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Bullet Dumas makes his theater debut in Bonifacio musical

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Bullet Dumas as Andres Bonifacio in " Isang="" Rock="" Opera="" Alay="" Kay="" Andres="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/04/06/bonifacio.jpg"/><figcaption>Bullet Dumas as Andres Bonifacio in &#x27;²Bayani: Isang Rock Opera Alay Kay Andres Bonifacio&#x27; </figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- Singer-songwriter and indie artist Bullet Dumas was only in third grade in his province of Leyte, when Tanghalang Ateneo first staged “²Bayani: Isang Rock Opera Alay Kay Andres Bonifacio,” with an ensemble of students in 1996. </p><p>“I don’t know anything about the musical,” Dumas unabashedly told ABS-CBN News after the project was first offered to him. “And it’s Andres Bonifacio for crying out loud!”</p><p>Last year, however, Dumas received a message from composer-filmmaker Khavn de la Cruz, who wrote the music for “²Bayani” with Imo Quibilan.</p><p>“Out of nowhere, Khavn asked me to audition for the role,” Dumas recalled. “I was super reluctant because, although I am a huge, huge fan of theater, I never had any previous theater experience.</p><p>“I hate memorizing stuff. There are far, far better stage performers than me. After much thought and imposter syndrome, I was convinced I wasn’t ready so I didn’t submit my audition.”</p><p>De la Cruz, though, became surprisingly insistent to get Dumas’ nod for the role of Bonifacio. “A few days later, Khavn came back to me and simply handed me the role,” Dumas said. “I don’t know, but that trust just made me go for it.”</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CarVgYZNQ_u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div 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</div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CarVgYZNQ_u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Areté Ateneo (@areteateneo)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Since “²Bayani” will be his musical theater debut, Dumas went the extra mile and dove deep preparing for the role.</p><p>“I YouTube-d how actors memorize their lines,” he laughed. “We had Zoom rehearsals which was tough, but still very helpful. After Day 1 of rehearsals, I sent an e-mail to Dr. [Ricardo] Abad to tell him to please just be brutally honest with me because I needed to learn.</p><p>“His reply was something like, ‘Ay, brutally honest talaga ako.’ Just by that exchange, I could say that it was going to be a fun journey for me/us. And gosh, Dr. Ricardo Abad, how lucky I am to have been mentored by him.”</p><p>After the rehearsals last November came the 10-day bubble in Ateneo. “It was hell.,” Dumas said. “But my co-actors and everyone in the team were very helpful. Our stage manager, John Mark Yap, helped me with things I forgot, lots of them.</p><p>“Stage managers Rio and Max were always on tippytoes ready to help. Our strict vocal director, Matthew Chang, was always very cool in his kimono. Our costume department Tata Tuviera, Shaun and Cheska, who were doing different workout activities each morning at the Bellarmine Field.</p><p>“That was the only location [in Ateneo] where we were allowed because of COVID protocols. So that they have the energy to power through the day running around to keep our costumes in check. </p><p>“Our choreographer, Jared Luna, never ran out of battery. The security guards, utility men and women assured you everything would be alright, as they smiled back while they checked your temperature or served you your meals.</p><p>“Our camera crew, our production managers, our lighting and sound engineers, musical directors, everyone.”</p><p>Neither did Dumas know the songs in ”²Bayani,” all of which were new to him. “I had to learn them,” he said. “Well, my parts, at least.</p><p>“The thing that helped me the most, though, were the walking and running while memorizing and internalizing the lines and the songs. My time alone and the conversations with Andres.”</p><p>Inevitably, Dumas also learned a bit of history and acting techniques from his co-actors, something that he was grateful for.</p><p>“Help was coming in from every direction,” he said. “Shout out to Tara Oppen, who gave me half of her throat coat supply, without which my voice wouldn’t have survived. Everyone was looking out for one another.</p><p>“That was our first time to do something bigger than ourselves in the pandemic, so we were giving it our all. They were. So, I also had to. We pushed each other. And it was awesome. It was hell, but it was awesome! I can maybe do it again, but not 10 days. No way! It’s not going to happen again.” </p><p>Yet Dumas described ”²Bayani” as a “fun” first musical theater venture for him. While he never imagined doing theater before, there’s always a first time, as others said.</p><p>“I don’t want to preempt your experience, but I do want you to know that before I accepted the role, I listened to the songs over and over for a week to help decide if I should really do it,” he disclosed.</p><p>“I had a few ideas on how to improve the music a bit and I appreciated their openness. It was technically a huge collaboration. It was like the embodiment of Katipunan itself. Anyone can speak. Dr. Abad welcomed it.”</p><p>”²Bayani” will be presented as digital theater come April 9, Araw ng Kagitingan, on <a href="https://www.ktx.ph/events/38372/2bayani">KTX</a>.</p><p>Before COVID 19 disrupted everything around us, Dumas&#x27;s last solo gig was in February 2020 at Route 196, which, unfortunately, closed down during this pandemic.</p><p>“My last gig was in early March 2020 with Johnoy (Danao) and Ebe (Dancel) at Conspiracy,” Dumas said. “We had an online concert with Aia [De Leon], Barbie [Almalbis] and Kitchie [Nadal] back in June 2021. That went well, too.</p><p>“But ’²Bayani’ is where I first set foot on an actual stage inside a theater this pandemic. I had minimal exposure [pun intended!] to live performances. I kind of avoided online gigs because it really was not for me.</p><p>“It just stresses me out. I tried to focus on writing, but it was hard. I managed to finish a few songs, but I’m still not super happy with them. I’m honored to have written the anthem for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2021. Besides those, I was either tulala o tulog.”</p><p>Dumas will not be around when ”²Bayani” makes its digital theater premiere as he left last month for Berlin, Germany with Bituin Escalante, Bong Cabrera, Rox Lee and film actor Jonathan Reyes, among others.</p><p>“We are in the middle of rehearsals for ‘SMAK [Super Macho Anti Kristo]’ here in Berlin,” Dumas said. “I am one of the actors and I was also tasked to help a bit in the vocal arrangements.”</p><p>“SMAK” is a headless, 100-act opera, an homage to French symbolist Alfred Jarry and Filipino national hero Jose Rizal, to be staged at the Volksbuhne Theatre in Berlin. It will be directed by Khavn de la Cruz and will have a month-long run starting April.</p><p>“I’m making the most out of this opportunity. When this is done, I’ll think about what to do next. I hope more opportunities come in, though. It’s good that it seems like we are going back to normal already. We all missed this.”</p><p>Dumas is convinced stage performances are slowly returning, although he is still hesitant to perform. “Slowly, we’ll slide back in,” he said. “Even here in Berlin, people are walking around like there’s no virus anymore, it still gives me the anxiety.</p><p>“Maybe, when I return to Manila and everything seems better, I’ll gig. But no definite plans yet. I don’t how to play my songs anymore. I have to rehearse them.”</p>

Bullet Dumas was only in third grade in his province of Leyte, when Tanghalang Ateneo first staged '²Bayani: Isang Rock Opera Alay Kay Andres Bonifacio,' with an ensemble of students in 1996.