My Tita Baby was very tough, and she meant good by it.
Founder of Repertory Philippines, the number 1 English theater company in the country. Home of so many stars for national and international productions. They all learned tons from her.
I am an actor because I used to watch her plays and rehearsals since I was a kid. And I made a living out of it since 1998. So thank you Tita Baby!
When I moved to the Philippines I lived with her, I joined her theater company and did my first musical here: Seussical. Started to learn the local dynamics and hardships. As she said it is 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration.
Whenever she was sick in the hospital I was always by her side. Including her last breath even if it was forbidden to be in the emergency room or visit during lockdown times. That is how much I loved her.
She gave me hell during the only play she directed me in haha. That was Guadalupe the musical. She would shout and insult me during rehearsals. After I would help her get in the car and we would go for dinner as a family.
She usually gave hell especially to blood-related actors in order to show she wouldn’t favor us, plus coz she wanted to make us better actors. It was very very tough if you ask me. I wanted to quit.
The Barredo’s are known for being hot-tempered and passionate artists. That is why even if I suffered it I also understood it.
Guess what? I kept on working on my character daily and did the best performance of my life. So much so that among other plays I got nominated as Performer of the Decade in the Philippines by Broadway World alongside big-time superstars.
So I closed my ears and mind to what other 10 people were telling me to do with my character during her absence (actors, production, dancers), and I kept on working on the path I started during her rehearsals. It paid off.
I came to the Philippines and I am an actor because of you. Joined dozens of movies and stage plays since then. Achieved so much more than in my wildest dreams as an actor. Thank you!
I wish your legacy continues and you wanted: to spread theater and help actors make a living out of it.
