Dennis Gaviola

Article (news)

Baron Geisler

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756382008451472242848_10163015053531742_8521333584739277104_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Baron Geisler as Tikbalang in &#x27;Aurelio Sedisyoso.&#x27; Vlad Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — Baron Geisler calls it his “Bohemian era.” In 2017, reeling from the loss of his mother and sinking deeper into self-destruction, the actor says he spent months holed up at home, venturing out only in a bathrobe for fast food runs. “I thought I’d die,” he recalled in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/2594049494269746">a social media post </a>Thursday.Then came an unexpected offer — to audition for <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/09/02/17/review-tanghalang-pilipinos-aurelio-sedisyoso">&quot;Aurelio Sedisyoso,&quot;</a> a rock sarswela directed by Chris Millado and written by Nicanor Tiongson for Tanghalang Pilipino at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. For Geisler, it was more than just a debut on stage. “That play gave me hope, little by little,” he said.Geisler took on the role of the Tikbalang, a mythical figure embodying U.S. colonial power in early 20th-century Philippines. The production, with music by Joed Balsamo and arrangements by the Radioactive Sago Project, reimagined the story of playwright Aurelio Tolentino and his defiance against American rule.Rehearsals, he admitted, were a humbling experience. “They begged me not to ruin their masterpiece,” Geisler wrote. After one performance, when he thought he had given his all, his directors urged him to do it again immediately — for muscle memory.The gamble paid off. His performance, raw and commanding, earned him the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/04/13/18/gawad-buhay-awards-full-list-of-winners">Gawad Buhay Award for Male Featured Performance in a Musical</a>, the country’s equivalent of a Tony. Geisler was in rehab when Millado phoned to break the news. “That call reminded me to hold on,” he said. “If you do good things, good things will happen to you.”Looking back, Geisler now sees &quot;Aurelio Sedisyoso&quot; as more than just a stage credit. “It was survival, reflection, and the beginning of finding myself again,” he said.Once notorious for off-screen controversies, the 43-year-old actor has since rebuilt his career, most recently in the primetime hit &quot;Incognito,&quot; emerging as a reminder that sometimes redemption can begin under the lights of the stage.

Actor Baron Geisler looked back at his stage debut in the 2017 rock sarswela 'Aurelio Sedisyoso,' describing the experience as a lifeline during one of the darkest periods of his life.

Actor Baron Geisler looked back at his stage debut in the 2017 rock sarswela ' Aurelio Sedisyoso ,' describing the experience as a lifeline during one of the darkest periods of his life.

Baron Geisler recalls 2017 theater debut as turning point in his recovery

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Lifestyle

Baron Geisler recalls 2017 theater debut as turning point in his recovery

ABS-CBN Lifestyle

Published August 28, 2025 08:07 PM PHT

Read More:

Baron Geisler

theater

Aurelio Sedisyoso

Tanghalang Pilipino

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription. If you don’t see it, please check your spam or junk folder.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.