Reb Atadero is one of the newest cast members of ‘Lungs’ at the upcoming Sandbox Fest by The Sandbox Collective. The newly married actor opens up about his connection to this beloved piece that tackles the story of a young couple.
During the press conference on May 16 for the show, which is set to take place in July, actor and recording artist Reb Atadero shares, “When I was told that I was going to do ‘Lungs’ and I started reading the script, it was such a blessing to actually see it with fresh eyes because I had no idea what it was about.”
Atadero emphasizes how personally significant ‘Lungs’ became for him even from the first time he read the script.
“When I started reading, I thought, ‘This is literally the conversation I had with my wife.’ It’s that personal for me. I proposed during the pandemic, got married during the pandemic because when you’re faced with your own mortality, it’s ‘bahala na si Batman,’ and it felt right,” added the actor.
‘Lungs’ explores the story of a young couple considering starting a family. It delves into the complexities of intimacy, examining their relationship amidst political unrest, climate change, and the challenges of a rapidly changing world.
Sab San Jose, a returning cast member, joins Reb Atadero.
This year’s Sandbox festival, starting June 17, will return as a twin-bill experience. It will close a beloved project interrupted by the global health crisis. While ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ completed its run, ‘Lungs’ never opened due to the first lockdown in the country.
After a long hiatus forced by the pandemic, stepping back onto the stage evokes a mix of emotions for Atadero. The journey of returning means embracing his uniqueness while staying true to his core.
Reflecting on the past year, Atadero shares, “Throughout the whole pandemic, paulit-ulit sinabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘the first play I’m gonna do, marami akong bala’,” he said.
He added, “That’s what they say about strife. Strife creates art. But when I got into the room on the first day of rehearsals with Sab and everybody else, and of course Caisa who was very supportive about everything that we had to go through… she understood that everyone had their own baggage coming in as an actor… so honestly, on that first day, it felt like coming back home.”
He describes the experience as resuming a conversation that had been paused for three years. Everything seems familiar, but everyone involved has changed. “Iba na iyung bala mo. Iba na iyung baon mo. Iba na kung sino ka. Iba na kung paano ka mag-interpret,” he explains.
Sandbox Fest 2023 is scheduled at the Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall. This is located on the 2nd floor of the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in BGC, Taguig. The festival will run from June 17 to July 15.
