BB Gandanghari: ‘Not easy playing gay on live stage’
Many spectators might think that playing a gay role must be a walk in the park for a transgender like BB Gandanghari, perhaps the most intriguing member of the country's LGBT community today.
However, that is not the case if you ask BB about it, especially since the medium is live theater.
RELATED: BB: What a difference a name makes
The actor formerly known as Rustom Padilla stands in the spotlight yet again as she plays the role of Molina, the "sexual predator" in the revival of the stage play "Halik Ng Tarantula."
Challenge
Based on the novel “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” by Argentine author Manuel Puig, the play opened March 7 at Teatrino at the Promenade in San Juan and runs until Saturday, March 9th.
Seven other play dates are being targeted.
WATCH VIDEO: What is the ‘greatest thing in the world’ for BB?
"To hold the attention of the audience for two hours is a challenge," said BB in an interview, referring to theater's nature as a live gig.
Pet project
The sibling of action star Robin Padilla has put her heart into this project, taking care of it from the moment it began looking for the right director to handle it and the hunky actor to play Valentin, the idealist political prisoner sharing the cell with Molina.
BB picked the best possible choice for the directorial job, tapping award-winning theater and film director Soxie Topacio who maneuvered the original staging of the play as translated by the late Rene Villanueva.
ALSO READ: Carmina to BB: ‘Be true to yourself’
As for the actors, he chose newcomers over veterans, or, as he puts it, "those not busy with teleserye projects."
Discipline of theater
"I want newcomers kasi iba yung passion nila and they will definitely have such in portraying Valentin. Iba ang discipline ng theater acting," he reasoned.
"What I'm saying is too busy ang mga character actors na nasa teleseryes kaya they won't be able to focus if they will do this."
READ: BB dreams of getting married
Three actors were chosen to play Valentin: Jet Alcantara, Xyruz Cruz and Jovie Monsod. Jet is an experienced indie actor and a model; the two others are virtually new faces.
'Sana manood family ni BB’
The 1985 movie of the same name starred William Hurt who turned in an Oscar-winning performance as the cross-dressing Valentin.
The story tackles the complicated relationship between two male prisoners, one straight, the other gay.
Passionate moments between the actors are expected.
VIEW VIDEO: Why did Rustom marry Carmina?
Direk Topacio, who says that the play is actually political, said, "Sana manood ang family ni BB. The play has so much statements that mirror reality in his life."
‘Rustom is dead’
In fact, Topacio added, "You should watch this whether you are gay or otherwise."
On a personal note, BB revealed that her journey to becoming a woman in physical sense has already been achieved with that first big step.
And that step is BB's assertion that "Rustom is already dead."
