Yanah is making name of her own

In the last five years, Franco Laurel’s baby sister, Yanah Laurel, has made a name for herself in the world of professional musical theater, as one of the finest and most versatile young performers the country has. Yanah has appeared in five Atlantis Productions namely: Hairspray, Spring Awakening, Legally Blonde, Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Nine. She has made her way from a chorus member to having featured roles, almost always creating a long-lasting impression on audience members.

Yanah now joins the cast of Atlantis’ upcoming musical Carrie, which opens at the Carlos P. Romulo, RCBC Plaza, Makati City in September. Carrie, based on the modern classic by Stephen King, with music by Academy Award winner Michael Gore, lyrics by Academy Award winner Dean Pitchford and a book by Lawrence Cohen (who wrote the screenplay of the Brian de Palma film), tells the tragic story of a misunderstood high school teenager named Carrie White with extraordinary telekinetic powers. Terrorized by her oppressive religious fanatic mother and bullied by her classmates, Carrie’s violent rampage of revenge remains one of the most terrifying stories of all time.

Directed by Bobby Garcia, Carrie stars Mikkie Bradshaw in the title role, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Margaret White. 

Bobby says, “Yanah is one of the most talented musical theater performers of her generation. Her commitment, passion and skill really stand out in every production I have worked with her in. Plus, she is also one of the kindest and most generous people I know. That gets you far. I look forward to her joining the cast of Carrie and to the many productions I hope to work with her in the future.”

Finishing her studies this year, we caught up with Yanah before she begins the time consuming rehearsals that musicals entail.

Who do you play in Carrie? What is she like?

I play Sue Snell. She is one of the most popular girls in her high school. Sue is a mean girl gone good, and throughout the musical, we learn that she has a truly genuine and loving heart. 

What is it about musical theater that you are so passionate about?

Everything. Theater, to me, is passion in itself. The amount of work, discipline, respect and resilience that embody theater astound me, ultimately because it is driven by pure love for the craft. As cliché as this may sound, theater feeds my soul. It ignites me in every way and my level of respect and love for the theater continues to grow because of the wonderful people, opportunities and lessons it has taught me, on and off stage. Theater is a beautiful thing and I am continuously thankful for it. I never lose site of how blessed I am to be a part of this incredible world. It is indeed a privilege.

This is your sixth show with Atlantis. How does it feel now that you are no longer a newbie?

It surprises me that this is my sixth show with Atlantis. It has been such an amazing

journey and Atlantis has become a family to me. I started with Atlantis when I was only 19 and with the great privilege of working alongside such veterans as Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Michael de Mesa, Dulce, Ima Castro, Cheri Gil, Eula Valdes and the list goes on and on. To be considered as a veteran blows my mind, because to me a veteran connotes the likes of these greats who I dream to one day be like. I suppose I am no longer a “newbie” per se but I honestly still feel that I am, I still have so much to learn and more experience to gain.

I definitely have a wider and deeper grasp and understanding of my craft. I do possess a greater level of maturity to recognize the amount of work and discipline required than I did when I was a “newbie.” But I do believe there is still so much for me to learn and gain in the years to come, there always will be.

What is the process like in rehearsing for a musical?

It is a lot of work, but it’s fun. It requires your full commitment and investment of yourself when you are preparing for a show. You must always come prepared, on time, or even before call time. Rehearsing is very demanding, mentally and physically therefore it is key to take very good care of yourself, to stay healthy and of course, to remain focused at all times.

How much discipline do you need to be a musical theater actress?

You need an immeasurable amount. Discipline is key to be a musical theater actress.

You have always been singled out as a standout in every show you have done.

How does that feel? Does it put any pressure on you?

Wow! I am not even sure how to answer this question. First of all, thank you. I love what I do with a passion and I hold a great amount of respect for the craft. Therefore, I work very hard to do the best I can and to do my part in producing excellent work, because everyone around me is doing just that and more. Theater is a collaborative process requiring everyone to work as a team, and I value and take my role in that team very seriously.

To be cast in a show exhibits an incredible amount of trust, therefore, I make it my responsibility to push myself to always give my work and my role the time, effort, love and quality it deserves. I always believe that one can never stop learning and in order to grow and hone your craft, learning is necessary. Having said that, yes, I always do put pressure on myself as a means to grow, to learn and to become a better performer. However, I always remember to enjoy the journey while I am at it. It is after all an amazing ride!

You will be graduating from college soon. What are your plans once you graduate?

Yes I will! Such Joy!! I plan to fully invest myself into theater and in honing my craft.

What advice has your brother Franco given you?

My Kuya has always told me to be excellent in everything that I do. To love my craft, remain humble, grounded and grateful.

What are your dream roles?

A ton! I would love to play Kim in Miss Saigon, Elphaba in Wicked, Diana Goodman and Natalie in Next to Normal, Cathy in The Last Five Years, Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family to name a few.

What is the most important lesson theater has taught you?

Theater has taught me to be incredibly resilient in all aspects of my life.