MANILA, Philippines - This year will be most significant for BB Gandanghari after many years of hiatus, during which he had film studies at UCLA and did modeling stints in New York, among others, partly to re-invent himself as he prepares for his grand comeback in the entertainment scene.
Upon his return as a Viva artist, BB played a significant/dual role on TV5’s fantasy series Enchanted Garden and gave a sensitive performance as a transgender torn between two lovers (played by Wendell Ramos and Baron Geisler) in an episode in the controversial Untold Stories, which made it to the long list of the PMPC Star Awards for TV 2012, the same body that bestowed on BB a New TV Personality Award.
Earlier on, BB meandered into legit stage acting as a gay character in the film version of the comic book ZsaZsa Zaturnnah and also starred in teleseryes such as GMA 7’s La Vendetta and ABS-CBN’s Eva Fonda.
The artist that he is, BB did not have second thoughts accepting the role of Molina in the stage production of Halik Ng Tarantula (adapted from the film and Broadway versions of Kiss of the Spider Woman by famous novelist Manuel Puig), when it was first brought to his attention by director Soxie Topacio who originated/directed the material for PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) in 1989, with Mario O’Hara as Molina and Julio Diaz as Valentin.
According to direk Soxie, in the updated version, BB will take the most challenging dual role to test his metier onstage. He will reprise the role of Molina and do the character of Irena, the spiderwoman, originally played by Sonia Branag in the film version and Vanessa Williams in the Broadway musical version, a first in the history of the play.
A Gawad Urian awardee, and recently acclaimed for his performance in the play Sayaw ng mga Senyorita, BB inspired direk Soxie, who worked with him in the said play. He believes BB will more than measure up to the demands of the role, from studying the character to going through the regimen of strict diet as well as mental and physical fitness.
Asked on the reason behind the play’s restaging, direk Soxie replied, “First off, BB more than fits the role and the material continues to be as timely as today’s raging issues on society’s bias against homosexuality. This is our way of helping shed light on the crux of the matter considering that the insights one would gain from watching a play is indirect and less painful than being told of hard and honest facts straight in the face.â€
Halik Ng Tarantula, translated in Filipino by the late playwright Rene Villanueva, tells of two inmates — a political prisoner and a persecuted homosexual — sharing the same cell in a Buenos Aires prison in the ’70s.
As of press time, BB and direk Soxie are optimistic that they can find an actor who can sink his teeth into the challenging character of Valentin.
BB’s acceptance of the major role also underscores his serious intention to enter a new phase in his career by founding the BB Gandanghari, Inc. With the play as his initial and major venture into production, he’s all set to tackle the business side of it, having earned an Economics degree from St. Louis University in Baguio City.
The play will have a limited run on March 7 to 9 at Teatrino Promenade Arcade, Greenhills.