She can do it all
Carla Guevara Laforteza had always wanted to be on stage.
“It didn’t even matter what it was. Basta, I wanted to perform, whether it was singing, acting, or dancing.”
And now with more than three decades of experience, it’s clear: The stage loves her, too.
Growing up watching ballets and plays, Carla later joined Repertory Philippines at 16, becoming part of the ensemble for the children’s theater production of “Aladdin.” From there, she would train in various forms of the art. This also opened the door for her to join the cast of “Miss Saigon” in London, where she had a chance to play Kim and Gigi.
Upon her return to Manila, she ventured into show business. Working in these different environments was instrumental in honing her talents and skills—but it also exposed her to a bitter reality for theater artists.
“I noticed—because I was in both theater and showbiz—I would be treated very differently from the artists that they get from the theater industry. So sabi ko, you know what, I’m going to start managing theater artists.”
As a manager, Carla helps draw up contracts and hospitality riders, making sure her artists are treated properly and fairly in the events and shows they’re part of.
A mother’s instincts kick in when she manages artists. But even beyond her capacity as a manager, Carla is lovingly called “mama” by the co-actors near and dear to her (but is also a nickname not everyone can use with her, she warns). She doesn’t limit her care to those officially under her ward—anyone she works with whom she feels an affinity to, she extends the care and support she would give her own children.
Read the full story on lifestyle.inquirer.net
