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In January, Resorts World Manila announced that its theater production outfit Full House Theater Company, and Viva Entertainment will be doing a stage adaptation of the ‘80s movie classic, Bituing Walang Ningning. They made the announcement without yet casting an actress for the role of Dorina Pineda. “The announcement was actually for the search of the new Dorina Pineda,” Archie Nicasio, Resorts World Manila’s assistant director of PR clarifies to Coconuts Manila.
Fast forward to two month later and on Wednesday, the theater company proudly introduced Monica Cuenco as the winner of the search. The 20-year-old singer, who hails from Cebu, will headline stage musical, along with veterans Cris Villonco and Mark Bautista, who’s just returned from the West End production of Here Lies Love. Bituing Walang Ningning will start its run in June.
Apart from landing the lead role, Monica also won a whopping PHP1 million contract with Viva. “Hindi pa siya nag-si-sink in,” the charming 20-year-old chinita says happily. Here are a few more things about the Cebuano.
1. Monica is like a real-life Dorina Pineda. While Dorina sold Sampaguita, back in Cebu, Monica used to sell puto cheese. “PHP3.50 isang piraso. Tapos 3 pieces, isang kanta. Ayaw kasi nilang bilhin yung puto cheese ko,” she says laughing. Her auntie would make the kakanin, along with siopao that she would sell. Cute tidbit: At the press conference yesterday, she had them puto cheese served. “Ginawa ko yan kasama ate ko,” she says proudly.
2. Singing is her livelihood. Monica, who is an orphan, says she is completely self-financed, even when she was still in elementary school. Singing is really her main source of income. Her gigs? Apart from corporate shows, she also sings at birthday parties and wakes.
3. This is the second time she will be trying her hand in show business. “The first time I joined was in 2010-2011 for ABS-CBN’s Star Power,” she shares, where she placed second after Anjeline Quinto. “After, nag-decide muna ako to go back to Cebu and Ormoc.”
4. But this is her first time in theater. While she is familiar with theater, having watched productions of The Little Mermaid, Rak of Aegis, and Aladdin. She also looks up to Lea Salonga. “I watch paano siya kumanta, paano siya sa entablado. Yun yung hinuhugutan ko,” Monica says. Bituing Walang Ningning will be her first try in theater. “Hindi ko nga po alam yung concept ng understudy. Akala ko, tatlo kaming nanalo bilang Dorina.”
5. She is a big Sarah Geronimo fan. “Popster po talaga ako,” she squeals. Lea Salonga is, hands down, her ultimate idol but Sarah G is someone she really looks up to. “She’s very nice. Sobrang taas ng respeto ko sa kanya, hindi lang for her discipline sa pagkanta, kundi sa discipline sa sarili.”
6. She wasn’t born yet when the original movie first came out in theaters. Monica is only 20 years old. The movie came out in 1985, making it 10 years older than she is. So it was the TV remake, starring Sarah Geronimo, that Monica was first introduced to the material.
7. She was listening to Christian music before her audition. “Lahat ng nag-a-audtion, nakikinig sa ‘Bituing Walang Ningning’ pero ako, I was listening to Christian music. Sina Kary Jobe, sina Miss Darlene [Zschech]. Every time nakikinig ako nun, nawawala ang tension ko.”
8. ‘Pangarap na Bituin’ and ‘Bituing Walang Ningning’ are the songs of her life. She said she didn’t have to memorize anything during the audition because “kinakain ko na yung kanta. That’s a song of my life.” She’s been singing the song all her life because that, along with ‘Pangarap na Bituin’ and Journey’s ‘Faithfully’ are among her customers’ most requested songs.
9. She knew she wanted to enter show business at age 3. Her mother, who was also a singer, would take young Monica along during her gigs. “Minsan, ako pa mas kikita kaysa kay mama kasi nakikikanta ako,” she narrates. It was when she memorized the song ‘Rosalinda,’ that she knew she wanted to be in show business.
To put you in the mood, how about we watch the clip of Sharon Cuneta and Cherie Gil sing in the original movie below:
