MANILA — Once the younger lover to a “committed” man, five years later she plays the woman her former self once had competed with. Not in real-life, thankfully. Only for the stage and there’s good karma all over it.

We’re referring to theater actress Kyla Rivera-Soong, former manager of The Akafellas and member of The Ryan Cayabyab Singers, who now returns to the farewell run of “Sa Wakas,” which opens Saturday night. Using songs of the defunct alternative rock band Sugarfree and its frontman Ebe Dancel, “Sa Wakas” is being staged at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Theater in Circuit Makati until May 27.

Flashback to 2013 in the first staging of this groundbreaking rock musical, Rivera-Soong played Gabbi Primavera (alternating with Justine Peña), the adventurous magazine writer-editor who steals the heart of struggling photographer Topper (played alternately by Vic Robinson III and Fred Lo). Topper has a fiancé and long-time live-in partner Lexi, an ambitious medical doctor. Back then, Lexi was played alternately by Caisa Borromeo and Laura Cabochan.

Playing the character who once was your rival gives Rivera-Soong not the jitters but more excitement, so intense she almost always ended her sentences with exclamation points! But we can’t blame her! “Sa Wakas” is an intense, heart-wrenching, addictive musical!

“It's great! It's a lot of fun playing Lexi who is so different from Gabbi, but who is also a driven and loving woman,” Rivera-Soong told ABS-CBN News before the opening weekend.

“The major difference—as regards playing them—is in the where they are in their relationship with Topper, and what kind of partner one is. With Gabbi, it's shown from the first meeting, to the sparks flying and everything is new. With Lexi, the level of intimacy and familiarity is much more evident, given their years together as a couple,” she added.

When the first staging ended its very limited three-week run in April 2013, she was among the thousands of fans who wished for an immediate rerun.

“I still have (in my phone) my conversation with our producer Cha asking about what dates we should reserve for the rerun that year!” she said.

Cha is Charissa Pammit, the co-creator and producer of “Sa Wakas” under her Culture Shock Productions in 2013. Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan was and still is the director and co-writer of “Sa Wakas.”

But as it turned out due to circumstances beyond Culture Shock Production’s control, it was four years later when the rerun happened from mid-January to mid-February in 2017. Pamintuan said as early as mid-2016, they had Rivera-Soong in mind to reprise her role but the actress found out she was pregnant. It was a few months before the rehearsals.

“I found out I was pregnant when I was rehearsing for the CCP Triple Threats concert, which was in August (2016). I did the show (even if) I was 12 weeks pregnant. The rerun (of ‘Sa Wakas’) was confirmed around September (2016), and they were sure that it would be staged from January to February in 2017. I gave birth to my second baby on Feb. 24, 2017. So hindi talaga kaya,” she said.

But she made sure, even during the final month of pregnancy, to catch one of the shows in the rerun. “I made it a point to come, see and support the show! I saw Vic, Cara and Maronne,” she said, referring to Robinson, Cara Barredo and Maronne Cruz.

Rivera-Soong alternates now with Barredo, who alternated with Caisa Borromeo as Lexi in 2017. In an earlier interview this year, Borromeo said there were conflicts in her schedule that made it impossible for her to do Lexi again. Cruz came in during the 2017 run and now still plays Gabbi, alternating with Justine Peña.

Pamintuan recalled: “During the first set of auditions back in 2012, she read for Lexi and Caisa for Gabbi. Also interesting din kasi she knows Gabbi and helped develop that character. So stepping into Lexi’s shoes is quite interesting because Lexi doesn’t know who Gabbi is.”

“Sa Wakas” was described groundbreaking in the sense it aptly captured the sentiments of the present generation and was produced by a new theater group. Over the years it has created a fan base separate from Sugarfree and Dancel.

On its own, “Sa Wakas” has proven that even without socio-political themes so common among original musicals in Filipino by established theater groups, tackling the age-old subject of love and betrayal in a contemporary setting could work. The Philippine Daily Inquirer in 2017 ranked it among the 32 landmark productions in the last three decades.

Rivera-Soong has witnessed how “Sa Wakas” has grown since day one. She saw the first draft of “Sa Wakas” script when Pamintuan brought it in a reading workshop. The production back then conducted script readings before a select group of students, professors and theater enthusiasts for needed feedback to be used in the revisions. “And up to now, he (Pamintuan) is open to my questions or comments and small edits,” she said.

Rivera-Soong also remembered the opening night five years ago.

“We were nervous at how it would be received. We were surprised that it was loved the way it was. We didn't expect that,” she said.

From an objective point of view, she thought of several factors why people have come to love the show, to the point some fans created a petition on social media for a rerun. (In the 2017 re-staging, Fringe Manila was producer. For this year, Pammit clarified “Sa Wakas” is produced by a new company called Fringe Creatives in which she is a partner with Pamintuan, among others.)

Rivera-Soong said: “I think the Sugarfree music, rearranged; the way it is told—going back in time—with revelations; the details we highlight and gloss over; and most especially, the way the characters are real and flawed and relatable. Perhaps each person who has connected with the show relates with one or the other or a combination of the characters, and understands rather than judges.”

Acting with Pepe Herrera

The 2017 run, admit it or not, had a popular TV-film actor that gave a major difference to the production. At the time, Pepe Herrera’s character, Benny, was killed in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano”, ABS-CBN’s undisputed top-rating primetime action series. Benny is the funnyman, the sidekick to policeman Cardo Dalisay, the main character played by Coco Martin. As the story goes, Benny sacrificed his life to save Cardo.

In a country where millions are glued to telenovelas, the death of Herrera’s character was national news. From “lolos” and “lolas” to their grandchildren still in grade school, “Ang Probinsyano” won’t be the same without Benny.

In an interview with Herrera during the first weekend run of “Sa Wakas”, he told us he needed a long break and so Benny had to die. He said he’s going to leave the country and be with his mother who was based in New Zealand. But before the sabbatical, he had to do theater, his first love. So Benny, rather, Herrera was resurrected as Topper. We actually overheard some members of the audience at the Power Mac Theater saying, “Eto, buhay naman pala si Benny. Nag-iba lang ng identity. Naging playboy.”

But seriously, Herrera wasn’t handpicked for the role of the philandering photographer. Herrera told us in an earlier interview that he was a superfan of “Sa Wakas” in 2013 and was among those waiting for its rerun. So when he heard in 2016 there’s a re-staging and there’s an audition for the role of Topper, he went for it. Herrera, unknown to many, has a degree in music from the University of Santo Tomas, major in voice. With his long, curly hair, he fits the artistic, bohemian persona of Topper.

Rivera-Soong said: “It's actually my first time to even meet Pepe here in this production. He's actually the one who broke the ice. He approached me on the first day of rehearsal, and he said, ‘Uy, Virgo ka, sakto sa Lexi.’”

“I asked how he knew that. He said he had been doing his ‘research’ about me from our common friends!” she added, laughing.

“I told him we needed to ‘bond’ because I don't know him at all, and I need to feel safe with him as my scene partner, since I really wanted to establish that feeling of familiarity and intimacy, and the history (that you would see with a long-term couple). I'm glad that it's easy to be with him, he's been open and charming, and we get along well.”

Schoolmates

As for Robinson, she said she had known him longer than five years. They were schoolmates at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, the same with Pammit and Pamintuan.

“I was actually his (Robinson) choreographer first, back when he was in college. I've seen him grow in life, not just as an actor. Being with him now, I love that this growth informs his acting choices and makes his character richer; he has more depth, and he plays around more, which I love! We have so much fun—even with the intense scenes.”

Comparison is expected but as for acting with Herrera and Robinson, she only has nice words for both. She said, “I love that they both keep things fresh and surprise us (both Cara and I) from time to time in the scenes!”

Working again with Pamintuan and musical director-arranger Ejay Yatco is as exciting as attending a college reunion. Pamintuan and Yatco belonged to a younger batch. She said, “I'll always love working with Andrei and Ejay. You know how when others believe in you, it adds to your confidence and belief in yourself? It's like that for me with the two of them. The trust they have given me with handling their work is so precious.”

She recalled that back in 2014 after “Sa Wakas,” Yatco wrote a song that fits her vocal range. Titled “Take Off,” she sang it in Yatco’s original musical, “Real Life Fairytales” during the “Imaginarium: A Multi-Arts Festival” held at the PETA Theater Center.

“They push me to do my best, to expand beyond what even I think I can do, and I love that. The environment they set is great for collaboration, it's conducive for creating beautiful work, without fear. I've known these guys from way back -- from their respective freshman years in college -- and I have nothing but utmost respect and love for their beautiful artistic minds and their wonderful selves. Sounds like I'm gushing, and rightly so. Then, and now: they're wonderful people,” she said, laughing.

She is oblivious of it but for some people who've seen her in the 2013 version, they are excited to watch her as Lexi in the farewell run. So is there more pressure now than before?

“I felt the pressure then in 2013. Baka it's the same lang now,” she said, again laughing. “I don't know. I'm trying not to focus on that.”

As for playing Gabbi and now Lexi, she said it’s hard to compare. “[There’s] a different energy required for each but I wouldn't say one is easier or harder over another.”

She encourages the audience members to watch the show two times. “For me and for Cara!” she exclaimed. Again, she’s unaware that some fans actually watched the musical not only twice but four to five times in 2017, as if a weekend habit.

Mother, wife, career woman

For the past couple of years, Rivera-Soong embraced the family life and the corporate world. If we Google her name, the first link that will come up is about her corporate profile, her day job in a top insurance firm. But she said being a theater actress has helped her a lot in dealing with people and managing time.

“I think being a theater practitioner is beneficial to anyone in any industry, actually. How it applies to me specifically, as someone in the financial services industry—listening, being present, as well as being sensitive to clients' needs and moods and preferences are just a few things I bring with me coming from the theater. There's thinking on your feet, just going along with the flow of a meeting,” she said.

“There's also, of course, not taking things personally. A thicker skin, so to speak. And creativity with presentation skills, keeping an audience captive when presenting financial literacy to larger groups, too! There's also being flexible with language and tone to adapt to what audiences are more comfortable with. Generally, I believe working in the theater helps in any other career one may have. It can help make someone a better person!” she said, again with most sentences ending in exclamation points.