An emotional Angelica Panganiban took to the stage for her much-anticipated theater debut in Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona, one of the 15 entries in this year’s Virgin Labfest. The play, written by Ryan Machado, marks a new chapter in Angelica’s career as she faces a live audience onstage for the first time.
The experience proved deeply moving for the actress, who admitted she was overwhelmed even before stepping into the spotlight.
“From the time umalis kami backstage nu’ng nagpapasalamat na sila bago kami pumasok, naging emotional lang ako,” Angelica shared. “Parang gusto ko talagang umiyak.
“Iniiwasan ko sila. Ayokong makipag eye-to-eye contact dahil baka maiyak ako. Ang flow niya kasi, masaya naman kami sa start. So kailangan kong tanggalin lahat ng malulungkot, mga masasakit.
“Bigla na lang akong naging emotional. Naging emotional din ang buong grupo namin. Bigla na lang akong nagsisi-sigaw sa backstage.”
The initial staging of Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona received a warm response from the audience—something that Angelica was both grateful for and proud of. The play is directed by Toni Go-Yadao, with Ryan Machado as writer, Julio Garcia as set designer, Allie Eguia as costume stylist, Zac Capinding as sound designer, Loren Rivera as lighting designer, Erika Garcia as dramaturg, and Martin Adlaya as stage manager.
“Masarap sa pakiramdam,” Angelica said of the audience’s reaction. “Na miss ko ‘yung ginagawa ko noon although malayo naman ang theater sa Banana Sundae. But of course, nagkaroon na ako ng gano’ng experience with a live audience na tumatawa in front of you.”
Angelica previously starred in the ABS-CBN comedy sketch show Banana Sundae, directed by Edgar Mortiz, which aired from 2008 to 2011.
In the two-hander play, Angelica shares the stage with veteran actress Peewee O’Hara, who plays her mother. Angelica takes on the role of Phoebe, or Bebing, who is often in conflict with her mother, Reting. The title refers to Reting’s cat, Catriona, who becomes a central symbol in the story.
“Ang tawag nga sa kanila (audience), sila ang third actor, kasi nga dalawa lang kami sa stage,” Angelica said. “Aasahan mo din ang reaction nila and doon ka rin pupunta kung ano ang magiging direction mo sa play.”
Working with Peewee O’Hara, Angelica described the experience as transformative.
“Magnificent,” she said. “Ang OA (over acting), pero para akong lumilipad every time. Nakakatapos kami ng isang rehearsal, maganda man o hindi ang kinalabasan, lagi akong may natututunan.
“Ang tawag nga namin, para akong merong master class na galing kay Tita Peewee. Nararamdaman ko na sinusubukan niya ako. Nu’ng papasok kami kanina, tinatanong pa niya ako sa lines niya. Tinawanan ko lang siya.
“Sabi niya seryoso siya kasi pina-memorize pa niya sa akin ang lines niya. Which is good, kasi kailangan alam ko din ang mga lines niya para anytime magkaroon ng problema, magkaka-saluhan kaming dalawa.”
When asked to rate her first stage performance, Angelica held back.
“Hindi ko alam,” she said. “Hindi ko ‘yun kayang gawin. Basta ang nararamdaman ko lang, sobrang happy ako. Wala akong tulog.
“Para akong papasok na may exam. Gano’n ang pakiramdam ko mula kagabi pa. Ang babaw ng tulog ko. Parang na-alimpungatan na lang ako kanina ng magising ako. I said, ‘This is it.’ Kailangan maging confident ako.
“Nu’ng natapos ang play, parang gusto ko pang umiyak sa stage. Gano’n ang pakiramdam ko. Grabe ang bagaheng nawala sa puso ko. Kung ano ang gustong ma-deliver ng script, tumawid naman sa audience.”
Angelica was surprised by how often the audience laughed during scenes that weren’t meant to be comedic.
“Maya maya, tumatawa ang audience,” she recalled. “Midway, nagulat ako dahil tumatawa ang audience doon sa lines na hindi naman namin intended na patawanin sila. Heavy na ang pinupuntahan namin, tinatanong ko, titigil kaya silang tumawa?
“Hanggang dulo kaya silang tatawa? Medyo kinabahan na ako. But I told myself, trust the process lang. ‘Yun na lang talaga ang inisip ko. Trust your work.”
Some moments of the play even gave her doubts during rehearsals.
“Nagkakaroon kami ng critiquing, so doon kami palaging nasasabon,” she said. “In those scenes, nagkaroon ako ng mga doubts baka hindi mag work ang scene. Kaya kanina, unbelievable sa akin na hindi tumutigil kakatawa ang audience.”
Her husband, Gregg Homan, was also in the audience during the staging. Though they hadn’t spoken yet by the time of her interview, Angelica appreciated his presence.
“Inisip ko talaga kung iimbitahin ko na siya agad tonight,” she said. “Or sa opening na. But feeling ko kakailanganin ko ng support kung ano man ang kalabasan, maganda man o hindi.
“Kasi kakampi ko talaga ‘yun (Gregg). Alam ko na ‘pag uwi ko ng bahay, kahit ano kalabasan ng play, maganda man o hindi, may magko-comfort sa akin. So sabi ko sa kanya, support niya ako.”
As for what comes next, Angelica is keeping her options open.
“Siguro ngayon, kung lumilipad man ako, mababaw pa ang lipad ko,” she said. “Parang gusto ko munang ramdamin. Whew! Nakaka-high pala talaga siya.”
