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Before breaking into the local entertainment scene and musical theater abroad, Rachelle Ann Go was a dreamer who tried her luck by joining several singing competitions. She went on and emerged as ‘Search for a Star’ winner, which opened a career in singing and led to doing Broadway and West End. ‘I just need to focus on what I can do and on the gift that God has given me,’ she says.
STAR / File
Our international theater sensation Rachelle Ann Go and her beautiful family recently visited the Philippines for seven weeks. Rachelle was a picture of a happy and contented woman when she appeared in an episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.” The first time I interviewed Rachelle was 20 years ago.
Rachelle continues to make Filipinos proud with her achievements on Broadway and in the West End. She enthralls audiences with her portrayal of a bargirl named Gigi Van Tranh in “Miss Saigon”; as Fantine, a prostitute suffering from tuberculosis, in “Les Misérables”; and as Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton, in the musical staging of “Hamilton.
Her rise to global stardom was not easy, especially during the first few years that she was in London. “I moved there without an agent, without any manager. Dahil sa ‘Miss Saigon’ po iyon. Pagdating ko doon kailangan ready ka, Tito Boy. I didn’t have any training in theater. Lahat sila trained. They did a lot of shows before they did ‘Miss Saigon.’ Ako, first time,” Rachelle shared. She also got homesick because she had no friends in London.
With her husband Martin Spies and their two kids during their seven-week stay in the Philippines.
She now has an agent, who was introduced to her by my good friend, the late direk Bobby Garcia. Rachelle and Lea Salonga are represented by the same agent.
Rachelle shared some pieces of advice for young people who are still chasing their dreams. We have seen contestants who receive harsh comments from judges because they are unattractive or their voices are unpleasant. Rachelle can relate to them, as she also participated in several singing competitions before emerging as the winner of “Search for a Star” in 2004.
“Lumaki ako actually insecure dahil sa mga naririnig ko. Ang hirap. Ang dami kong pinagdaanan, pero ginamit ko iyon to be better and kahit anong sabihin ng mga tao ay pwede pala akong manalo. Nanalo po ako noon nang sinabihan ako ng negative. So iyon ang pinanghahawakan ko, Tito Boy. Kahit anong sabihin ng tao, I just need to focus on what I can do, on the gift that God has given me. Focus ka lang doon and you don’t need to listen to other people.”
Rachelle met her husband, Martin Spies, while in New York. They were introduced by their common friends. “Before I met him in New York, hindi ako ready noon sa any relationship, pero sabi ko lang, ‘Lord, ipagdadasal ko po iyong future husband ko.’ Pero very specific iyong aking prayer request,” she said. The couple has two wonderful kids who can speak Tagalog, English and Afrikaans, since Martin is South African. Rachelle doesn’t use physical punishment but tries gentle parenting to raise the children.
The London-based Rachelle reunites with good friends Erik Santos and Sarah Geronimo.
Rachelle and Martin had a reunion with good friends Erik Santos, Sarah Geronimo, and Matteo Guidicelli during their recent vacation. She still keeps in touch with fellow champions even if she is now based in London.
“Ang maganda po sa friendship namin kasi with the showbiz world ang hirap na makahanap ng mapagkakatiwalaan talaga. Alam namin iyong napagdaanan namin noon, so nandoon iyong trust. We open up to each other.”
These champions prove that lifelong friendships can be found in the business of show.
