
by NOEL D. FERRER
RENOWNED actress Joanna Ampil has been given the most iconic roles in musical theater with The Engineer in “Miss Saigon” at the top. Playing this role not only showcased her talent but also underscored her aspirations to blaze trails and shatter glass ceilings.
It is no “minuscule” feat at all – as how someone who lobbied for her ward in another award-giving body described Joanna’s achievements, God bless her! – especially considering the significance of Joanna’s achievements in entertainment. Throughout her 30-year career, she has learned to navigate the industry’s challenges, especially handling negative criticism.
“Don’t let the noise of the world distract you from the voice of God. When the world tells you lies, God tells you the truth,” Joanna said regarding bashing.
Joanna’s contributions to culture and her altruistic endeavors have not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by her accolades, such as for CCP’s show and her anniversary concert, “Anywhere We Sing Is Home,” where she won Best Filipino Artist Overseas at the Aliw Awards.
“More than anything, I’m happy to have a platform that allows me to represent our people because it is the birthright of every human being, no matter what the race is, to be heard and be seen,” she said.
How did she get the role of The Engineer?
“When I was in London having our break from South Pacific, I received an email from my agent asking for my availability for certain dates and also, if I’d be willing to have a meeting with the artistic directors of ‘The Crucible’ at Sheffield for a show they’ll be doing,” she recalled
“I said yes in a heartbeat as I know how reputable and big a deal this theater company is. It’s home to world-class productions such as the very recent and very successful ‘Life of Pi’ – which I saw, by the way, before all this happened. The best show I’ve seen that year!”
She confessed to being initially confused upon learning she was going to be part of “Miss Saigon.”
“When the assistant artistic director Anthony Lau said, ‘the show we want you to do is “Miss Saigon”.’ I was very confused. Surely he wasn’t thinking of me as Kim? So in my head, I was like- ‘are you creating a new role in it like, a mother?’ Then he immediately followed it by, we want you for the role of The Engineer!
“I have to be honest that it took a while for it to sink in. He asked me if I have any concerns and I said, my biggest worry then was- to reimagine ‘Miss Saigon,’ it will need an update, and an Asian director’s perspective. Which is solved having Anthony, whose ancestry is from Hong Kong, co-directing the show with Rob Hastie.”
It was a role she simply could not refuse, continued Joanna.
“The challenge of recreating this iconic part was too good to miss. Don’t get me wrong, I was terrified about the idea but I felt that with ‘South Pacific,’ too. I think one needs to be brave and thick-skinned to tackle a huge undertaking like this. The fact that ‘The Crucible’ at Sheffield’s creative team is willing to mount a well-known and beloved show has its merits. I find it courageous and very forward-thinking of them to take this on. It won’t be easy but it’s a start. Someone needs to set precedence and I’m willing to do that with them. Many productions have done this. Our production of ‘South Pacific’ for one reimagined the show and the part of Bloody Mary. It’s not just about the entertainment value but also representation.
“Naturally, during the meeting, I asked how Cameron Mackintosh and the team behind ‘Miss Saigon’ felt about this new concept. So they’ve been having back and forth meetings with them, including Schonberg and Boublil for a year now. They thought about me for the role which Cameron approved. Thankfully! Surprisingly though, they thought of me as The Engineer before even seeing me as Bloody Mary since the roles have certain similarities. But no! Everything just aligned accordingly.”
Joanna has seamlessly adapted to life abroad, finding joy in residing in London with her husband, Faust Peneyra, an accomplished, awarded, and in-demand production designer.
“Life in the UK, London, where I’m based, is always blissful because I love this city. I’ve been touring so much and to stay put for a while with my husband in our London flat gives me that feeling of contentment,” she related.
“A typical relaxed day- my husband goes to work, I go for a walk, I get home and make brunch, do a vocal warm-up, run errands, catch up on things to watch on Netflix or reply to emails and messages. If I have to do a show, I walk to work as part of my physical warm-up. I make sure I talk to my mom, my sister, and my nephew every day. “Then hubby comes home after work, he cooks dinner for us or we go out and have sushi at Eat Tokyo, our favorite place in London, and talk about our day.”
Joanna will be headlining a play in April, which is the European premiere for a new manga musical. How does she maintain a good work-life balance and a happy marriage?
“I think being happy depends on an individual. Marriage is teamwork. Faust and I make it work by adapting and compromising on a few things but we try to be positive since work is already stressful. Most importantly, we listen to each other. It doesn’t happen all the time and it’s not always perfect but that’s part of a healthy marriage. Evolving and learning things about yourself and each other and the growth that comes with it. Also, we pray,” Joanna stressed.
The theater stalwart chooses a song by Kpop superstar Jungkook to describe her life now.
“It must be ‘Standing Next To You’ by Jungkook of BTS,” she says. “It was played a lot during our recent vacation and I’m a huge fan of Jungkook and BTS. The song is about supporting each other, may it be your partner, friend, family member, and so on.”
She might be living a blissful life in the UK but she assured her Filipino supporters she’s but a flight away.
“I’m sending everyone my heartfelt gratitude for rooting for me. Please continue to support us as we are in the process of developing wonderful productions for everyone to see and enjoy. Plus, I’m only a flight away should Manila need me – you know where to find me,” said Joanna. “Forever Pinoy tayo!”