Two years after the pandemic shut down the performing arts in the Philippines, Trumpets leads a revival of the theater industry with Joseph the Dreamer. On its second weekend, we spotted familiar faces who are quite giddy, excited to see the reimagined show. Among them is actor Arkin del Rosario who shared his reasons why people should watch JTD The Musical 2022. Here is what he narrated in an interview after the show.
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1) The Set & Costumes
Having started in theater when he was 11 years old, Arkin loved the simple yet impressive production design by Mio Infante. The audience was easily and seemlessly transported from scene to scene, from Canaan to Egypt, from prison to palace. “Simple lang ng stage kaya hindi masakit sa mata. Madaling maka focus sa mga importanteng eksena. I also enjoyed the costumes with a modern twist. I was actually drooling over Sam’s gold sneakers and I want to have my own pair.”
2) Sam’s Brilliant Performance
“Even before I joined showbiz, I already looked up to Sam Concepcion as a performer.” From start to finish, Sam Concepcion sang, danced, and acted like the real pro that he is and effortlessly showed the audience the stuff he’s made of with his portrayal of Joseph. Arkin adds, “I have met and have been in events with him a couple of times but I was still starstruck seeing him perform in this show”.
3) Impressive Choreography
“I noticed a recognizable blend of viral steps and K-Pop moves that reminded me of my own experience as part of a boy band”. Arkin who is currently part of the comedy series “Tols” on GTV was a member of XLR8, the first ever K-pop-inspired group in the Philippines, and with almost 300k followers on TikTok and over 100k on Instagram, it is no surprise that the cast’s breathtaking dance moves choreographed by MJ Arda of the A-Team are recognizable and appealed very much to him.
4) Audience’s Affective Energy
There was a noticable vibe that affected every member in the audience. The collective excitement of finally being able to watch live theater positively wove a ghost-like air (perhaps it was the holy ghost) that propels you to be drawn and affected by every scene. Arkin, having done professional straight plays in the past, knows how important it is to feed off the audience’s energy. “I remember how every audience reaction can sometimes navigate your emotions within the play and being part of the audience that night constantly made me show appreciation for the magic and hard work happening on and off stage. Sobrang galing ng cast and you can’t help reflecting on your own life as you watch the scenes unfold”.
5) Parent-Child Relationship
Arkin also shared that the musical moved him in many ways. He pointed out that his family is very important to him and is the reason why he works hard as an actor. The scenes with Jacob (played by Audie Gemora) and Joseph, and the flashback with Joseph’s mom, Rachel (played by Carla Guevara-Laforteza) both tugged at his heartstrings because of the evident love and support from both parents to the titular character. “Most people know that I lost both my mother and father at an early age so I really long for that kind of support system. It always gets me emotional when I am faced with scenes that take me back to memories with my parents and how I want to always make them proud; this show definitely did that.”
6) Life Lessons
The show teaches so many life lessons and one that struck Arkin is the lesson of forgiveness. In life, when you are harmed because of jealousy, and figuratively convicted and sent to prison despite your innocence, forgiveness can be a struggle but it can lead you to your own healing. In closing, Arkin smiled and said, “Generally speaking, you must learn to forgive no matter what others say about you. You must never lose your core and hold on to your faith because these things will be your compass that will guide you back to the right path. There’s a saying that goes, ‘Everybody wants to be a diamond but few are willing to get cut’ so we must remember that everything happens for a reason and face every struggle in life as an opportunity to became a better person and be closer to your dreams”.
“Joseph The Dreamer” 2022 runs at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater, BGC until August 7. For tickets, please call Ticketworld at 8891-9999 or visit https://bit.ly/JTD2022
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