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EXCLUSIVE: Rhap Salazar makes his stage debut in the musical Side Show: ‘Now I think I’m ready’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>It’s been more than a decade since Rhap Salazar first started his singing career as an eight-year-old contestant on the 2005 ABS-CBN original singing competition <em>Little Big Star, </em>then <em></em> hosted by Sarah Geronimo along with batchmate Makisig Morales. He also brought home multiple junior Grand Champion awards at the World Championships of Performing Arts which eventually led to a guesting on the American talk show <em>The Ellen DeGeneres Show</em> at the age of 12.  </p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-36" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJbwkxKMUmV/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A36%2C%22os%22%3A18401608.300000012%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="843" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-36" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Two decades since making his showbiz debut, Rhap says he is now ready to take on another role: that of a theater performer. The now 28-year-old artist was just announced as part of the ensemble cast of The Sandbox Collective’s upcoming new musical, <em>Side Show</em>.</p><p>“It’s the timing pa rin. It would take me a lot of time to process and to be brave to step on a different stage. So na-push na din ako ng mga theater actor friends ko to do it, walang mawawala if mag-audition ako. They said, ‘If you get the role, you have the freedom to do it or not. But only if you think you’re ready.’ And now I think I’m ready,” he told <strong><em>PUSH ABS-CBN </em></strong>in an exclusive interview. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2018/5/22/fresh-scoops/rhap-salazar-shares-the-secret-to-his-weight-loss-46527"><strong><u>READ: Rhap Salazar shares the secret to his weight loss journey this year</u></strong></a></div><p>Even if he had stayed away from the stage, Rhap shared how closely connected he actually is to the local theater community. “Well, I have been supporting my theater actor friends and it’s something that I’m really curious to do. I’d watch their shows. Whatever that they do, sinu-support ko sila and then I realized that it’s something na hindi ko pa nagagawa sa career ko. And when I got the invitation to audition, I was actually hesitant at first. I am friends with Julia Serad who is a really, really great theater actress now. Also with Jude Hinumdum who is one of my best friends. And they’re both doing great sa theater world,” he added. </p><p>“We’ve been performing since several years ago. Parang maganda rin kasi yung friendship goals na nakaka-relate na ako sa mga theater ganaps nila. I can consider myself now as a musical theater actor,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/2013/2/21/fresh-scoops/rhap-salazar-says-he-looks-forward-to-focusing-on--15420"><strong><u>READ: Rhap Salazar says he looks forward to focusing on his studies this year</u></strong></a></div><p>Although he still had to audition for the show, Rhap says it was still with the help of his friends that his name got included in the invitation-only list at the auditions. “</p><p>I think I was referred by a theater actor friend who said na interested na ako to audition. I’ve been wanting to try it, but iba rin talaga yung pressure kasi sobrang gagaling nung mga actors natin. And when it comes to doing theater, wala pa talaga akong experience at all. Wala pa akong workshop when it comes to doing that so everything is brand new like the environment. Like sa people na first time ko makatrabaho. The director was really, really nice and they were all welcoming. I admitted to them that it was my first time and wala pa talaga akong experience  and they were really open and very helpful,” he revealed. </p><p>Watch Rhap in the musical which starts its run on July 26 to August 17, 2025 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, Circuit Makati. The cast also includes Jon Santos, CJ Navato, Vien King, Reb Atadero, Tim Pavino, Tanya Manalang, Marynor Madamesila, Krystal Kane, Molly Langley, Joshua Cabiladas, Marvin Ong, and many more. Directed by Toff Devenecia and produced by The Sandbox Collective. </p>

<p>Side Show musical performer and former child actor Rhap Salazar shares why it took so long for him to decide to get into theater productions. </p>

Side Show musical performer and former child actor Rhap Salazar shares why it took so long for him to decide to get into theater productions.