Twenty five years… This 2025, ‘Isang Himala’ star Bituin Escalante will be celebrating her 25 years in the industry via a concert on May 10, 2025 at the Samsung Perfroming Arts Theater, telling her story through music. But what are her thoughts about doing the movie musical for the ongoing Metro Manila Film Festival? What are her concerns and thoughts about the theater community and what can she share about her upcoming concert? We sit down with her and asked.
Was Bituin a fan of the Nora Aunor-starrer original ‘Himala’ movie? What was her take as an audience?
“Oo. Maraming magagalit sa akin kasi sabi nila you have to see the original before you see the musical. But ako, I think they can stand alone, stand apart kasi they are so different. The original was so quite and introspective, ‘yun ‘yung kaluluwa ng pelikula na ang dami mong nagagawang kwento sa isip mo kasi wala silang sinasabi. Where as ito (Isang Himala), sinasabi lahat ng iniisip, kinakanta. Dito reversed. It’s a completely different experience. They can both co-exist.”
What does she think of ‘Isang Himala’ being shot inside a studio rather than a real location?
“Medyo sad ako kasi gusto ko ‘yung bonding na lahat kayo pupunta sa location pero romanticized ’yun kasi kung location kami, ‘yung mga singer like Sweet of The Company, si Aicelle, ako, we have work in between. The theater people have work – Neomi had One More Chance, Kakki had Bar Boys, all these things together, we’re shooting a film in sixteen days, tapos may work pa kami. So, kung nag-location kami, ang mahal ng eroplano. Meron talagang pros and cons, eh. Ang hirap if we had done it on location pero na-excite ako when I saw na they’ve built the world from gound up. Production design wise, pagpasok mo talaga ng studio parang (Bituin mouthing WTF), exciting. Ang sarap na nakita mo ‘yung trabaho ng bawat isa kasi enclosed space, so bonding kayo ng camera department, bonding kayo ng design.”
What are her hopes for Philippine theater?
“I want it to be mainstream kasi mainstream naman siya dati eh. The age of Kundiman, mainstream siya. Filipino musicals, is it really not that mainstream? We have Do-Re-Mi, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, and ang Regal Films before may mga musical number. I don’t know bakit unti-unti nagiging novelty siya (musical films) when ang language natin ay music. It doesn’t have to be a comedy, it can be Isang Himala which seems to have translated for a lot of people. Maybe not all, it’s a different subject to tackle. Pero naging matapang ‘yung mga producers namin. Dinala ‘yung ganyang kwento sa sinehan and people have responded well. It’s worth taking risks for. It may not be a hit but it’s there.”
Is 2025 going to be more busy than 2024?
“Gusto ko 2025. Medyo busy si 2024 but I claim I will be busier this year.”
What are her fears in doing this all-OPM concert?
“Usually I write my scripts, so I know its the story I want to tell. Akin to, eh. So, sa produkto wala akong concern pero sa pagbenta ng produkto, ‘you want an audience to come, diba? You want an audience to see the work that you’ve done. ‘Yun lang naman ang kaba ko. It’s worth the risk putting up a show and no matter what the expectations are, I will insist on it being Original Pilipino Music in theater and film told by a theater actor. Will it sell? I don’t care. I just have to tell that story.”
Which mainstream artist does Bituin want to see doing theater?
“Si Gary (Valenciano) nag-theater na, si Regine (Velasquez) nag-theater na, Ogie (Alcasid) was in my debut, he was Jose Rizal. Martin (Nievera). Can you imagine Martin and Jed Madela? Sa babae, si Mori (Morisette) nag-teatro na eh. Si Jones (Jona) na lang ang hindi pa, eh.”
What are the lessons from theater that you have applied in your life?
“Respect the work. Because that’s the bottom line. It’s this and not the rewards that come after. You don’t make a movie because of an award, you make the work because you love the work. And you love everyone involved in the work. You love the director, your co-actor, the stage manager, ‘yun ‘yung pinakamasarap na part, eh – it’s respect and loving the work.
What can the people expect from Bituin this 2025?
“I am celebrating my 25th with a concert. It’s a concert that features Original Pilipino Music (OPM) used in film and theater, and when I say theater, I mean kasama ang mga sarswela. It’s really a celebration of theater and film. There’s young blood joining because my musical director is Krina Cayabyab. It’s on May 10, 2025 sa Samsung Performing Arts Theater. I have another musical set for later part of the year but it’s up to them to announce.”
May 10 is near, how is Bituin preparing for her concert?
“Actually kinu-kwento ko na ang hirap ng preparasyon. We started last year but Floy (Quintos) was supposed to write and direct and then, he passed. There was an entire period when I was like ‘ayoko na. I can’t tell this story without Floy.’ It’s been an effort, I rallied the troops, the ones I trust. When you have Floy, you have a writer, someone who directs, you have an inspirational leader, so it takes a village to replace Floy. It was so hard, you have no idea how hard it was to get out of the rat na I can’t celebrate without him. Buti na lang there are people who love him and respect him and love musical theater as we do who said we can still tell this story.”
Watch our interview with Bituin Escalante below: