Baby Barredo Personifies The Show Must Go On Saying
The grand dame of Repertory Philippines, Baby Barredo, shared numerous tales of how she had to carry on despite suffering from debilitating ailments and suddenly mute co-actors, displaying fortitude and wit to make sure that the show can and must go on.
Tita Baby recounted how an actor suddenly lost his voice on opening night due to nerves. Fortunately, she also memorized his lines, so what was supposed to be a dialogue between two characters became a monologue.
Then there was the time she herself suffered the runs during the tech-dress rehearsal of Camelot at the Meralco Theater, causing her to dash out repeatedly from the stage, before going to the hospital for treatment for possible dehydration, where she warned the doctor that whatever he will advice, she will be performing the very next day.
This tenacity will rear its head again when Tita Baby suddenly sprained her ankle before opening night of The Sound of Music at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. A therapist, who usually serviced top athletes, was called, and twisted her ankle into the proper position, before she was given an injection to lessen the pain.
Tita Baby stuffed her swollen foot into a shoe that was lent to her by Maestra Irma Potenciano, and danced and sang her way through the whole musical while inwardly grimacing intermittently.
In another incident, Tita Baby recalls what she did when the neighboring house caught on fire during the night while she was sleeping.
Frightened that their house would go up in flames next, she jumped up and rushed out of the house with the most valuable things to her.
Director Bibot Amador was aghast to find out that her leading lady did not take her passport, jewelry or money. Tita Baby had grabbed the five wigs that her character wears in the musical.
Tita Baby Barredo muses regarding the possible reason why actors risk life and limb for their craft, “It’s the magic of theatre. Once the lights go on and the curtains go up, it’s a totally different world.”
Incidentally, it’s Tita Bibot Amador’s birthday today — 07 February. Happy Birthday, Tita Bibot!
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