time.”

What is Nine all about?  

“The musical is based on Federico Fellini’s film 8 1/2. The story revolves around Italian director Guido Contini who is going through a midlife crisis, and how he struggles with the women around him who contribute to his life and inspire him in his work.”

Tell us what your advanced music call for Nine was like.

“It was awesome! And to be in the same room with Jett and all those amazing and ridiculously talented women! We all got to sing our solo parts and were given the chorus music to study. Maury Yeston’s music is so beautiful!”

Tell us about Carla Albanese, your character.

“Carla is Guido’s mistress. She is married, but is in love with Guido so she files for divorce to be with Guido.”

Do you think local audiences will enjoy Nine?

“Definitely! Not only is the music beautiful, but I hear the set design by Tony award-winner David Gallo will be a sight to see, not to mention the cast.”

How different is the musical from the movie? 

“Very different. Unlike the movie, the staging is very stylized and kept to a minimum, none of the Hollywood big production numbers found in the movie. But that’s what makes it more real. You will appreciate the story and the characters created by each actor more in the play because it is more focused on the story and the situations.” 

Can’t wait to see Nine!

(For details, call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078.)