Marc Raymond Bolongon as Ajnata, the King's Attendant

1. Tell us something about yourself.

I am a nature lover. I love breathing the fresh air! I love going to the beach, getting tanned under the sun. I love scuba diving – oh, I just can’t take my eyes off the beautiful treasure that awaits when you dive under the sea.

Aside from those mentioned above, I also love shopping, surfing the net, reading books, singing dancing and acting.

I love entertaining other people. Being able to entertain people is my life!


2. Why did you audition for this play?

After my last performance for the theater show during college, I thought to myself, “Will there be any musical outside the school? Can I still join and showcase my talent? I wanted to improve my singing, my skills in dancing and acting. But will I still be invited for a musical or any acting career?”

A friend from a previous college musical answered it all! When I heard them talking that there will be an audition for another musical, a bell inside my head rang and a light bulb on top of my head lighted up! I could not miss this opportunity! So, I approached my friend–with a smile and tantalizing eyes and said, “Can I join?”

3. What did you feel when you were chosen as Ajnata, one of the five attendants of Prince Siddhartha?

It was after my college graduation when the results of the audition came. Unfortunately I was not part of the major cast. I felt so weak and low then. But I recall during the auditions I was very jittery and I kept thinking, "can I make it?" This was after all the very first musical outside of school. And I saw that it was a group of talented people all gathered together for this major project. I felt so small, smaller than a mushroom, which stands around tall grasses and trees.

During the first weeks of our rehearsals, the head of the production crew approached me and announced, "You will be one of the five attendants, okay? You need to practice your lines and I will be giving you scripts."

This made me very happy. At that time, I didn't know that I was part of the main cast after all. It must have helped that I never stop practicing dancing, singing and even acting.

4. Have you had any previous experience with musical theater?


I had the chance to act in front of the camera, do a little hosting during special events or occasions and dance in front of a crowd most of the time. But as for singing, I basically hated singing before. I just don’t know why- it’s not because I have the worst voice ever, but it gave me goose bumps when I would hear someone started singing- especially classical songs!

One time in school, I was absentmindedly singing a song when a friend exclaimed, "You can sing!"
"I can sing?" It didn't even occur to me that I had a good voice.
So when I was in junior year in college, a History professor invited me to audition for a musical play. I decided to give it a try! I basically didn’t have formal theater experience nor voice lessons but I tried to learn and listen to every lecture and feedback that my mentors shared to me.

These are the following shows in college that I was able to participate:

* Cry of the People – March 2006

* Hundred Night’s Show – December 2006

* Musical 101 – March 2006