Gina Respall taking the next step

When our friend Gina Respall came to Manila to participate in the The King and I musical, where she plays Lady Thiang, the King’s head wife she had done in London, she didn’t really know what would follow. Today, with two seasons of the musical ending in May, we were anxious to find out her plans.

 With some friends, we went to a concert she produced, Something Wonderful, at the 19 East Bar in Parañaque, even if it was a long way for us lowlanders. With a repertoire of pop songs from her experience with the Art Start band, some jazz and some local musicals, ballads from her early years as a lounge singer, Gina was obviously trying out what would work out with today’s audience. From her guest Joey Generoso of the famous Side A band, Gina must have picked up a lesson or two from the frontman who has now ventured into solo recordings and shows, even while maintaining his relationship with Side A.

We reviewed her colorful experiences through the years as singer with her admitting that Maria in West Side Story, her first lead in musical theater locally with lawyer Pastelero’s production company, and Kim at London’s Drury Lane as understudy remain special. However, she added, “Actually, all the roles I have portrayed are my favorite roles as they contribute to my education and research as an actor.  They add a layer to my artistic strata.”

There is her first professional stint with the Hotdog band in Palau islands, Lapu Lapu under director Behn Cervantes who has remained a close friend, the Tokyo National Theatre production of a multi-lingual musical A Story of A Moonlit Night, and even Jerry Springer: The Opera based on the TV show The Jerry Springer Show, a British musical known for its profanity and irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes. The production won four Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, and made it to Carnegie Hall in 2008 with Harvey Keitel as Jerry Springer.

Ruminating on the early period in her career, Gina added, “I auditioned just to be a part of the original London production of The King and I. I was trying out for Tuptim and after going back for the nth recall, I developed a sore throat and my voice produced a deeper sound. On the last recall, I chose a long Oriental tunic and put up my hair in a French twist which the audition panel said was the right thing to help them envision me in the role. Of course, I vocalized every morning after running in the park which made the dogs come up to investigate me curiously!”

After some time, Gina was taken in as understudy to a Korean opera singer who had essayed the role on Broadway. Later, Gina was offered the part for all the UK national tours. For her, joining the tours was a cultural discovery, understanding the differences in the British people, their accents and dialects, food and geography.

She welcomes the current activity in theater, opera, recording and competitions in the Philippines. “It is good that we see more and more Pinoys getting recognitions abroad, so it is essential to also aim to improve the quality of your craft, as the industry is now getting more international these days.” 

We asked if she has considered making Manila her base just like Leo Valdez, since the living conditions in the UK are not improving and since she can do multiple things like movies, television, corporate affairs, recording, forming a group of singers, mentoring beginners, even becoming a part-time vet (which she had studied prior to singing)?

Gina paused a while, which to us meant she had been seriously considering the possibility.

“If I do not work as a performer, getting involved in business or in creating things is a possibility. I am still in the process of discovering what else I am capable of doing since I’ve always challenged myself to try new things. However, I know I can never give up music. It is second nature to me.” 

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