Bongga ka, Tash!
Atasha Muhlach wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up in tears come dress rehearsals. As the lead star of “Bongga Ka, Day! The Annie Batungbakal Musical,” the actress is set to return to the Newport Performing Arts Theater—the place “where it all began” for her 15 years ago.
“It’s a heartwarming, tear-jerking moment. Because that stage was the reason I wanted to become a performer,” Muhlach, who made her theater debut in “The Sound of Music” in 2011, tells Lifestyle Inquirer. “To look back on that dream and realize that I’m living it now as a young adult is fulfilling. It’s like coming full circle.”
Hotdog’s timeless hits
A naive boutique sales clerk by day, Annie, an aspiring fashion designer, heads to Coco Banana by night. In the famed Malate disco, she puts on her glittery bell-bottom pants, hoping to break into the circles of socialites and creatives dancing to the funky sound of Filipino band Hotdog’s timeless hits.
Some may find it surprising, but Muhlach says many young people are actually fascinated by the 1970s—its fun, its vibrancy, and the idea of a simpler time. And music—Manila Sound, in particular—becomes a natural portal into that era.
“The vibe is perfect for any time. I also feel like we have this certain connection with Manila Sound and Hotdog songs because their lyrics carry Pinoy humor and stories,” she says. In fact, when she was studying in England, the song “Manila,” she recalls, helped ease her pangs of homesickness.
‘Makulit and jologs’
Muhlach might not be the first name that comes to mind for a dispatsadora. In the 1979 film on which the musical is based, Annie, originally played by Nora Aunor, is what one might have described at the time as “bakya.”
But there’s more than meets the eye, she says. “Mukha lang ganito ako, pero sa totoo, hindi. Ang tunay kong personality ay sobrang makulit at jologs,” Muhlach says, adding that, at the end of the day, Annie represents the Filipino dreamer—something she herself, and everyone, can relate to.
Although her Tagalog has a noticeable accent, Muhlach has made significant progress—thanks, in many ways, to her drama series “Bad Genius” and her hosting stint on “Eat Bulaga!,” which compelled her to speak the language, whether scripted or on the fly. She has also been working with a communications coach.
“I started out in the industry not knowing much Tagalog, but I have improved a lot. I got used to it by listening to my co-hosts and studying scripts given to me just the day before or the day itself,” she says. “But the good thing about this musical is that the script was given in advance, so I’m working on it right now.”
“Of course, iiwasan ko ‘yong twang,” she adds, laughing.
Leaving no stone unturned
Knowing that she still has a long way to go and that challenges lie ahead, Muhlach is leaving no stone unturned. The minute she got wind earlier this year that Newport World Resorts, Viva Communications, and PETA Plus would be holding tryouts for “Bongga Ka Day,” she quickly sought workshops in singing, acting, and dance.
During the multi-round auditions, Muhlach prepared a Hotdog song and another ‘70s hit as well as a choreographed dance number for good measure. Director Chris Millado also asked her to learn a dance on the spot with co-star Sam Concepcion.
Of the 300 hopefuls, PETA Plus project head Gold Villar Lim says Muhlach was one of the strongest performers. But what ultimately clinched the role for the 24-year-old was her charm, presence, and the touch of “kengkoy” needed to bring a quirky and spirited character to life on a big stage.
“The preparations were months in the making—days and hours of hard work. Of course, I felt pressure leading up to the auditions because I wanted to make sure I did well. I even lost my voice at one point,” says Muhlach, who will be joined by three more leading men: KD Estrada, Jeff Moses, and Anthony Rosaldo.
What it means to be bongga
Now that the role is hers, Muhlach says she just wants to “give it a go, do my best, and work as hard as I can”—if only to make that little girl who used to sign up for Christmas school productions proud. But more than a personal breakthrough, she hopes that “Bongga Ka, Day!” allows her to recapture that feeling from 15 years ago of sharing and building something beautiful with like-hearted people.
After all, to be Annie—or to be bongga—is to be authentic and to still feel that we belong. “One of the messages of the musical is that you don’t have to change yourself to feel loved and accepted,” she says. “When I’m happy and comfortable in myself, that’s when I feel most bongga!”
