Trolling Myke Solomon
He leads the cast of A Game Of Trolls, #aGoT the MusicaLe
He leads the cast of A Game Of Trolls, #agot the musicale
“Mamamatay ako sa entablado (I will die in theater),” proclaims Myke Solomon to Manila Bulletin Lifestyle during our one-on-one interview last week. Solomon plays Hector in PETA’s A Game Of Trolls, #aGoT the MusicaLe. The middle-aged, socially awkward character is employed as a troll and expresses disapproval at anyone who comments against the martial law period. “Sana marami kaming mabatukan, to participate, bayan mo ito (I hope we open the minds of the people to participate, this is your country),” says the 33-year-old actor and Rak of Aegis musical director, a De La Salle University graduate of Philippine Studies, major in Filipino in Mass Media. “You have to show concern and compassion. My high as an artist is to disturb the comfortable and to comfort the disturbed. This is more than myself. This is about telling a story of an important event, an important person, and important ideals. I believe theater is the most important teaching tool to spread something good, to convey a message.”
His love for performing was ignited when he became a member of the Cue Drama Club of La Salle Green Hills (LSGH). “I was singing, dancing and acting in high school,” he says.
At that time, he also became a member of Akafellas. “When I joined Akafellas, it was the usual boys’ choir,” he recalls. “I am a non-conformist to the arts, so I told them ako na lang yung
magdra-drums.” The beatbox king was born. “We did not realize that we were doing contemporary a capella,” he adds.
Aside from acting, Solomon is a musician, record producer, and songwriter. “I still infuse a capella as a musical director,” he says. “Whenever they write a musical for me, always they have a
capella for me in the end.” He has also ventured acting in television, playing Kerwin in
My Korean Jagiya. “It’s my first time on TV. It’s a big adjustment. It’s a different medium,” muses the Star Award winner for Hari ng Tondo for Indie Movie Original Theme Song of the Year.
“Lahat ng natutunan ko, you have to start from scratch. Iba s’yang discipline.” His ultimate goal is to create original musical. “I want to compose a musical that people will remember,” says the La Sallian. “Gusto ko tumatak sa tao, maging classic.” His future oeuvre is about children and adults. “I’m a sucker for cartoons for adults. I want children’s stories for adults,” he says. “Gusto ko dukutin yung puso mo (I want to touch your heart).”
We asked Solomon why people should watch this martial law musical written by Liza Magtoto and directed by Maribel Legarda? “A simple goal is to awaken my generation, the young generation, to think critically and ask questions,” he says. “We do not want to spoonfeed what is right or who is wrong. We want the audience to ask questions.”
A Game of Trolls, #aGoT the MusicaLe will run until Sept. 30 at the PETA Theater Center. 02 725 6244, 63 917 503 1006
‘My high as an artist is to disturb the comfortable and to comfort the disturbed.’