Rachelle Ann ready to shine as Saigon’s Gigi on Broadway

“It’s a dream!”

That’s Rachelle Ann Go’s answer when Funfare texted her how she felt about her debut on Broadway, reprising her award-winning role as Gigi in the long-running megahit Cameron Mackintosh musical Miss Saigon.

“The first time I was in New York,” said Rachelle Ann, “I told myself, ‘I want to work here.’ I can’t believe that it’s happening.”

It’s another dream come true for Rachelle Ann. She first watched Miss Saigon during her tween years and she also told herself, “Someday, I will be on that show.” That was a few years before she topped the Star For a Night talent search that paved her way to showbiz.

Now playing Fantine in Les Miz on London’s West End, the same role that won her Best Performance in a Long-Running West End Show from the Broadway World UK last year, Rachelle Ann revived the Gigi character also on West End where another Filipina, Isay Alvarez, originated it more than 25 years ago. Her performance as Gigi won Rachelle Ann Best Supporting Actress in a Musical from WhatsOnStage Award.

As soon as she finishes her stint on Les Miz, Rachelle Ann will come home to spend Christmas and New Year with her family. Then she will fly to New York to start rehearsal for Miss Saigon which will run from March 2017 to January 2018.

“I will have to rehearse because the musical will have a new cast,” said Rachelle Ann. According to reports, Jon Jon Briones, another Filipino, will reprise his role as The Engineer for which he has also won awards, and Fil-Am actress Eva Noblezada as Kim. Jon Jon and Lea Salonga (who originated Kim on West End in 1989 and played the same role on Broadway) were among the first to congratulate Rachelle Ann.

Asked by Funfare what pointers she would give Rachelle Ann, Lea texted “None,” adding, “She should just be her own awesome self and wow the audience that way!”

After Broadway, what?

Will Rachelle Ann realize her other dream — that is, to play Elphaba in Wicked?

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Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas with his wife Jasmine (who he’s marrying in Catholic rites in July next year) and their daughters Alexandra and Aryana

Alfred as dad and as Q.C. congressman

Second-termer Quezon City Congressman (fifth district) Alfred Vargas turned 37 last Monday, Oct. 24. During a pre-birthday thanksgiving lunch he hosted for movie writers in Ka Tunying’s Café (on Timog Avenue, Quezon City, right across from the GMA Studios), Alfred said that he had so much to be thankful for.

“There’s my wife Yasmine whom I’m going to marry in church in July next year,” revealed Alfred who has two daughters with Yasmine (who is half-Filipino/half-Italian), Alexandra and Aryana. “Our lucky number is 7 so we chose July for our wedding. It was also last July when I proposed to Yasmine (for the second time) on my knees.” The couple was civilly married in 2010.

Alfred is just as hands-on as a father as he is as congressman.

“I make sure that I wake up earlier during weekdays so I can personally bring my kids to school and try to be home by 7 p.m. every day so I can have dinner with my family,” said Alfred. “Nothing beats spending quality time with the family.”

Between Congress and family, Alfred will find time to shoot Ang Guro Kong Di Marunong Magbasa (as the titular role), an indie intended to join the full-length-film competition of the 2017 Cinemalaya, written and directed by TV/film/theater actor Perry Escano.

With showbiz stars making headlines for drug busts, we asked Alfred if he’s drug-free.

“Of course, I am!” confirmed Alfred who looked “very congressman” with extra poundage (hardly has time to exercise, he claimed). “Being a celebrity is a big privilege that comes with big responsibility, if you’re an actor, you are a public property. Whatever you say or do is magnified in the consciousness of our society. If you do good, you are elevated. If you do bad, you are crucified.

“The personalities recently arrested for drugs are not even drug lords or big-time pushers. But they are now branded as sinful and unforgivable. This is the reality. But there is another kind of reality…the kind that gives actors the chance to own up and make up for their mistakes, and inspire others to rise and recover. Being a celebrity places you in a position where you are fully capable to effect positive change in society.”

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