IN THEATER, THERE are several ways to find a diamond in the rough among a bevy of talents.
One of them is acting workshops where outstanding performances naturally stand out good for the next production.
The other way is an audition to fit in a role in time for eventual training, script reading, character analysis, building up scenarios etc.
Still, another is random searches from a multimedia pool of actors.
GMA Network artist Derrick Monasterio matches the latter manner of discovery to star in a new, invigorated musical.
As a movie and television actor, Derrick has shown his acting mettle in various styles and depictions.
In theater, though, Monasterio still has to prove himself as an artist worth one’s salt although he was featured years ago in his stage debut performance in “Rak of Aegis,” a Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) iconic musical.
Obviously, Derrick was only “one of those” in an array of potential musical artists in the stage play.
He was seen as a latent stage actor who could sing but nothing had come along yet as an exciting theater assignment.
Until theater director Frannie Zamora was looking for a titular lead in Dr. Jose Rizal’s character-driven literary figure as Crisostomo Ibarra for Tanghalang Una Obra’s “Ibarra….Ngayon.”
As suggested, Frannie thought of browsing over Monasterio’s digital file videos, one of them a musical cut.
While watching, Zamora was impressed with Derrick’s potential as a singer in a musical theater.
“Then I talked with Sparkle, Derrick’s management and his mom Tina Monasterio is a friend. They were convinced of my offer,” said Frannie.
Finally, Derrick is taking the centerstage and how!
“Derrick has it. He has the discipline. In our rehearsals, he would take notes of his blockings,” informed Zamora.
At the moment, the young actor undergoes voice training from music experts couple Camille Lopez Molina and Pablo Molina, the same mentors who trained Piolo Pascual in the role of Ibarra staged by the same theater group three years ago.
“Ibarra…Ngayon” is slated to run in June at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City.