Michael de Mesa is a woman

Michael de Mesa is a woman
Written by Totel V. de Jesus (http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1782:michael-de-mesa-is-a-woman&catid=32:life>
Tuesday, 11 November 2008 19:36

MICHAEL DE MESA, one of the handful local actors who can rightfully claim to be called such, will be playing a woman on-stage. She—rather—he will essay the role of Edna Turnblad in Atlantis Productions’ version of the hilarious Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray.

You might have seen the successful and successfully rousing 2007 movie version topbilled by John Travolta (as Edna Turnblad), Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron and Amanda Bynes, among others, so the pressure on de Mesa could be gargantuan.

Travolta’s act is a tough one to follow. More so, Turnblad is a fat woman.

“I can say that this is the most difficult part I’ve gotten to play. It’s physically demanding not only in terms of singing and dancing. Yes, it’s hard, kasi, kumbaga I have to give the illusion that it’s not a fat suit, that it’s really me, that it’s how my body is built,” he tells the BusinessMirror.

He adds that he will soon shave all hair visible to the audience. And that includes his arms, legs, face and chest. He actually asked for the role as early as last year, when Atlantis was doing Dogeaters, which de Mesa was part of.

Why Turnblad?

“Ako naman, whatever comes my way. I’m always at home doing theater. This is something for the soul. After doing all those soaps, you know what I mean.”

He adds that it’s the reason he accepts roles in low-budgeted indie films and in theater. He recounts the first play he did in 1981, titled Bangag, directed by Leo Martinez. It was the local adaptation of a Broadway hit, Does A Tiger Wear A Necktie?, which launched the career of then-unknown Al Pacino.

“When I read the script of Bangag, I fell in love with it and I offered myself to Leo. After that, I kept on doing theater, all straight plays. Rent was the first musical I did. I fell in love with it when I saw it in Broadway, and so when I learned that it was going to be staged here, I auditioned. When I saw Hairspray, I wanted to do it at once. That’s why I told Bobby earlier, even when we were doing Dogeaters.”

He feels very much blessed as an actor because he can do everything, whether in films or television. As a stage actor, he is both comfortable with musical and straight plays. His other theater forays that easily come to mind include Once on This Island, Proof, Tick Tick…Boom and The Rocky Horror Show.

As an actor for films and television, we’re all aware that he has played both hero and antihero, tatay and tito to the likes of Judy Ann Santos and Claudine Barretto.

“I’ve been given the chance to do all kinds of roles and I’m glad for the opportunities,” he says, shaking his head, as if holding back something.

And there’s one more thing he feels inadequate in: dancing. We remember him joining the dancing contest on TV, the one hosted by Lucy Torres-Gomez (Shall We Dance on the old ABC). One of the judges told him, “You know, Michael, you’re a very good actor. No doubt about that. But please, don’t act while dancing. Your body movements tell us you’re acting the dance. Why don’t you just enjoy the music and dance?”

Ouch. Now for Hairspray, his role has many dancing parts.

“Let’s just say I’m practicing a lot,” de Mesa assures us. It is not news anymore that de Mesa’s marriage to Gina Alajar was annulled a couple of years ago, and his current squeeze is a professional dancer, a veteran member of Hotlegs. So does he ask advice from her?

“No, I want to surprise her. I ask tips but I don’t show her what I do,” de Mesa says, grinning, with a newfound satisfaction. There’s more to smile about for him. He confesses that he has decided to embark on a new chapter in his professional life. After Hairspray, he will be leaving show biz for a longer time for a full-time marketing job in California. He will be selling ambulances.

“It’s been offered to me since 2006 pa. It’s an opportunity I’ve been wanting to grab a long time ago. I am 48 and I’m not getting any younger. I want to explore na rin what I’m capable of aside from acting.”

He also uses the term “very frustrated” with the way things are being run in local show biz nowadays. He compares the palakasan system and widespread mediocrity among the recent crop—or, crap?—of so-called actors, like some sort of airborne virus attacking and killing a helpless victim.

Then again, he is always generous enough to give advice to the “victims.” Or those TV-film actors trying to venture into theater

“Always be serious with the craft. Respect the work. Acting is not just what you see on soap operas. There’s more to that.”

For his swan song in local theater, de Mesa will be joined in by much-awarded singer Dulce, who will play Motor Mouth Maybelle (done by Queen Latifah in the film). Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo plays the villain Velma Von Tussle (essayed by Pfeiffer in the movie). Nyoy Volante will play Seaweed J. Stubbs. There’s also Leo Rialp (Wilbur Turnblad), Gabe Mercado (The Male Authority Figure), Enchang Kaimo (Female Authority Figure) and Noel Rayos (Corny Collins).

For the lead roles, newbies Madel Ching will play Tracy Turnblad while Tim Espinosa will be Link Larkin (in the film he was Zac Efron).

Hairspray is directed by Garcia with choreographer Cecille Martinez, musical director Archie Castillo (conducting the FILharmoniKA), production designer Gino Gonzales and lighting designer Shoko Matsumoto.

It will be staged at the Star Theater, CCP Complex, from November 14 to December 7.

For tickets: Atlantis, 892-7078, 840-1187; or Ticketworld, 891-9999.