Indie actress-director kinontra ang ‘ID’ post ni Lea

For the first time ay na-meet namin ang super talented theater actress and indie director na si Michiko Unso sa pictorial ng bago niyang play titled “The Glass Menagerie” ni Tennessee Williams.

Four years ago na noong huli siyang umarte on stage. Pero may 30 beses na niyang ginampanan ang role niya sa play bilang si Laura Wingfield.

Bata pa siya when she did Laura Wingfield for the first time. Laura’s character sa play ay medyo mentally fragile na malayung-malayo na personality ni Michiko na sobrang empowered na ngayon.

“Yes, she has inferiority complex. Tapos, mahirap siyang, she cannot cope with the real world kasi she was sheltered and then, she has a limped kasi. Parang medyo pilay siya.

Akala niya big deal na ‘yun, haha. So, nahirapan siyang humarap sa mga tao. Hindi siya nakatapos ng school niya dahil nagsusuka-suka siya doon. Sobrang ano, meron siyang, very fragile,” kwento ni Michiko sa amin.

Kahit ilang beses na niyang ginawa ang “The Glass Menagerie” noon, first time naman ngayon na nag-co-produce siya sa play.
“This is my first time to co-produce with a theatre company.

Before kasi artista lang ako, kung anu-ano ang pinaggagawa ko sa teatro. We’re helping out. Our company is Think Talk Creative Communications but this is under The ART, The Actor’s Repertory Theater.

They’re the main producer,” lahad ni Michiko. Ayon kay Michiko, isa sa mga paborito niyang characters sa play si Laura kaya paulit-ulit niyang ginagawa on stage.

“It was set din during the mass depression in the US. Actually medyo similar kasi sa setting ng Pilipinas sa ngayon, it’s a family drama. ‘Yung appeal niya sa akin is number one, being fragile and soft.

Very sensitive. Actually, siya si Glass Minneage, siya talaga ‘yun. She’s is the personification of Glass Mineeage,” lahad niya. Nakapag-produce at nakapagdirek na si Michiko ng indie film, ang “Saya.” “I directed, I studied scriptwriting, I studied everything. Tapos

I wanted to go back to what I really want to do, ‘yung passion ko. I started this company, kasi all I wanted to do was to do indie movie. “Kaso, syempre walang pera sa indie. Ha-hahaha! So sabi ko, mauubos ang savings ko.

So, go muna ako ng ahensya to see and sabi ko, in the future I’ll produce my own movies na gusto ko, parang ganoon.” Ang “Saya” ay istorya ng dalawang babae na in love sa isa’t isa noong panahon ng Kastila.

Ang parents naman ni Michiko ay parehong nasa Canada pati na ang anak niya. Naiwan siya dito dahil ayon sa kanya she believes in the Philippines.

“I saw that there is hope in the Philippines. You know, dito gamitin mo lang ang talino mo tapos huwag kang papa-victim.” Mukhang taliwas yata ang sinasabi niya sa controversial statement ni Lea Salonga sa social media, huh!

Anyway, ang “The Glass Menagerie” is directed by veteran theater director Edith Mandigma at mapapanood na ang play sa Jaime Cardinal Sin Auditorium, Paco Catholic School Paco, Manila, St. Bridget’s College Auditorium Batangas City, Sacred Heart College Gymnasium Lucena City at sa Music Museum on Aug. 30, Sep. 5, Sept. 12 at 13, Sept. 19 at Oct. 3.