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Angia Laurel

Jude Cartalaba

MANILA — For singer-songwriter Angia Laurel, stepping into the role of Martha Bessell in &quot;Spring Awakening&quot; is more than just another performance — it marks her professional theater debut and a deeply personal return to the stage.At 23, the daughter of theater veterans Franco Laurel and Ayen Munji-Laurel takes on one of the musical’s most emotionally demanding roles, portraying a young girl grappling with abuse and silence in 19th-century Germany. “It wasn’t easy in the beginning. I had my fair share of breakdowns trying to navigate the weight of Martha’s experiences,&quot; Laurel said. “The material is heavy, and I wanted to honor it truthfully without overwhelming myself. That balance took time.”Laurel previously trained with Trumpets Playshop, where she performed roles like Little Ti Moune in &quot;Once on This Island,&quot; Alice in &quot;Alice in Wonderland,&quot; and the White Witch in &quot;he Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,&quot; among many others. She was also Joanne in &quot;Rent&quot; under the now-defunct Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group.Before joining &quot;Spring Awakening,&quot; she had the privilege of working behind the scenes. “I was the hair and makeup head under Jaydee Jasa, our incredible makeup designer, for Sandbox Collective’s production of &#x27;Side Show,&#x27;&quot; she said. “Being part of that creative team gave me a completely different appreciation for the work that goes into mounting a musical — the collaboration, the detail, the storytelling that happens even beyond the stage lights.”While &quot;Spring Awakening&quot; marks her professional debut, it also serves as a homecoming for Laurel, who has long considered theater her first love. &quot;Stepping back into this space in such a vulnerable role. It felt both full-circle and incredibly demanding,&quot; she said. “So while this may be my professional debut as a performer, theater has always been home for me — whether I’m onstage or behind the scenes.”Those workshop productions were such important learning experiences for her. Those training shaped her discipline, stage presence, and emotional storytelling.“Before I was cast, I actually posted a video of myself singing &#x27;Mama Who Bore Me&#x27; online. It wasn’t necessarily for Martha — I didn’t know which role I would get — but I hoped that if I were cast, I could bring that same emotional honesty to whichever character it was. I’m so happy that it ended up being Martha. &#x27;The Dark I Know Well&#x27; is the song that she shares with Ilse, played by Jam Binay, which tells both their stories in a beautifully painful way, and it’s been incredibly meaningful to inhabit that space,” she said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773015206365Sandbox Night-17 (1).jpg" style="width:633px;display:block" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Angia Laurel. Photo by Loreta Arroyo</div><div>Committed to telling Martha’s truth</div>Despite the challenges she faced, she stayed committed to telling Martha’s story with honesty and restraint.“I made a conscious effort to separate myself from her pain after rehearsals and performances. I approached her with empathy rather than emotional excess,&quot; she said.”Playing Martha has taught me that strength can live in quiet survival — and returning to theater through this role has deepened my respect for how powerful storytelling can be when it’s handled with care.”In her journey to bring Martha to life, Laurel said what helped her most was knowing she had strong support around her.“Our intimacy director, Missy Maramara, created a safe and intentional environment for us to explore the difficult scenes with care and boundaries. Tita Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, who plays Adult Woman, was also incredibly grounding — her guidance reminded me that vulnerability should always be protected and purposeful,&quot; she said.”My fellow castmates and scene partners were my anchors. Jam Binay, who plays Ilse, especially during ‘The Dark I Know Well,’ helped me reshape how I approached the song. Instead of focusing solely on the abuse Martha endures, I centered my performance more on the loss of Ilse — the loss of innocence, safety, and sisterhood. “That shift allowed me to stay true to Martha’s story while also protecting my own mental health as Angia.”And my girls — Sheena Belarmino as Wendla, Mijon Cortez as Anna, Felicity Kyle Napuli as Thea, along with Pappel and Nikki Bengzon, our lovely swings, with whom I share many scenes — made such a difference. Our mini discussions, unpacking scenes together, sharing thoughts about our characters—those moments created trust and understanding. “They reminded me that Martha exists within a community of girls, not just within her suffering.”In some productions, Martha is depicted as deaf, separating her from the spoken or sung narrative to further emphasize her isolation.“In this version of &#x27;Spring Awakening,&#x27; I’m grateful that Martha has a singing part — it gives her a voice, literally and figuratively, to tell her story.”For me, singing as Martha isn’t just about performing notes. It’s about giving voice to someone who, in real life or in the story, is often silenced. I hope that through my performance, I can honor her experience and, in some way, be a voice for the silent — for those who have endured similar struggles and deserve to be heard.“No role, no performance, no story is more important than your real-life safety.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773015249462IMG_3331 (1).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Angia Laurel with Sheena Belarmino. Photo by Loreta Arroyo</div><div>Advice to physically and sexually abused girls</div>“First, I want to say that if any girl is experiencing physical or sexual abuse, none of it is her fault. Abuse is never caused by the victim — no matter what anyone says.”Like Martha, many girls are silenced by fear, shame, or manipulation. But you deserve to be safe. You deserve to be heard. And you deserve support.”If you are in that situation, I encourage you to tell someone you trust. That being a friend, a family member, a teacher, a guidance counselor, or any safe adult.“Speaking up can be the most terrifying thing to do, but you don’t have to carry that burden alone. There are the right people and the right organizations trained to help protect and guide you through it.”For Laurel, both as an actress and as herself, portraying Martha has highlighted how dangerous silence can be.“Your voice matters. Even if it shakes. Even if it’s a whisper,” she stressed.“And if you’re not ready to speak yet, please know this: what happened to you does not define your worth. You are not broken. You are not ‘too much.’ You are not ruined. You are surviving — and that alone is strength.“If you are in immediate danger, please seek emergency help right away or contact a local crisis hotline or women’s protection service in your area.”<div> </div><div>A coming-of-age rock musical, featuring music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, &quot;Spring Awakening&quot; is based on the 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind and directed by Andrei Pamintuan. Presented by The Sandbox Collective and Rockwell Land, it runs until March 22 at the Black Box Theater at Proscenium.</div>

For 23-year-old Angia Laurel, portraying the troubled Martha Bessell in 'Spring Awakening' is more than just a role — it is her professional theater debut and a return to the stage she has long considered home.

For 23-year-old Angia Laurel, portraying the troubled Martha Bessell in ' Spring Awakening' is more than just a role — it is her professional theater debut and a return to the stage she has long considered home.

Angia Laurel makes emotional stage debut in ‘Spring Awakening’

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Angia Laurel makes emotional stage debut in ‘Spring Awakening’

Jude Cartalaba

Published March 11, 2026 06:11 PM PHT

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Updated March 11, 2026 06:38 PM PHT

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Angia Laurel

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Spring Awakening

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