The repeat serving of something good is always waited on with great excitement and anticipation.  After being staged more than a hundred times to mostly jam-packed audiences before the pandemic, and streamed on limited engagement online, “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” is making a big comeback to the Newport Performing Arts Theater sometime this month. This early, the award-winning production’s onstage return is already creating a stir among theater fans as the new version is said to be an “enriched and fortified” version of the original in terms of musical arrangements, choreography and even acting, with the cast now composed of both veterans and newbies to the musical.

The Thrillmaker had the opportunity to chat with some of the newcomers to the cast during a recent backstage pass rehearsal granted by Newport World Resorts management to a select group of entertainment, lifestyle and theater media.

Bullet Dumas

Bullet Dumas – playing older Emman

The seasoned live event performer, musician, and songwriter landed one of the lead roles in the musical after accepting an invitation to do a read of his role.  He had to submit a video audition to express his interest to be cast before he was invited to attend the first callback, where he was offered the role that same day.

THIRLLMAKER: How did you get yourself into AHEB 2023?

Bullet: “I auditioned for this.  So kailangan ko rin talaga patunayan sa sarili ko, now that binigay na sa akin yung role, na kaya ko ‘to.  Gusto ko rin patunayan sa aking castmates and everyone working in the show na kaya naming ‘to together.”

THRILLMAKER: You will eventually be compared to other actors who played it.  How will you make your take on the role different?

Bullet: “Iba iba yung Emmans, iba-iba yung Hectors every run so for me, kaya dun, we negotiate (with the senior production team), we collaborate. Ganun yung nangyayari.”

THRILLMAKER: What can we expect from this new team?

Bullet: “Big or small binibigyan namin ng malupit na oras, malupit na effort to make it as presentable as possible.  Sobrang healthy ng back and forth ng mga tao, ng mga talents.”

THRILLMAKER: What would you consider your biggest highlight in the musical?

Bullet: “Yung opening.  Kasi kailangan namin, opening pa lang kailangan nandun na siya kagad. Mataas na sya kaagad and we have to maintain that energy until the end.”

Nino Alejandro

Nino Alejandro – playing older Anthony

The nephew of Philippine musical icon, Hajji Alejandro, has already been in the entertainment industry for close to three decades and has released three albums.  Like Bullet, he was an easy choice for one of the lead roles and was offered to be part of the cast after just one reading of the role of the closeted gay barkada, Anthony.

THRILLMAKER:  It must be tough playing Anthony.  Where do you draw inspiration from to do well in your portrayal?

Nino: “This is the first time that I’m playing a role of someone from the LGBTQ community, and I wanted to give it as much truth and honesty as possible.  Growing up I had so many friends and family from that group, and they were just people to me and I wanted to embrace it.”

THILLMAKER: What prompted you to do AHEB?

Nino: “When I first watched it in 2018, I was amazed.  This was still the very first version but being a theater lover, I had the opportunity to watch shows abroad, I was wowed by shows like the Hamiltons and this, but when I saw AHEB, from the staging to the music, parang this is like our Hamilton.  I just said, I really wish I could be part of the show.”

THRILLMAKER: Which scene would you consider as your highlight in the musical?

Nino: “My confrontation with Elinor, who is my wife because I can’t tell her what I really feel inside even though she knows.”

Anthony Rosaldo

Anthony Rosaldo – playing young Hector

Anthony Rosaldo was first appreciated for his singing prowess and good looks in the first season of GMA 7’S “The Clash,” where he became a finalist.  Dubbed the Kapuso Pop Rocker, he used to do mostly TV singing, with pop and rock as his preferred genres. A person who wants to continuously challenge his limits, taking the plunge into theater proved to be a major shift to the young performer.

THRILLMAKER:  What prompted you to join AHEB 2023?

Anthony:  “I became a fan when I watched it online, 2020.  It was in the middle of the pandemic, so parang I saw it parang na-open yung pagkahilig ko sa musical.  And when they announced na magkakaroon ng auditions, parang suntok sa buwan lang.  I sent a video na hindi ako umaasa at all na makukuha ako.”

THRILLMAKER: What would you consider as the most challenging part for a newbie?

Anthony: “The theater discipline.  Dapat mabilis ka mag-pick-up.  You come here dapat ready ka always.  You’re open to act with your co-actor and everything is actually a challenge for me kasi nga wala akong theater background.”

THRILLMAKER: Theater people are known to be perfectionists and nit-pickers.  Was there ever a time when you got shouted on?

Anthony:  “When we are rehearsing, kahit anong nangyayari, dapat hindi ka bibitaw sa character mo. Minsan napansin ng musical director namin na bumitaw ako ng saglit.  Nasigawan nya ako.”

THRILLMAKER: What would you consider as your biggest scene?

Anthony: “Yung graduation scene where I don’t really have a line, but Hector’s presence there was everything.”

After experiencing the cast’s private preview, believe me, these gents are not kidding in saying that this version of AHEB is truly worth watching!