Not a theater greenhorn

MANILA, Philippines - Becca Coates, who plays the challenging title role in Repertory Philippines’ Agnes of God, may only be 19 years old, but she is no longer considered a tyro in theater acting. An actor in many stage productions in the past, Becca can hold her own against theater veterans and proudly come out with flying colors.

In Agnes of God, Becca shares the stage with Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Pinky Amador, who play the psychiatrist and mother superior, respectively. The praise and adulation in acting with them expectedly came for Becca, who is apparently thrilled no end with the great and positive reviews generated by her latest assignment.

Becca credits her mom, Lori Coates, for particularly igniting her interest in singing and acting. Mom Lori, after all, once upon a time professionally sang with a band.

“My mom home schooled my sister and I and I think that was the start, because we learned everything through song,” Becca recalls. “It all went downhill when I began choreographing my own dances to Disney music. I think theater was just an outlet for me so I would stop talking for 10 minutes.”

She is simply called Becca by those who know her. But her real name is Rebecca Faith, a clear testament to her parents’ unwavering faith in God. At the time Becca was born, her family was in dire straits.

“We were broke, homeless and my husband, Graham, was jobless when Becca was born,” recalls Mom Lori. “It was a difficult time for our family, but it was our faith in God that saw us through.”

Although Becca has previously starred in such stage productions as The Sound of Music, Alice in Wonderland, Dani Girl, Snow White and The Secret Garden, she was challenged no end when Agnes of God landed on her lap.

“I was informed about the audition for Agnes of God and was immediately freaked out by it in the best of ways,” Becca shares. “The role was so different from anything I’ve ever done and I loved it. I can’t remember wanting to do anything so badly.”

Every time she takes on a new role, Becca always feels it is the most challenging she has ever done. “It always feels like starting over,” she admits. “Agnes was particularly difficult for me because I had to go against everything I had trained myself to do as an actor. I had re-learn how to let go as an actor and it was extremely difficult and also one of the best things ever.”

Becca is a first year Speech and Language Pathology student at the De La Salle Health Sciences Institute. Bravely enough, she now juggles her time between school and theater acting. In fact, a day before her maiden performance for Agnes of God, Becca’s mom went into a message brigade to ask for prayers for her daughter to “survive” the week.

“Acuity for school requirements, endurance and good health for this whole week,” her mom specifically requested from friends to pray for. Becca had to take her exams in the morning, with only five hours of sleep and she even had projects going on, plus the production.

“Honestly, it’s all a matter of time management, killing your social life for a while, sacrifice, make-up classes and work, supportive parents and professors who thankfully love the arts,” Becca enthuses.

She is proud that she has the “best and most supportive family” who is behind her every personal and professional endeavor. “I literally couldn’t do this without them,” Becca says with much gratefulness.

“Mom packs me food for backstage. Dad is like my social media manager and (older sister) Rachel is my silver thread. Our assistant director, Jamie, says to always keep a ‘silver thread,’ which is something to pull you back to earth when you have to go deep into an emotionally heavy character. Rachel is one of mine.”

In Agnes of God, Becca is extremely delighted to have been given a chance to work with such theater luminaries as Menchu and Pinky. The latter originally played Agnes onstage more than 30 years ago. Bart Guingona directs.

“I actually replied to our stage manager in all caps when I first heard who I would be working with,” Becca unabashedly shares. “I went from excitement to great fear, to excitement to great fear. I am so honored that I get to work with the people I want to be. And they’re such incredible people, too. So fun and cool. I learn as much from them as an actor as I do as a person. Everyone in the cast calms me down and challenges me to be my best at the same time.”

In the future, Becca also pines for more challenging roles onstage to the mold previously essayed by singer-actress Barbra Streisand, who won an Academy Award in Funny Girl and also starred in Yentl, two of the roles Becca aspires for.

“I need to be Anastasia because it was my favorite movie as a kid,” she excitedly says. “I’m hoping it gets revived once I’m out of college. I’d also love to be in Funny Girl and one of my biggest dream roles is Yentl, if ever there was a stage adaptation. One day, I want to play a villain in a play, too. That would be interesting.”

Brilliantly, Becca dreams to one day integrate her college course and use methods from the stage to help kids, elderly people and those with disability.

“I think theater is one of the most healing things there is,” Becca maintains. “Aside from that, I want to be onstage for as long as the stage will let me up there and as long as my body allows. I know, in my heart now, that I can’t be without it. I think God put theater there and I don’t think it’s going anywhere.”