Thanks to Director Anton Juan for Nominating Me as Best Supporting Actor

Ni Oggie Medina

The rehearsals were exhausting till late midnight for Vince Tanada’s “SA” Series at PSF (Philippine Stagers Foundation) Blackbox Theater on Calabash A corner G. Tuazon streets in Balic-Balic, Sampaloc, Manila.

On the day of the show, I prayed to the Divine Providence, or Allah, to guide me and Kashmir, played by teenager Charles Denmark Pantalita, for a good performance. We mustered our best efforts for the characters we were portraying.

This was my first time to attend a theater and film workshop, although I acted once on stage at the Cultural Center of the Philippines when I was in high school at Saint Andrew’s School in Paranaque City.

I came from a family of actors, directors and artists. I vividly remember director Joey Reyes asked me if I was contented in just writing as he invited me to try acting in film.

Then a friend of mine, a line producer of Regal Films, invited me to be a part of Nora Aunor-Jaclyn Jose movie but I attended first in volunteering for the late Father Pierre Tritz, SJ, a Mother Teresa and Ramon Magsaysay awardee, as a teacher for SABANA (Samahan ng mga Batang Nananambakan), a group that helps former child scavengers, as well as a volunteer for FAHAN (Foundation for the Assistance to Hansenites), an institution that helps leprosy patients.

Now, at later age, I decided to attend a workshop to harness my acting capability. It was a surprise to me to know I won a best supporting actor role as a traditional, conservative Muslim father who adheres to the laws of Quran.

Thanks to esteemed judges directors Anton Juan, JP Lopez and Paul Jake Paule who were there watching the six plays during the SA Series: Sa Carwash (which won for Jeremy Peter and Reign Marpuri as best actor and best actress, respectively), Sa Carinderia, Sa Bubungan (as best play), Sa Azotea, Sa Barong-Barong, and Sa Parlor.