September 6, 2022 • 41 mins
Today's guest Chariz Faulmino (She/They/Siya) is a Filipina-Canadian multi-disciplinary Performer based in beautiful amiskwaciwâskahikan, Treaty 6 Territory. For this episode, she joins our host Andrés Moreno, as they discuss the importance of being present, taking risks and of course Bubble Tea
Captioning available on the Azimuth Theatre Youtube Channel!
Guest: Chariz Faulmino
- IG: Cheeky.rizz
Hosted by Andrés Moreno
- IG: @Andres._.FM
Theme by Just Moe
- IG: @iamjustmoe
- https://m.soundcloud.com/moewaves
Sound Technician : Selina Painchaud
- IG: fancifultechnician
Editing: Andrés Moreno
Cover by: Andrés Moreno
Special thanks to the Canada Council for the Arts, Fringe Theatre, ATB Arts Barns, Azimuth Theatre and our community.
Learn more about Azimuth Theatre
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
ANDRÉS: (00:00):
While it's recording everybody just say thank you to Selina.
Selina is our hero
!CHARIZ:: Selina!
THEME: (00:09):
I'm gonna trust the whole damn process for the
record till we breaking records!
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly, journeys to the sky, Azimuth
inside my grip, always know the way now!
Beauty fill my days now,take it day by day sound.
Couldn't be prouder cuz y'know, we alive!
ANDRÉS: (00:29):
Welcome to In Process.
This is Azimuth Theatre's podcasthighlighting and celebrating the
voices, the community, and thecreators that we get to work with.
CHARIZ: (00:39):
Mm.
ANDRÉS: (00:39):
Today we have a special guest Chariz Faulmino.
yeah.
Welcome Chariz how are you?
CHARIZ: (00:45):
Hi, I'm I gotta say I'm a little nervous.
ANDRÉS: (00:48):
Yeah?
(laughs)
CHARIZ: (00:49):
I'm a little nervous.
ANDRÉS: (00:50):
You're gonna be great.
But yeah.
Thanks for joining me, Chariz
CHARIZ: (00:54):
Thank you for having me.
ANDRÉS: (00:56):
Yeah.
You and I have we've crossedpaths a couple times, but the
universe hasn't really ever allowedus to sit and chat, you know,
CHARIZ: (01:05):
and here we are.
ANDRÉS: (01:06):
And here we are.
if the universe doesn'tmake it happen, why not
- CHARIZ:: we make it happen.
Chariz um, how would you describe your, your craft?
CHARIZ: (01:17):
Oh my goodness.
My craft honestly I don't even know howto even- claiming that is something.
Yeah,
that's saying that thisthing I'm doing is my craft.
It's mostly just me.
Mm-hmm it's it's coming from me.
My, my experience, my story, and, yeah...
ANDRÉS: (01:37):
Totally . Can you tell us a little bit of your story and how it led
you to, to choose this way of living?
Hmm,
CHARIZ: (01:44):
Well that's a big, old question!
okay.
Well, I'll start with my name.
Im Chariz Faulmino, Iuse She/They pronouns.
And I immigrated from thePhilippines when I was nine years
old to turtle island in 2007.
So it was quite quite a while ago.
(02:06):
I came here with my family.
My mom came here first as ananny and I've been here since!
And what led me to that?
I, I don't know.
I think artists are expected tohave like this revelation, but I
(02:26):
don't think I ever really had that.
Have you heard Adele's new song
ANDRÉS: (02:31):
go easy on me or
-CHARIZ:: easy on me?
Yeah.
She says a line in there.
She says "didn't get the timeto choose what I chose to do."
and that really resonates with me.
I don't think I've evernamed it like that.
Mm-hmm
CHARIZ: (02:45):
I think I forced myself for years to, to think of a
moment of when it happened, butit was just, yeah, I don't know.
Art always, lived around me, within me.
My family is very musical.
I mean, my culture (Laughs) thestereotype quote unquote, is, is that we
(03:06):
love karaoke and yes, we do love karaokeand most Filipinos have it at parties.
And that's what happened in my childhoodand, and, you know, everybody always
sang and, and I always sang and, andyeah, I started to do stuff on my own.
My sister learned how to play the guitarand I followed suit I never thought
(03:29):
I would actually do this for a career.
(laughs) Oh!
Saying it like that.
ANDRÉS: (03:36):
I, I love the giddiness that you're getting out of saying it out
loud because , it is such a blessingto be able to call this a career.
CHARIZ: (03:43):
Absolutely.
Very fortunate to be able to dothis and live (Laughs) this life.
ANDRÉS: (03:51):
So where do you draw inspiration from when you're, when you're creating,
especially cuz like you, you writemusic, correct me if I'm wrong.
CHARIZ: (03:58):
I do.
In my living room, in mybedroom, in the shower.
yeah.
Where I drive from is again, just frommy experience and my life and everything
around me and everyone around me.
Anything really?
If it catches my eye catches my ear, Ithink, I think the world gives it to you.
(04:20):
And that's how I that's how I roll.
ANDRÉS: (04:24):
I, I love this, this kind of idea that you're a very curious
creature and that curiosity leads you.
CHARIZ: (04:31):
I guess!
Yeah.
(Laughs) I'm so giddy!
I've never talked about myselfthis, this much, and I'm
getting paid to do it, (Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (04:48):
well, and- and I think that that's that's, I am so excited
about this because I get to hearpeople talk about themselves.
And I think that that's such a-
CHARIZ: (04:57):
scary-
ANDRÉS: (04:58):
gift that you are giving us, you know, and, and I get
that it can be totally scary.
Why do you think I'm on this side of it?
CHARIZ: (05:05):
thank you for listening and, and for, for your curiosity too,
ANDRÉS: (05:09):
mm-hmm
CHARIZ: (05:09):
for approaching me
ANDRÉS: (05:10):
no, seriously, like, honestly, it's a, it's such a
joy and, and it is a true gift.
to be able to, to sit and listento somebody, share their stories,
you know, like I think I thinkit's in Denmark or Sweden.
One of those two places.
They have human libraries.
Oh, you can go,
CHARIZ: (05:30):
oh, I think I heard about this.
ANDRÉS: (05:31):
Yeah.
And you can rent out humans andyou just ask them questions,
CHARIZ: (05:34):
rent out humans.
ANDRÉS: (05:36):
I mean, it sounds weird.
CHARIZ: (05:37):
I'll get a Gilbert story, please.
ANDRÉS: (05:42):
But the idea of like, just sitting and sharing, like there's
there's can be so much gain just fromhearing somebody speak about their lives.
Yeah.
You know and like, You and I metworking a little bit on" Safe and Fair"
CHARIZ: (05:54):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (05:55):
And I, I got to know a little bit of your story for those first couple of
days about like you immigrating you know,it was also like where's the time gone
yo, that yo that
but, but immigrating as a child andall that, like we share a lot of the
same similar vibrations and paths
.CHARIZ:: How about you?
(06:15):
What, like what, where,who are you Andrés?
Listen, this episode's not about me.
CHARIZ: (06:24):
no
ANDRÉS: (06:24):
way.
No, you know, I I'm, I'mColombian born proud of it.
I moved here after moving tothe states with my family.
Oh, wow.
Been living here and artwas an escape for me.
You know, art was away for me to, to find.
Home in a homeless world, you know?
CHARIZ: (06:42):
Whoa.
Yeah.
I want that on a t-shirt
ANDRÉS: (06:45):
we're gonna have a whole line of t-shirts after this.
Let me tell you But you know, I'm always,I'm always in awe because I think like
I've, I've made choices to continue art.
CHARIZ: (06:57):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (06:57):
where I love that you hear something and you're like,
this is something I want to exploreand you explore it, you know?
and I, I knew about you as a singerfirst I still haven't heard you sing.
I mean, I'm not countingConcrete you know,
, CHARIZ:: let's go karaoke after
. ANDRÉS:: That's what this'll be.
It's just the karaoke episode.
CHARIZ: (07:16):
Just a jam sesh
ANDRÉS: (07:17):
but you know, like, I, I, I always love to dig into what
makes people tick or what makespeople like inspired, you know?
Yeah, because everyone'sso different and, you know
CHARIZ: (07:30):
yeah.
And that's so awesome.
And that that's part of why I'mso curious is that everybody's
got, everybody's got a story.
ANDRÉS: (07:36):
And no matter what we do, our stories will show up in our art
CHARIZ: (07:40):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (07:41):
you know like Art is so much about self-expression mm-hmm and how you
want to express some of the lessons thatyou've learned along the way, or some of
the lessons you want to learn, you know?
CHARIZ: (07:49):
Well that,
ANDRÉS: (07:50):
My favorite thing is when you get to like, learn something from a character.
CHARIZ: (07:53):
Yeah.
Oh, write a book.
You've got great words.
Great quotes
ANDRÉS: (07:59):
I'm doing an audio book here.
okay.
So as a performer, where do you startyour process of getting into a character?
CHARIZ: (08:07):
In a play or in a musical?
ANDRÉS: (08:10):
Are they different to you?
CHARIZ: (08:11):
They, they are sometimes.
Yeah, they are different.
Okay.
I, well, I am a I knew myself as a singerfirst and my first musical I ever been
in was Aladdin junior in junior high.
I was, I was Jasmine and that was awesome,but I don't think it really acted in that.
I just, I sang, I sang,you know what I mean?
(08:34):
Yeah.
I got clocked for that in theaterschool, but anyway, I guess it it's,
it's recently I've thought aboutcharacters as, as humans and that's,
that's where my education came into play.
Cuz before, if it was a musical,I would just go straight into the
songs and nail the songs and andthe music tells a lot of the story.
(08:58):
And how do I get into character?
I think it just revealsitself or maybe I'm not sure.
Um, Sorry, my brain
ANDRÉS: (09:11):
It's totally good.
And you don't necessarilyhave to have the answer.
I think
CHARIZ: (09:17):
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (09:17):
Yeah, art is something that we all do in our own way.
CHARIZ: (09:21):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (09:21):
You know,
CHARIZ: (09:22):
sometimes I can't put it into words.
Mm-hmm it just embody it in a way.
Listen to the tracks.
And listen to what themusic is telling me.
If it's a musical, if it's a play,it's, it's a different series.
I have to, I, that I have toattack a little bit more on the
ANDRÉS: (09:40):
cerebral side
CHARIZ: (09:41):
cerebral side.
ANDRÉS: (09:42):
Totally.
It's so interesting cuz, cuz you're right.
I think with musicals, part ofwhat I enjoy when I'm doing like
my work is I'll listen to anythingwhere the character's in it.
And I try to set, try to hear that beat orthe sound or what is underneath the words
CHARIZ: (10:00):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (10:00):
because you're right.
That tells you so much about where thecharacter's at in the point of the story.
CHARIZ: (10:05):
Yeah.
And um, growing up, I alwayssang like ballads and that's and
ballads always have such emotionin them and, and even in pop too.
And that's where, kind of where I startedis Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and now
Adele and, and those beautiful balladsingers and songs with, with such heart.
(10:30):
yeah.
Did I answer the question?
ANDRÉS: (10:33):
I think so ! Speaking of ballad singers, do you have a favorite ballad?
CHARIZ: (10:39):
Oh my gosh.
Okay.
It's always Whitney Houston.
ANDRÉS: (10:42):
Yes!
CHARIZ: (10:42):
It's always Whitney Houston.
I have a soft spot for her and, Ugh.
Yeah.
Anything Whitney!
ANDRÉS: (10:51):
No, but you gotta pick one song.
CHARIZ: (10:53):
Oh my gosh, what?
Ugh.
okay.
I have nothing.
By Whitney Houston.
ANDRÉS: (11:01):
Beautiful.
All right.
And now Chariz is gonna sing
CHARIZ: (11:06):
I have- I'm just kidding.
ANDRÉS: (11:08):
Listen, listen, people are here for it.
Selina is over here, like whooping.
So we're here for it.
So what is something that'sbringing you joy right now?
CHARIZ: (11:22):
Right now?
Well, I haven't performed in so long.
Mm.
So right now it's, it's doing rehearsalswith all those lovely humans, in the
same space, singing, dancing, acting,just being creative in, in a space
where people also want to be creative.
ANDRÉS: (11:44):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (11:44):
Is bringing me so much joy.
Hmm.
After so long of not doing itor just doing it in my living
room, it's not the same.
, ANDRÉS:: it's not the same.
And like it's the rehearsal halls.
Mm-hmm,
, ANDRÉS:: there's something so special about a rehearsal hall,
the community, your, your friends hearing how they are,
(12:05):
where they are in life, you know?
ANDRÉS: (12:08):
Hmm.
So would you say the, community'syour favorite part of doing theater?
CHARIZ: (12:12):
Absolutely.
Yes.
Yes.
I love the many things peoplebring to the table and, and the
feast we get to have with it.
ANDRÉS: (12:24):
yeah.
I love when you're working on a piece andsomeone's like, oh yeah, I can do this.
And then you put it in this showbecause it's like, Okay, great.
CHARIZ: (12:31):
Why not?
Oh, I love that.
I love that.
The spirit of playfulness that iswithin the hall and getting to do
whatever you want with, with the pieceand letting yourself go that way.
ANDRÉS: (12:46):
Hmm.
Yeah.
weird question.
If you weren't working as a theaterprofessional, is there, is there
something else that you have,that's like a passion for you?
CHARIZ: (12:58):
Oh, I've recently realized that I will not ever do anything I
don't love well, I don't know.
I used to have a pull tobe in the medical field
I don't know if that's from myfamily or if that's myself wanting,
wanting to be anything other thanart , you know, or artistic or
(13:23):
creative, you know what I mean?
ANDRÉS: (13:25):
Totally.
CHARIZ: (13:27):
yeah, I, well, I love helping people and being not saying a caregiver,
but caring for others in a way that'smore than your regular caring.
ANDRÉS: (13:41):
yeah.
Well, and I think over thesummer, correct me if I'm wrong
you did a job with "Tune To-A"
CHARIZ: (13:47):
Yeah.
I was a project support worker.
I.
And I was mainly a support to the group.
And more specifically Carly Neis, Yeah.
her and I got really closebecause of that, because she's
such an awesome human being.
And we found that we shared similarexperiences sometimes when it
(14:09):
comes to family medical healthand yeah, it was, it was great.
Mostly I, I got to, to takecare of Gilmore, beautiful
service dog I'm in love.
ANDRÉS: (14:26):
I, I named him Gulliver cuz I forgot that Gilmore was his name.
His full name is Gilmore Gulliver.
Gunther.
CHARIZ: (14:32):
That's hilarious.
I did not know that.
Yeah.
Amazing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was a really interesting experience.
That was the first time I think.
I got back in the rehearsal hall too.
So it was a bit of a balanceI had to, to shift in my, in
my regular performer brain.
(14:55):
yeah.
ANDRÉS: (14:55):
Mm-hmm totally.
Now do you have a favorite musical?
CHARIZ: (14:59):
Ooh.
Do I have a favorite musical?
Oh, I should.
Shouldn't I, oh, I am so many . Okay,well right now it is, it is Hamilton.
yeah.
ANDRÉS: (15:12):
We're a house that loves Hamilton.
CHARIZ: (15:14):
Mm-hmm , it's a sung through opera and I, and I'm a singer, so I'm
oh, it's, it's a, it's a great, justthis one of my dream shows, I think.
ANDRÉS: (15:25):
Yeah?
CHARIZ: (15:25):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (15:25):
Okay.
So who would you want to play?
Oh, I think I know, but
CHARIZ: (15:31):
any of the women, honestly, any of the women's parts.
Who'd you think
ANDRÉS: (15:35):
I, I was, I was gonna go straight to Eliza.
CHARIZ: (15:38):
Ooh, Eliza.
ANDRÉS: (15:38):
Cause I feel like you have that caring spirit, you
know, like you could really get anaudience to fall in love with you.
CHARIZ: (15:43):
Oh, that's kind.
ANDRÉS: (15:44):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (15:45):
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (15:45):
I could see that, Yeah.
Now a favorite musicalyou've performed in.
CHARIZ: (15:49):
Oh, ooh.
I haven't that I haven'treally done that many.
It's my line.
Oh my God.
What have I done.
Okay.
I did "Aladdin Jr."
In junior.
I did "Little Mermaid Jr".
just little mermaid red wig.
Red braces Man, oh, thatwas a time, skinny brows.
ANDRÉS: (16:09):
skinny brows.
CHARIZ: (16:11):
Oh, you know, that time period don't even lie
ANDRÉS: (16:15):
so deep into character.
CHARIZ: (16:18):
oh I don't know if I have a favorite yet.
Hm.
I don't know if I have a favorite yet.
I loved all of them.
And I've learned, I learned certainthings with each one, for sure.
Mm-hmm vocally and, and as a performer
ANDRÉS: (16:34):
I also really enjoy that.
You always, you, no matter whatyou said, I don't have one yet.
Mm-hmm which I love thatoutlook, cuz you're right.
You, you still got so much time.
You don't know what's coming your way.
CHARIZ: (16:44):
I'm a child.
ANDRÉS: (16:46):
So is there anything happening in your career that is exciting?
CHARIZ: (16:49):
Well I, well I stepped away a bit mm-hmm and I got
a job over at the Winspear
ANDRÉS: (16:58):
oh groovy
CHARIZ: (16:59):
for YONA-sistema do you know YONA-sistema?
It originated Venezuelawas called El sistema and.
Uh, its social musicfor change the program.
That's their vision.
And we go to priorityneighborhoods in Edmonton.
And I am a site manager.
So I, my site is at St.
(17:21):
Catherine's school.
That's one of our new sites.
Mm-hmm and.
Yeah, it's really, it's a really awesomeprogram and the people are great.
And I just, I never thought I coulddo like an administrative role.
I never thought that was a thingI could do, but I surprised
(17:42):
myself how well I actually wasable to handle it and, and do it.
So that's pretty exciting.
that's awesome.
Don't limit yourself.
ANDRÉS: (17:52):
No and also like the idea that you want to do arts doesn't mean
that you have to do art all the time.
Mm-hmm , there's something so beautifulwhen you get behind the scenes and you do
some of that, that admin work or, and youlet other people do the art, you know?
Yeah,
CHARIZ: (18:07):
That's what's new and exciting.
ANDRÉS: (18:09):
That's awesome.
And like the idea that you're alsolearning about yourself through that.
That's beautiful.
That's awesome.
I'm happy for you pal
CHARIZ: (18:16):
thanks buddy!
ANDRÉS: (18:17):
Yeah.
I'm sure you can have stressfuldays working in admin.
What do you do when you gohome to like, bring yourself
balance or bring yourself joy?
CHARIZ: (18:27):
Food.
ANDRÉS: (18:28):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (18:28):
Food.
ANDRÉS: (18:30):
do you have a specific treat?
CHARIZ: (18:31):
Okay.
My favorite is one of the questions
ANDRÉS: (18:36):
and now we're back on the guide.
CHARIZ: (18:40):
This one I didn't really have to think about because my,
my go to is always bubble tea.
I got memories attachedto it and it's just.
And it's delicious!
I mean, not everybody loves tapioca.
It's all good chewy bubbles.
It's weird.
I get it.
ANDRÉS: (18:57):
But also we got other flavors.
That's right.
Taro ,Lychee ,mango
Popping bobbas.
Oh, heck yeah.
Mango, pop balls!
Yeah they are great.
So do you have a favorite bubble tea?
CHARIZ: (19:08):
Okay.
It is either avocado mm-hmm or mangogreen fruit tea with lychee jelly.
ANDRÉS: (19:17):
Oh, right.
I haven't heard of the second, likeI've never had the second one, but
the avocado bubble tea is, is prime.
CHARIZ: (19:24):
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (19:25):
Is prime
CHARIZ: (19:26):
it's either.
You hate it or you love it.
ANDRÉS: (19:27):
Yeah.
I, I like it a lot more when theyadd a little bit of coconut in there.
CHARIZ: (19:32):
Ooh!
ANDRÉS: (19:33):
Yeah,
CHARIZ: (19:33):
I have, I have not tried that.
ANDRÉS: (19:35):
Oh yeah.
It's a good time.
CHARIZ: (19:37):
okay.
Do you like bubble tea?
I love bubble tea.
Okay.
Bubble tea and karaoke?
Oh, is that a thing?
It can be
. ANDRÉS:: Okay.
Yeah, I'll join you forthe bubble tea part.
It's funny cuz cuz usually I ask what doyou do for bring joy and then I ask what's
your favorite treat, but you're right.
Like joy, food.
It's all so interconnected.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love the communal aspect offood, which we, we can't have
(20:00):
right now, but, but having a buffetwith people it gives you life
ANDRÉS: (20:07):
yeah,
CHARIZ: (20:08):
to me at least.
ANDRÉS: (20:09):
I think that we shared that in the sense that like anytime there was a
family gathering everybody brought somesort of food element to it, you know?
CHARIZ: (20:15):
Yeah.
And I think that's my mom's lovelanguage which I never really understood
for a while, but now I do yeah.
yeah.
ANDRÉS: (20:24):
What's your love language?
CHARIZ: (20:26):
Oh, I think, I think it's acts of service and words of
affirmation, which I don't alwayshave, but words of affirmation.
And what's yours?.
ANDRÉS: (20:39):
My love language is definitely gifts.
CHARIZ: (20:42):
Mm.
ANDRÉS: (20:43):
Gifts.
I, I will buy you something thatlike might be like a little chocolate
bar with a little note on it, butlike, I will make that note, break
your heart and put it back together.
CHARIZ: (20:54):
What?
ANDRÉS: (20:55):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (20:55):
Oh my God.
Let's got a lot of weight.
ANDRÉS: (20:58):
Like I will.
I, yeah, I, it might be like a Tuesdayand I'll bring you a rose and then
tell you how beautiful you are.
And that's like it
-CHARIZ:: I'm crying.
I'm swooning, Selina!
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ANDRÉS: (21:46):
Do you get to go back home a lot?
CHARIZ: (21:47):
Recently, yes, I did.
I hadn't gone back for like 10years before 3, 3, 4 years ago.
Mm-hmm so no, I'd like it to, tobe more often obvious, obviously.
ANDRÉS: (22:05):
it's hard though.
Cuz it's it's I don't know ifit's the same for you, but it's
so expensive to go back home.
CHARIZ: (22:10):
Oh my gosh.
It's so expensive.
ANDRÉS: (22:11):
When you went back home, did you get to see any, any theater down
there or is that something that like
CHARIZ: (22:17):
interesting.
ANDRÉS: (22:18):
Yeah,
CHARIZ: (22:18):
no, I have not.
The only theater I've seen there waswhen my sister played Virgin Mary and
ANDRÉS: (22:26):
(laughs) that's so on brand.
CHARIZ: (22:30):
Yeah.
And I was like, Six years old.
It's really interesting.
I've only ever done.
Art in English.
ANDRÉS: (22:41):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (22:42):
And speaking in my mother tongues, sometimes it,
it takes a little bit more.
Oh, that okay.
One of my favorite roles I'vedone is the one recently, sorry.
my brain.
That's great!
Yeah.
Is Bianca Miranda's showthat we just did over zoom.
(23:02):
We just did a reading online
ANDRÉS: (23:04):
yes.
With Chromatic Theatre
CHARIZ: (23:05):
with Chromatic Theater.
And that was a really awesomecharacter that I got to, got
to play for a little bit.
Yeah.
I can't wait till it goes on stage.
I wanna see it or I guessbe in it one can hope.
Yeah.
And, and I guess tying it backto what we were talking about.
I, I never explored thePhilippines creatively.
(23:27):
Never explored my language creatively.
I mean, I write songs in, inTagalog, but it feels weird doing
it with, in, in a Western setting.
Totally.
It takes a little bitmore effort, I think.
ANDRÉS: (23:43):
So do you like to consume a lot of your stories in English?
CHARIZ: (23:49):
Both.
ANDRÉS: (23:49):
Totally.
I like, like, I know for example,like I love (Laughs) from
back home, like telenovelas
CHARIZ: (23:59):
Oh yo
ANDRÉS: (23:59):
big industry.
Like, yeah.
I don't, I don't think that I'veseen a lot of theater in Columbia
mm-hmm but the amount of storiesthat come out of just telenovelas.
Oh.
Like I don't wanna watchan English soap opera.
Like for me, it's gottabe in Spanish, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Do you have telenovelas as well?
CHARIZ: (24:18):
We do!
I mean, we are greatlyinfluenced by Spanish culture.
And yeah telenovelas Soap operas there-.
Oh my aunt, my, my aunts and, andmy grandma and even my, my mom
and my sisters love watching them.
ANDRÉS: (24:37):
Back home, it feels like a ritual where it's like,
oh, the novela is starting.
And then like you just sit withyour family for three hours
and just consume, you know?
CHARIZ: (24:44):
Yeah.
Or you walk into the living room,they're watching it and you don't
expect to stay there for that long.
And you're three episodes in,
ANDRÉS: (24:53):
I don't care how bad the novela is.
it will grab you andyou'll be like, oh, okay.
So yeah.
They're whose sister who'strying to kill whose parents.
Okay, great.
Great.
I'm in
Oh my gosh.
Um, Now, I'm sure you've probably feltthis too, but there's been kind of
a shift in, in the theater industry.
(25:15):
Mm-hmm, just in a lot ofindustries and just the worldview
in general over the last two years.
Yeah.
Mostly due to, you know everyonehaving a lot of time to think
about what they want to do.
Mm-hmm and then encouraged by otherworld events that have happened.
But is there anything you'd like tosee, kind of develop in our industry?
CHARIZ: (25:36):
I mean, it's moving in the direction of, of seeing and hearing
more stories of the community.
So I guess more, more Filipino thingsand maybe not so much in the industry,
but, but in our community, I would loveto see in locally, I would love to see
(25:58):
big city things like an undergroundcomedy bar or things like that.
Like more venues, I guess, andmore spaces to do, to do art
and be creative more publicly.
Yeah.
And more accessible, moreaccessible spaces just for artists
ANDRÉS: (26:18):
here.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I I think back to like found Fest andI think if we had like more ideas of found
Fest, like all year long, you know, whereit's like, where do you wanna perform?
We'll figure it out, you know?
Yeah, yeah,
Do you ever think thatyou would write something,
CHARIZ: (26:36):
Write?
So like write a play musical?
Absolutely.
I, I guess this is one also one ofthe questions it's in the works.
I think I I'm, I'm writing a musical.
Oh my gosh!
its the first time I've said it out loud!
It's a first time putting it out there.
I I'm writing musical . Yeah.
(27:00):
And it's just the Filipino experience and,and maybe not the Filipino experience, but
at least I'm drawing from my experience.
Of course mm-hmm and close friends and.
Yeah, it's reallydaunting and really scary.
So it is an ongoing processand I it's a long time.
It takes a long time, I think.
(27:20):
Totally.
ANDRÉS: (27:22):
Yeah.
Well, and, and it's also, I findthe, the creation process is really.
You, you need to give it time, youknow, mm-hmm because if you try to
rush something because you need aproduct, like you're not really doing
what the creation process needs.
CHARIZ: (27:38):
Yo, that yo that,
ANDRÉS: (27:40):
yeah yo
CHARIZ: (27:43):
I, I dunno how people just whip out a script in a day.
I don't understand.
And, and it's something that'slike really meaningful to me.
So I, I also wanna do it some justice,
ANDRÉS: (27:55):
so . Yeah.
But I think that they're inlies the difference, right?
Like I think if someone was like, youneed to write me a script about this,
this happening, these characters go
CHARIZ: (28:03):
mm-hmm
, ANDRÉS:: it's, it's a little bit easier to at least pull, pull out a draft, you
know, mm-hmm but when you're trying towork from within, and also trying to have
some form of therapy and safety in there,like you need to give yourself time.
Yo.
Put these on a t-shirt waiting for your merch man
ANDRÉS: (28:27):
that's gonna be great.
It's gonna be fire.
Let me tell you, but no, like seriously,especially writing and creation.
I see.
As such a form of therapy.
Like, yeah, we do itbecause it brings us joy.
It brings us community, like, Iknow for me, like it was the first
place that I had, like a home afternot having a home, you know, like a
rehearsal space felt like a family.
CHARIZ: (28:49):
Aw.
ANDRÉS: (28:50):
You know,
CHARIZ: (28:50):
I love that.
ANDRÉS: (28:51):
Thanks.
Yeah.
And that's like, that's what all I wantto do is just bring my friends along
and be like, let's create some rad art,
CHARIZ: (28:58):
art.
ANDRÉS: (28:58):
Now this is a question that I like to steal from a great TV show.
CHARIZ: (29:02):
Okay.
ANDRÉS: (29:02):
I'm pulling out the little Chariz picture.
CHARIZ: (29:05):
Oh no!
(Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (29:07):
if there was something you could tell your younger self or something
that you could tell to a younger artist.
Oh, what, what's somethingthat you would impart
CHARIZ: (29:16):
insert tears.
Oh, I could say so many things, but.
Ooh, enjoy each moment.
Love your family.
Give yourself grace.
Forgive yourself often.
(29:38):
Forgive others often.
Ooh.
ANDRÉS: (29:43):
Oh my pal I'm so sorry.
CHARIZ: (29:46):
Thank you for asking that question.
How dare you!.
ANDRÉS: (29:51):
It was on the guide I promise
. CHARIZ:: (laughs) Oh yeah.
Yeah.
Give yourself grace.
Mm-hmm give others grace and.
Yeah.
Be present and, and love those around you.
Yeah.
Thank you.
CHARIZ: (30:11):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (30:11):
Ugh, pal, the amount of heart that you've shown
me today is just so lovely.
So, okay.
You're connected to musicyou're connected to acting.
Are you connected to dancing or movement?
CHARIZ: (30:23):
Yes.
Mm-hmm maybe not technically, but
, ANDRÉS:: I don't think, I, I don't know.
I there's somethingabout movement where yes.
Obviously there's technicalities to eachmovement, but I also find that movement
is just like, it's a language on its own.
Mm-hmm . And as long as you just dabblein it, you can't do it wrong, you
know?
Yeah, yeah.
(30:45):
Yeah.
I, I always find it funny when numberfolks are like, oh, I can't dance.
I'm like, yeah, sure.
You can.
Sure.
You can just pretend.
No one's watching you listenand let your body do its thing.
I think everyone, I thinkeveryone has that superpower yeah.
In themselves,
ANDRÉS: (31:05):
you know, it's like saying like, I genuinely believe anyone can sing
mm-hmm whether or not, you know, whattechnical and all that stuff, whatever.
That's all, that's all systemswe as humans have built,
but like, Can you sing?
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know?
Yeah.
And I don't know, there's something aboutsome of the musicals that I listen to
where it's like, the person might notbe the most technically talented singer.
(31:29):
Mm.
But if they can express themselves and usetheir voice to do that, I'm here for it.
Yeah.
You got me, you know,
CHARIZ: (31:37):
You sound like my prof
ANDRÉS: (31:41):
I'm not that old.
Okay.
So I know that you said you've neverreally decided it and you, you, you've
just kind of always followed this paththat led you to theater and stuff.
Mm-hmm but at a certain pointyou had to ask yourself, , I'm
assuming you had to ask yourself,do I actually want to do this?
CHARIZ: (31:59):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (31:59):
why do you think that you did it?
CHARIZ: (32:02):
Why do I think I did well, I just.
I love it.
Mm-hmm first of all and my familyalways told me to share my gifts.
And if this is my gift, then share, I will
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (32:17):
Beautiful.
Do you think you'd ever want togo into music or like, do you like
where the music and theater meet?
CHARIZ: (32:24):
Yeah, I dabble into some music that I guess that's where music and
musical theater kind of differ is, isthere's more freedom in music mm-hmm
whereas in musical theater, you're kindof bound to a character or story and in
pop it's or pop, or just the music ingeneral, it's you get to, you get to play.
ANDRÉS: (32:46):
Totally.
Do you think that like, cuz you're writinga musical do you think that's something
you wanna, like you wanna explore?
Like what, what happens if themusic is freer in a musical?
CHARIZ: (32:56):
Yeah.
Ooh, that's an interesting question.
Yeah.
I would love to explorethat some more, I think.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (33:03):
Yeah.
All right.
And if you had a collaborator thatyou could just be like, let's do it.
Who would you do it with?
CHARIZ: (33:09):
Kodie Rollan.
Really?
Yeah.
All right.
Well he and I kind of talkedabout it, but yes, Kodie yeah.
Yeah.
Kodie amazing.
Mm-hmm that's an awesome human being.
ANDRÉS: (33:20):
As you're working on admin and especially with a program like El
Sistema, which is such a beautiful programbringing music to, to kids who might not
have had the access to it, mm-hmm like,do you see yourself wanting to go down
that path and creating a program likethat maybe back home or, or offering
kids the chance to tutor them in, insinging or, you know, things like that?
(33:42):
Or do you think that that'ssomething that like, that drives you?
Or are you driven more by like buildingcommunity and that kind of stuff?
CHARIZ: (33:49):
I think I'm more into building the community.
Mm-hmm I would love to do todo that in the Philippines.
I don't know the network there.
I don't know how theater runs there.
So maybe that's a great question.
Maybe I should start looking into that.
Well, and yeah, that's, that'salways kind of gone through my head.
(34:09):
I'm like, oh, what would I be ifI, if I didn't come to Canada and
didn't start doing everything thatI'm doing now, who would I be?
Who, who would Cher be?
Short answer is probablya nurse yeah, yeah.
Like many of my cousins.
ANDRÉS: (34:25):
I just wanna hit on something that you just said
because it's, I I've always foundit so interesting that as immigrant
children, we grow up with this thing.
That's like, there's, there's aversion of ourselves that stayed
home mm-hmm and I don't knowwhat that does to our upbringing.
But it's something thatI find is a shared.
(34:45):
Reality with so many of people whohave immigrated as children, you know?
Totally, totally.
And I don't know.
I just it's I, I always find it superinteresting to talk to other immigrant
children, because it's a, it's a bigthing that you go through as a child.
CHARIZ: (35:02):
Yeah, , you don't even know what, you know, until you start reflecting
years later or when you're an adult.
And what that experience was foryou as a, as a little human mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (35:18):
I remember listening to the Heights.
Nina has this I know, right?
CHARIZ: (35:21):
Woo.
ANDRÉS: (35:22):
I know.
But the Nina has this, this thisline where she's like, "I would
stare at the sea and thinking,where am I supposed to be?"
And I don't think people who don'timmigrate, ever think about that,
you know, am I supposed to be here?
Well, you were born here.
So that's kind of where you'resupposed to be, I guess.
But as somebody who left, wherequote unquote, you're supposed to
(35:44):
be and created a space where nowthis is where I'm supposed to be.
It's just the duality of living thatmm-hmm . And especially when you go home.
CHARIZ: (35:55):
Oh, it's, it's such an interesting
ANDRÉS: (35:57):
yeah.
CHARIZ: (35:58):
Experience, cuz you're almost a stranger in a way to yourself
and kind of those around you, youkind of have to put something away.
Mm-hmm . In either spaces
ANDRÉS: (36:08):
exactly
CHARIZ: (36:09):
here and there.
ANDRÉS: (36:10):
Like, do you speak, do you speak Tagalog at home?
Yes,
CHARIZ: (36:13):
I do.
ANDRÉS: (36:14):
With your family.
With my family.
Yeah.
And do you find that withinitself creates a bit of a duality?
CHARIZ: (36:19):
Yeah, there's always, I mean, there's many sides to everybody, but
that's always something that likeI was, I, like I was saying, like
doing and creating in Tagalog is sodifferent from me creating in English
and talking about art in English.
ANDRÉS: (36:40):
I definitely echo that
CHARIZ: (36:42):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (36:43):
like, I think that I find myself much more eloquent in, in, in English.
And it's something thatI've wanted to change.
CHARIZ: (36:51):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (36:51):
cause I also want to feel like I can express myself like
this in Spanish, but it's hard.
CHARIZ: (36:57):
Give me some,
ANDRÉS: (36:58):
oh my God.
It's so hard.
No, I mean like you, you have to remember,I left Columbia with grade three Spanish.
Ah, right.
Yeah.
And like, you know, you grow upand you pick up words here and
there, but at the end of the day,like, I don't know any slang words.
I'm not cool in Colombia
CHARIZ: (37:14):
Yo!
Me too!
I'm like, oh, this is notwhat the kids say these days.
ANDRÉS: (37:21):
And I always go back there and I'm like, I'll listen.
And if someone's like really using a slangword or something, I'm like, all right.
Okay, cool, cool.
I can be cool too.
Yeah, what's up, you know?
CHARIZ: (37:31):
Yeah.
The kids are cooler than me.
oh, there,
ANDRÉS: (37:37):
I think they'll always be cooler.
That's just the thing.
Kids will always be coolerthan who they came before.
Oh, my gosh.
Yeah.
That's why I'm really excited just tobring this all back to theater cuz you
know, I love theater but I'm reallyexcited with kind of this new, fresh
blood that's being brought into a lotof theater, like we're bringing in
new air, new, new perspectives andperspectives that may not have been as
(38:07):
constrained in their upbringing, you know?
As a queer person, like just evenseeing the queer kids who are coming in
nowadays, they're so much more freer.
, when I apply that to theater,it just makes me excited to see
like what people are gonna create
I dunno.
It just makes me excited and, and
CHARIZ: (38:25):
me too, they've always been around.
It's just now finally getting some light
ANDRÉS: (38:32):
and so many cool groovy things are happening because of it.
It just makes me excited, you know?
CHARIZ: (38:37):
Yeah.
Like this podcast, what this is great.
ANDRÉS: (38:40):
One last question to, to close us off.
If you could reflect on one of thelessons you've learned through theater,
and articulate it in a way where youcan impart that lesson to someone else.
What do you think is your favoritething you've learned in a rehearsal hall
CHARIZ: (39:01):
it's I think cliche and, but take risks.
And know that what's coming fromyou is, is the best just do you
take risks and believe in yourself?
(39:24):
Believe in yourself.
I think it's cliche and oversaid,but it's can't be said enough.
Mm-hmm it's something Ialways have to remind myself.
ANDRÉS: (39:36):
Believing yourself sounds easier than it is.
And it's a daily practice, you know,
CHARIZ: (39:41):
And this theater in general, there's so, so much competition and so
much, so much of that vibe when you go toan audition, you in a rehearsal hall and,
and there's expectations, but know thatwhat you do that day is if it's the best
(40:01):
you can do that day, it is what it is.
And just stick to your gunsand believe in yourself.
I'm saying it again.
ANDRÉS: (40:11):
and then the famous words of Dory, "just keep swimming"
CHARIZ: (40:14):
just keep swimming.
ANDRÉS: (40:16):
On that note.
Thank you so much, pal.
Like this has been such apleasure and such a gift to be
able to just share space, sharetime and share moments with you.
I'm really excited to seewhere your musical goes.
It's out of the ether now.
Listen, it's out.
The world is listening.
CHARIZ: (40:36):
Ah
!!ANDRÉS:: But I, I genuinely very excited to see, to see that and and
to see where you continue to go,
and I, you, my friend,
ANDRÉS: (40:45):
thank you so much, pal.
Thank you all for listening.
Thank you to Selina for putting upwith this episode, Selina you are
the unsung hero of this podcast.
AD: (40:56):
Hey pal, enjoying the conversation?
Traversing the Azimuth is a brandnew branch of Azimuth Theatre
aimed at connecting artists with awider community, deepening mutual
understanding, and getting to shareeach artist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out
by going to AzimuthTheatre.com/sponsorshipand sponsor Traversing the Azimuth.
(41:19):
Your sponsorship will go straightinto paying more artists to
come and share what it means forthem to be "proudly in process."
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts, for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more information onTraversing, the Azimuth go to
AzimuthTheatre.com/traversing.
Woo.
While it's recording everybody just say thank you to Selina.
Selina is our hero
!CHARIZ:: Selina!
THEME: (00:09):
I'm gonna trust the whole damn process for the
record till we breaking records!
Reminiscing about the past days now werise and fly, journeys to the sky, Azimuth
inside my grip, always know the way now!
Beauty fill my days now,take it day by day sound.
Couldn't be prouder cuz y'know, we alive!
ANDRÉS: (00:29):
Welcome to In Process.
This is Azimuth Theatre's podcasthighlighting and celebrating the
voices, the community, and thecreators that we get to work with.
CHARIZ: (00:39):
Mm.
ANDRÉS: (00:39):
Today we have a special guest Chariz Faulmino.
yeah.
Welcome Chariz how are you?
CHARIZ: (00:45):
Hi, I'm I gotta say I'm a little nervous.
ANDRÉS: (00:48):
Yeah?
(laughs)
CHARIZ: (00:49):
I'm a little nervous.
ANDRÉS: (00:50):
You're gonna be great.
But yeah.
Thanks for joining me, Chariz
CHARIZ: (00:54):
Thank you for having me.
ANDRÉS: (00:56):
Yeah.
You and I have we've crossedpaths a couple times, but the
universe hasn't really ever allowedus to sit and chat, you know,
CHARIZ: (01:05):
and here we are.
ANDRÉS: (01:06):
And here we are.
if the universe doesn'tmake it happen, why not
- CHARIZ:: we make it happen.
Chariz um, how would you describe your, your craft?
CHARIZ: (01:17):
Oh my goodness.
My craft honestly I don't even know howto even- claiming that is something.
Yeah,
that's saying that thisthing I'm doing is my craft.
It's mostly just me.
Mm-hmm it's it's coming from me.
My, my experience, my story, and, yeah...
ANDRÉS: (01:37):
Totally . Can you tell us a little bit of your story and how it led
you to, to choose this way of living?
Hmm,
CHARIZ: (01:44):
Well that's a big, old question!
okay.
Well, I'll start with my name.
Im Chariz Faulmino, Iuse She/They pronouns.
And I immigrated from thePhilippines when I was nine years
old to turtle island in 2007.
So it was quite quite a while ago.
(02:06):
I came here with my family.
My mom came here first as ananny and I've been here since!
And what led me to that?
I, I don't know.
I think artists are expected tohave like this revelation, but I
(02:26):
don't think I ever really had that.
Have you heard Adele's new song
ANDRÉS: (02:31):
go easy on me or
-CHARIZ:: easy on me?
Yeah.
She says a line in there.
She says "didn't get the timeto choose what I chose to do."
and that really resonates with me.
I don't think I've evernamed it like that.
Mm-hmm
CHARIZ: (02:45):
I think I forced myself for years to, to think of a
moment of when it happened, butit was just, yeah, I don't know.
Art always, lived around me, within me.
My family is very musical.
I mean, my culture (Laughs) thestereotype quote unquote, is, is that we
(03:06):
love karaoke and yes, we do love karaokeand most Filipinos have it at parties.
And that's what happened in my childhoodand, and, you know, everybody always
sang and, and I always sang and, andyeah, I started to do stuff on my own.
My sister learned how to play the guitarand I followed suit I never thought
(03:29):
I would actually do this for a career.
(laughs) Oh!
Saying it like that.
ANDRÉS: (03:36):
I, I love the giddiness that you're getting out of saying it out
loud because , it is such a blessingto be able to call this a career.
CHARIZ: (03:43):
Absolutely.
Very fortunate to be able to dothis and live (Laughs) this life.
ANDRÉS: (03:51):
So where do you draw inspiration from when you're, when you're creating,
especially cuz like you, you writemusic, correct me if I'm wrong.
CHARIZ: (03:58):
I do.
In my living room, in mybedroom, in the shower.
yeah.
Where I drive from is again, just frommy experience and my life and everything
around me and everyone around me.
Anything really?
If it catches my eye catches my ear, Ithink, I think the world gives it to you.
(04:20):
And that's how I that's how I roll.
ANDRÉS: (04:24):
I, I love this, this kind of idea that you're a very curious
creature and that curiosity leads you.
CHARIZ: (04:31):
I guess!
Yeah.
(Laughs) I'm so giddy!
I've never talked about myselfthis, this much, and I'm
getting paid to do it, (Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (04:48):
well, and- and I think that that's that's, I am so excited
about this because I get to hearpeople talk about themselves.
And I think that that's such a-
CHARIZ: (04:57):
scary-
ANDRÉS: (04:58):
gift that you are giving us, you know, and, and I get
that it can be totally scary.
Why do you think I'm on this side of it?
CHARIZ: (05:05):
thank you for listening and, and for, for your curiosity too,
ANDRÉS: (05:09):
mm-hmm
CHARIZ: (05:09):
for approaching me
ANDRÉS: (05:10):
no, seriously, like, honestly, it's a, it's such a
joy and, and it is a true gift.
to be able to, to sit and listento somebody, share their stories,
you know, like I think I thinkit's in Denmark or Sweden.
One of those two places.
They have human libraries.
Oh, you can go,
CHARIZ: (05:30):
oh, I think I heard about this.
ANDRÉS: (05:31):
Yeah.
And you can rent out humans andyou just ask them questions,
CHARIZ: (05:34):
rent out humans.
ANDRÉS: (05:36):
I mean, it sounds weird.
CHARIZ: (05:37):
I'll get a Gilbert story, please.
ANDRÉS: (05:42):
But the idea of like, just sitting and sharing, like there's
there's can be so much gain just fromhearing somebody speak about their lives.
Yeah.
You know and like, You and I metworking a little bit on" Safe and Fair"
CHARIZ: (05:54):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (05:55):
And I, I got to know a little bit of your story for those first couple of
days about like you immigrating you know,it was also like where's the time gone
yo, that yo that
but, but immigrating as a child andall that, like we share a lot of the
same similar vibrations and paths
.CHARIZ:: How about you?
(06:15):
What, like what, where,who are you Andrés?
Listen, this episode's not about me.
CHARIZ: (06:24):
no
ANDRÉS: (06:24):
way.
No, you know, I I'm, I'mColombian born proud of it.
I moved here after moving tothe states with my family.
Oh, wow.
Been living here and artwas an escape for me.
You know, art was away for me to, to find.
Home in a homeless world, you know?
CHARIZ: (06:42):
Whoa.
Yeah.
I want that on a t-shirt
ANDRÉS: (06:45):
we're gonna have a whole line of t-shirts after this.
Let me tell you But you know, I'm always,I'm always in awe because I think like
I've, I've made choices to continue art.
CHARIZ: (06:57):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (06:57):
where I love that you hear something and you're like,
this is something I want to exploreand you explore it, you know?
and I, I knew about you as a singerfirst I still haven't heard you sing.
I mean, I'm not countingConcrete you know,
, CHARIZ:: let's go karaoke after
. ANDRÉS:: That's what this'll be.
It's just the karaoke episode.
CHARIZ: (07:16):
Just a jam sesh
ANDRÉS: (07:17):
but you know, like, I, I, I always love to dig into what
makes people tick or what makespeople like inspired, you know?
Yeah, because everyone'sso different and, you know
CHARIZ: (07:30):
yeah.
And that's so awesome.
And that that's part of why I'mso curious is that everybody's
got, everybody's got a story.
ANDRÉS: (07:36):
And no matter what we do, our stories will show up in our art
CHARIZ: (07:40):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (07:41):
you know like Art is so much about self-expression mm-hmm and how you
want to express some of the lessons thatyou've learned along the way, or some of
the lessons you want to learn, you know?
CHARIZ: (07:49):
Well that,
ANDRÉS: (07:50):
My favorite thing is when you get to like, learn something from a character.
CHARIZ: (07:53):
Yeah.
Oh, write a book.
You've got great words.
Great quotes
ANDRÉS: (07:59):
I'm doing an audio book here.
okay.
So as a performer, where do you startyour process of getting into a character?
CHARIZ: (08:07):
In a play or in a musical?
ANDRÉS: (08:10):
Are they different to you?
CHARIZ: (08:11):
They, they are sometimes.
Yeah, they are different.
Okay.
I, well, I am a I knew myself as a singerfirst and my first musical I ever been
in was Aladdin junior in junior high.
I was, I was Jasmine and that was awesome,but I don't think it really acted in that.
I just, I sang, I sang,you know what I mean?
(08:34):
Yeah.
I got clocked for that in theaterschool, but anyway, I guess it it's,
it's recently I've thought aboutcharacters as, as humans and that's,
that's where my education came into play.
Cuz before, if it was a musical,I would just go straight into the
songs and nail the songs and andthe music tells a lot of the story.
(08:58):
And how do I get into character?
I think it just revealsitself or maybe I'm not sure.
Um, Sorry, my brain
ANDRÉS: (09:11):
It's totally good.
And you don't necessarilyhave to have the answer.
I think
CHARIZ: (09:17):
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (09:17):
Yeah, art is something that we all do in our own way.
CHARIZ: (09:21):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (09:21):
You know,
CHARIZ: (09:22):
sometimes I can't put it into words.
Mm-hmm it just embody it in a way.
Listen to the tracks.
And listen to what themusic is telling me.
If it's a musical, if it's a play,it's, it's a different series.
I have to, I, that I have toattack a little bit more on the
ANDRÉS: (09:40):
cerebral side
CHARIZ: (09:41):
cerebral side.
ANDRÉS: (09:42):
Totally.
It's so interesting cuz, cuz you're right.
I think with musicals, part ofwhat I enjoy when I'm doing like
my work is I'll listen to anythingwhere the character's in it.
And I try to set, try to hear that beat orthe sound or what is underneath the words
CHARIZ: (10:00):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (10:00):
because you're right.
That tells you so much about where thecharacter's at in the point of the story.
CHARIZ: (10:05):
Yeah.
And um, growing up, I alwayssang like ballads and that's and
ballads always have such emotionin them and, and even in pop too.
And that's where, kind of where I startedis Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and now
Adele and, and those beautiful balladsingers and songs with, with such heart.
(10:30):
yeah.
Did I answer the question?
ANDRÉS: (10:33):
I think so ! Speaking of ballad singers, do you have a favorite ballad?
CHARIZ: (10:39):
Oh my gosh.
Okay.
It's always Whitney Houston.
ANDRÉS: (10:42):
Yes!
CHARIZ: (10:42):
It's always Whitney Houston.
I have a soft spot for her and, Ugh.
Yeah.
Anything Whitney!
ANDRÉS: (10:51):
No, but you gotta pick one song.
CHARIZ: (10:53):
Oh my gosh, what?
Ugh.
okay.
I have nothing.
By Whitney Houston.
ANDRÉS: (11:01):
Beautiful.
All right.
And now Chariz is gonna sing
CHARIZ: (11:06):
I have- I'm just kidding.
ANDRÉS: (11:08):
Listen, listen, people are here for it.
Selina is over here, like whooping.
So we're here for it.
So what is something that'sbringing you joy right now?
CHARIZ: (11:22):
Right now?
Well, I haven't performed in so long.
Mm.
So right now it's, it's doing rehearsalswith all those lovely humans, in the
same space, singing, dancing, acting,just being creative in, in a space
where people also want to be creative.
ANDRÉS: (11:44):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (11:44):
Is bringing me so much joy.
Hmm.
After so long of not doing itor just doing it in my living
room, it's not the same.
, ANDRÉS:: it's not the same.
And like it's the rehearsal halls.
Mm-hmm,
, ANDRÉS:: there's something so special about a rehearsal hall,
the community, your, your friends hearing how they are,
(12:05):
where they are in life, you know?
ANDRÉS: (12:08):
Hmm.
So would you say the, community'syour favorite part of doing theater?
CHARIZ: (12:12):
Absolutely.
Yes.
Yes.
I love the many things peoplebring to the table and, and the
feast we get to have with it.
ANDRÉS: (12:24):
yeah.
I love when you're working on a piece andsomeone's like, oh yeah, I can do this.
And then you put it in this showbecause it's like, Okay, great.
CHARIZ: (12:31):
Why not?
Oh, I love that.
I love that.
The spirit of playfulness that iswithin the hall and getting to do
whatever you want with, with the pieceand letting yourself go that way.
ANDRÉS: (12:46):
Hmm.
Yeah.
weird question.
If you weren't working as a theaterprofessional, is there, is there
something else that you have,that's like a passion for you?
CHARIZ: (12:58):
Oh, I've recently realized that I will not ever do anything I
don't love well, I don't know.
I used to have a pull tobe in the medical field
I don't know if that's from myfamily or if that's myself wanting,
wanting to be anything other thanart , you know, or artistic or
(13:23):
creative, you know what I mean?
ANDRÉS: (13:25):
Totally.
CHARIZ: (13:27):
yeah, I, well, I love helping people and being not saying a caregiver,
but caring for others in a way that'smore than your regular caring.
ANDRÉS: (13:41):
yeah.
Well, and I think over thesummer, correct me if I'm wrong
you did a job with "Tune To-A"
CHARIZ: (13:47):
Yeah.
I was a project support worker.
I.
And I was mainly a support to the group.
And more specifically Carly Neis, Yeah.
her and I got really closebecause of that, because she's
such an awesome human being.
And we found that we shared similarexperiences sometimes when it
(14:09):
comes to family medical healthand yeah, it was, it was great.
Mostly I, I got to, to takecare of Gilmore, beautiful
service dog I'm in love.
ANDRÉS: (14:26):
I, I named him Gulliver cuz I forgot that Gilmore was his name.
His full name is Gilmore Gulliver.
Gunther.
CHARIZ: (14:32):
That's hilarious.
I did not know that.
Yeah.
Amazing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That was a really interesting experience.
That was the first time I think.
I got back in the rehearsal hall too.
So it was a bit of a balanceI had to, to shift in my, in
my regular performer brain.
(14:55):
yeah.
ANDRÉS: (14:55):
Mm-hmm totally.
Now do you have a favorite musical?
CHARIZ: (14:59):
Ooh.
Do I have a favorite musical?
Oh, I should.
Shouldn't I, oh, I am so many . Okay,well right now it is, it is Hamilton.
yeah.
ANDRÉS: (15:12):
We're a house that loves Hamilton.
CHARIZ: (15:14):
Mm-hmm , it's a sung through opera and I, and I'm a singer, so I'm
oh, it's, it's a, it's a great, justthis one of my dream shows, I think.
ANDRÉS: (15:25):
Yeah?
CHARIZ: (15:25):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (15:25):
Okay.
So who would you want to play?
Oh, I think I know, but
CHARIZ: (15:31):
any of the women, honestly, any of the women's parts.
Who'd you think
ANDRÉS: (15:35):
I, I was, I was gonna go straight to Eliza.
CHARIZ: (15:38):
Ooh, Eliza.
ANDRÉS: (15:38):
Cause I feel like you have that caring spirit, you
know, like you could really get anaudience to fall in love with you.
CHARIZ: (15:43):
Oh, that's kind.
ANDRÉS: (15:44):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (15:45):
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (15:45):
I could see that, Yeah.
Now a favorite musicalyou've performed in.
CHARIZ: (15:49):
Oh, ooh.
I haven't that I haven'treally done that many.
It's my line.
Oh my God.
What have I done.
Okay.
I did "Aladdin Jr."
In junior.
I did "Little Mermaid Jr".
just little mermaid red wig.
Red braces Man, oh, thatwas a time, skinny brows.
ANDRÉS: (16:09):
skinny brows.
CHARIZ: (16:11):
Oh, you know, that time period don't even lie
ANDRÉS: (16:15):
so deep into character.
CHARIZ: (16:18):
oh I don't know if I have a favorite yet.
Hm.
I don't know if I have a favorite yet.
I loved all of them.
And I've learned, I learned certainthings with each one, for sure.
Mm-hmm vocally and, and as a performer
ANDRÉS: (16:34):
I also really enjoy that.
You always, you, no matter whatyou said, I don't have one yet.
Mm-hmm which I love thatoutlook, cuz you're right.
You, you still got so much time.
You don't know what's coming your way.
CHARIZ: (16:44):
I'm a child.
ANDRÉS: (16:46):
So is there anything happening in your career that is exciting?
CHARIZ: (16:49):
Well I, well I stepped away a bit mm-hmm and I got
a job over at the Winspear
ANDRÉS: (16:58):
oh groovy
CHARIZ: (16:59):
for YONA-sistema do you know YONA-sistema?
It originated Venezuelawas called El sistema and.
Uh, its social musicfor change the program.
That's their vision.
And we go to priorityneighborhoods in Edmonton.
And I am a site manager.
So I, my site is at St.
(17:21):
Catherine's school.
That's one of our new sites.
Mm-hmm and.
Yeah, it's really, it's a really awesomeprogram and the people are great.
And I just, I never thought I coulddo like an administrative role.
I never thought that was a thingI could do, but I surprised
(17:42):
myself how well I actually wasable to handle it and, and do it.
So that's pretty exciting.
that's awesome.
Don't limit yourself.
ANDRÉS: (17:52):
No and also like the idea that you want to do arts doesn't mean
that you have to do art all the time.
Mm-hmm , there's something so beautifulwhen you get behind the scenes and you do
some of that, that admin work or, and youlet other people do the art, you know?
Yeah,
CHARIZ: (18:07):
That's what's new and exciting.
ANDRÉS: (18:09):
That's awesome.
And like the idea that you're alsolearning about yourself through that.
That's beautiful.
That's awesome.
I'm happy for you pal
CHARIZ: (18:16):
thanks buddy!
ANDRÉS: (18:17):
Yeah.
I'm sure you can have stressfuldays working in admin.
What do you do when you gohome to like, bring yourself
balance or bring yourself joy?
CHARIZ: (18:27):
Food.
ANDRÉS: (18:28):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (18:28):
Food.
ANDRÉS: (18:30):
do you have a specific treat?
CHARIZ: (18:31):
Okay.
My favorite is one of the questions
ANDRÉS: (18:36):
and now we're back on the guide.
CHARIZ: (18:40):
This one I didn't really have to think about because my,
my go to is always bubble tea.
I got memories attachedto it and it's just.
And it's delicious!
I mean, not everybody loves tapioca.
It's all good chewy bubbles.
It's weird.
I get it.
ANDRÉS: (18:57):
But also we got other flavors.
That's right.
Taro ,Lychee ,mango
Popping bobbas.
Oh, heck yeah.
Mango, pop balls!
Yeah they are great.
So do you have a favorite bubble tea?
CHARIZ: (19:08):
Okay.
It is either avocado mm-hmm or mangogreen fruit tea with lychee jelly.
ANDRÉS: (19:17):
Oh, right.
I haven't heard of the second, likeI've never had the second one, but
the avocado bubble tea is, is prime.
CHARIZ: (19:24):
Thank you.
ANDRÉS: (19:25):
Is prime
CHARIZ: (19:26):
it's either.
You hate it or you love it.
ANDRÉS: (19:27):
Yeah.
I, I like it a lot more when theyadd a little bit of coconut in there.
CHARIZ: (19:32):
Ooh!
ANDRÉS: (19:33):
Yeah,
CHARIZ: (19:33):
I have, I have not tried that.
ANDRÉS: (19:35):
Oh yeah.
It's a good time.
CHARIZ: (19:37):
okay.
Do you like bubble tea?
I love bubble tea.
Okay.
Bubble tea and karaoke?
Oh, is that a thing?
It can be
. ANDRÉS:: Okay.
Yeah, I'll join you forthe bubble tea part.
It's funny cuz cuz usually I ask what doyou do for bring joy and then I ask what's
your favorite treat, but you're right.
Like joy, food.
It's all so interconnected.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I love the communal aspect offood, which we, we can't have
(20:00):
right now, but, but having a buffetwith people it gives you life
ANDRÉS: (20:07):
yeah,
CHARIZ: (20:08):
to me at least.
ANDRÉS: (20:09):
I think that we shared that in the sense that like anytime there was a
family gathering everybody brought somesort of food element to it, you know?
CHARIZ: (20:15):
Yeah.
And I think that's my mom's lovelanguage which I never really understood
for a while, but now I do yeah.
yeah.
ANDRÉS: (20:24):
What's your love language?
CHARIZ: (20:26):
Oh, I think, I think it's acts of service and words of
affirmation, which I don't alwayshave, but words of affirmation.
And what's yours?.
ANDRÉS: (20:39):
My love language is definitely gifts.
CHARIZ: (20:42):
Mm.
ANDRÉS: (20:43):
Gifts.
I, I will buy you something thatlike might be like a little chocolate
bar with a little note on it, butlike, I will make that note, break
your heart and put it back together.
CHARIZ: (20:54):
What?
ANDRÉS: (20:55):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (20:55):
Oh my God.
Let's got a lot of weight.
ANDRÉS: (20:58):
Like I will.
I, yeah, I, it might be like a Tuesdayand I'll bring you a rose and then
tell you how beautiful you are.
And that's like it
-CHARIZ:: I'm crying.
I'm swooning, Selina!
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ANDRÉS: (21:46):
Do you get to go back home a lot?
CHARIZ: (21:47):
Recently, yes, I did.
I hadn't gone back for like 10years before 3, 3, 4 years ago.
Mm-hmm so no, I'd like it to, tobe more often obvious, obviously.
ANDRÉS: (22:05):
it's hard though.
Cuz it's it's I don't know ifit's the same for you, but it's
so expensive to go back home.
CHARIZ: (22:10):
Oh my gosh.
It's so expensive.
ANDRÉS: (22:11):
When you went back home, did you get to see any, any theater down
there or is that something that like
CHARIZ: (22:17):
interesting.
ANDRÉS: (22:18):
Yeah,
CHARIZ: (22:18):
no, I have not.
The only theater I've seen there waswhen my sister played Virgin Mary and
ANDRÉS: (22:26):
(laughs) that's so on brand.
CHARIZ: (22:30):
Yeah.
And I was like, Six years old.
It's really interesting.
I've only ever done.
Art in English.
ANDRÉS: (22:41):
Yeah.
CHARIZ: (22:42):
And speaking in my mother tongues, sometimes it,
it takes a little bit more.
Oh, that okay.
One of my favorite roles I'vedone is the one recently, sorry.
my brain.
That's great!
Yeah.
Is Bianca Miranda's showthat we just did over zoom.
(23:02):
We just did a reading online
ANDRÉS: (23:04):
yes.
With Chromatic Theatre
CHARIZ: (23:05):
with Chromatic Theater.
And that was a really awesomecharacter that I got to, got
to play for a little bit.
Yeah.
I can't wait till it goes on stage.
I wanna see it or I guessbe in it one can hope.
Yeah.
And, and I guess tying it backto what we were talking about.
I, I never explored thePhilippines creatively.
(23:27):
Never explored my language creatively.
I mean, I write songs in, inTagalog, but it feels weird doing
it with, in, in a Western setting.
Totally.
It takes a little bitmore effort, I think.
ANDRÉS: (23:43):
So do you like to consume a lot of your stories in English?
CHARIZ: (23:49):
Both.
ANDRÉS: (23:49):
Totally.
I like, like, I know for example,like I love (Laughs) from
back home, like telenovelas
CHARIZ: (23:59):
Oh yo
ANDRÉS: (23:59):
big industry.
Like, yeah.
I don't, I don't think that I'veseen a lot of theater in Columbia
mm-hmm but the amount of storiesthat come out of just telenovelas.
Oh.
Like I don't wanna watchan English soap opera.
Like for me, it's gottabe in Spanish, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Do you have telenovelas as well?
CHARIZ: (24:18):
We do!
I mean, we are greatlyinfluenced by Spanish culture.
And yeah telenovelas Soap operas there-.
Oh my aunt, my, my aunts and, andmy grandma and even my, my mom
and my sisters love watching them.
ANDRÉS: (24:37):
Back home, it feels like a ritual where it's like,
oh, the novela is starting.
And then like you just sit withyour family for three hours
and just consume, you know?
CHARIZ: (24:44):
Yeah.
Or you walk into the living room,they're watching it and you don't
expect to stay there for that long.
And you're three episodes in,
ANDRÉS: (24:53):
I don't care how bad the novela is.
it will grab you andyou'll be like, oh, okay.
So yeah.
They're whose sister who'strying to kill whose parents.
Okay, great.
Great.
I'm in
Oh my gosh.
Um, Now, I'm sure you've probably feltthis too, but there's been kind of
a shift in, in the theater industry.
(25:15):
Mm-hmm, just in a lot ofindustries and just the worldview
in general over the last two years.
Yeah.
Mostly due to, you know everyonehaving a lot of time to think
about what they want to do.
Mm-hmm and then encouraged by otherworld events that have happened.
But is there anything you'd like tosee, kind of develop in our industry?
CHARIZ: (25:36):
I mean, it's moving in the direction of, of seeing and hearing
more stories of the community.
So I guess more, more Filipino thingsand maybe not so much in the industry,
but, but in our community, I would loveto see in locally, I would love to see
(25:58):
big city things like an undergroundcomedy bar or things like that.
Like more venues, I guess, andmore spaces to do, to do art
and be creative more publicly.
Yeah.
And more accessible, moreaccessible spaces just for artists
ANDRÉS: (26:18):
here.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I, I I think back to like found Fest andI think if we had like more ideas of found
Fest, like all year long, you know, whereit's like, where do you wanna perform?
We'll figure it out, you know?
Yeah, yeah,
Do you ever think thatyou would write something,
CHARIZ: (26:36):
Write?
So like write a play musical?
Absolutely.
I, I guess this is one also one ofthe questions it's in the works.
I think I I'm, I'm writing a musical.
Oh my gosh!
its the first time I've said it out loud!
It's a first time putting it out there.
I I'm writing musical . Yeah.
(27:00):
And it's just the Filipino experience and,and maybe not the Filipino experience, but
at least I'm drawing from my experience.
Of course mm-hmm and close friends and.
Yeah, it's reallydaunting and really scary.
So it is an ongoing processand I it's a long time.
It takes a long time, I think.
(27:20):
Totally.
ANDRÉS: (27:22):
Yeah.
Well, and, and it's also, I findthe, the creation process is really.
You, you need to give it time, youknow, mm-hmm because if you try to
rush something because you need aproduct, like you're not really doing
what the creation process needs.
CHARIZ: (27:38):
Yo, that yo that,
ANDRÉS: (27:40):
yeah yo
CHARIZ: (27:43):
I, I dunno how people just whip out a script in a day.
I don't understand.
And, and it's something that'slike really meaningful to me.
So I, I also wanna do it some justice,
ANDRÉS: (27:55):
so . Yeah.
But I think that they're inlies the difference, right?
Like I think if someone was like, youneed to write me a script about this,
this happening, these characters go
CHARIZ: (28:03):
mm-hmm
, ANDRÉS:: it's, it's a little bit easier to at least pull, pull out a draft, you
know, mm-hmm but when you're trying towork from within, and also trying to have
some form of therapy and safety in there,like you need to give yourself time.
Yo.
Put these on a t-shirt waiting for your merch man
ANDRÉS: (28:27):
that's gonna be great.
It's gonna be fire.
Let me tell you, but no, like seriously,especially writing and creation.
I see.
As such a form of therapy.
Like, yeah, we do itbecause it brings us joy.
It brings us community, like, Iknow for me, like it was the first
place that I had, like a home afternot having a home, you know, like a
rehearsal space felt like a family.
CHARIZ: (28:49):
Aw.
ANDRÉS: (28:50):
You know,
CHARIZ: (28:50):
I love that.
ANDRÉS: (28:51):
Thanks.
Yeah.
And that's like, that's what all I wantto do is just bring my friends along
and be like, let's create some rad art,
CHARIZ: (28:58):
art.
ANDRÉS: (28:58):
Now this is a question that I like to steal from a great TV show.
CHARIZ: (29:02):
Okay.
ANDRÉS: (29:02):
I'm pulling out the little Chariz picture.
CHARIZ: (29:05):
Oh no!
(Laughs)
ANDRÉS: (29:07):
if there was something you could tell your younger self or something
that you could tell to a younger artist.
Oh, what, what's somethingthat you would impart
CHARIZ: (29:16):
insert tears.
Oh, I could say so many things, but.
Ooh, enjoy each moment.
Love your family.
Give yourself grace.
Forgive yourself often.
(29:38):
Forgive others often.
Ooh.
ANDRÉS: (29:43):
Oh my pal I'm so sorry.
CHARIZ: (29:46):
Thank you for asking that question.
How dare you!.
ANDRÉS: (29:51):
It was on the guide I promise
. CHARIZ:: (laughs) Oh yeah.
Yeah.
Give yourself grace.
Mm-hmm give others grace and.
Yeah.
Be present and, and love those around you.
Yeah.
Thank you.
CHARIZ: (30:11):
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (30:11):
Ugh, pal, the amount of heart that you've shown
me today is just so lovely.
So, okay.
You're connected to musicyou're connected to acting.
Are you connected to dancing or movement?
CHARIZ: (30:23):
Yes.
Mm-hmm maybe not technically, but
, ANDRÉS:: I don't think, I, I don't know.
I there's somethingabout movement where yes.
Obviously there's technicalities to eachmovement, but I also find that movement
is just like, it's a language on its own.
Mm-hmm . And as long as you just dabblein it, you can't do it wrong, you
know?
Yeah, yeah.
(30:45):
Yeah.
I, I always find it funny when numberfolks are like, oh, I can't dance.
I'm like, yeah, sure.
You can.
Sure.
You can just pretend.
No one's watching you listenand let your body do its thing.
I think everyone, I thinkeveryone has that superpower yeah.
In themselves,
ANDRÉS: (31:05):
you know, it's like saying like, I genuinely believe anyone can sing
mm-hmm whether or not, you know, whattechnical and all that stuff, whatever.
That's all, that's all systemswe as humans have built,
but like, Can you sing?
Yeah.
Yeah.
You know?
Yeah.
And I don't know, there's something aboutsome of the musicals that I listen to
where it's like, the person might notbe the most technically talented singer.
(31:29):
Mm.
But if they can express themselves and usetheir voice to do that, I'm here for it.
Yeah.
You got me, you know,
CHARIZ: (31:37):
You sound like my prof
ANDRÉS: (31:41):
I'm not that old.
Okay.
So I know that you said you've neverreally decided it and you, you, you've
just kind of always followed this paththat led you to theater and stuff.
Mm-hmm but at a certain pointyou had to ask yourself, , I'm
assuming you had to ask yourself,do I actually want to do this?
CHARIZ: (31:59):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (31:59):
why do you think that you did it?
CHARIZ: (32:02):
Why do I think I did well, I just.
I love it.
Mm-hmm first of all and my familyalways told me to share my gifts.
And if this is my gift, then share, I will
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (32:17):
Beautiful.
Do you think you'd ever want togo into music or like, do you like
where the music and theater meet?
CHARIZ: (32:24):
Yeah, I dabble into some music that I guess that's where music and
musical theater kind of differ is, isthere's more freedom in music mm-hmm
whereas in musical theater, you're kindof bound to a character or story and in
pop it's or pop, or just the music ingeneral, it's you get to, you get to play.
ANDRÉS: (32:46):
Totally.
Do you think that like, cuz you're writinga musical do you think that's something
you wanna, like you wanna explore?
Like what, what happens if themusic is freer in a musical?
CHARIZ: (32:56):
Yeah.
Ooh, that's an interesting question.
Yeah.
I would love to explorethat some more, I think.
Yeah.
ANDRÉS: (33:03):
Yeah.
All right.
And if you had a collaborator thatyou could just be like, let's do it.
Who would you do it with?
CHARIZ: (33:09):
Kodie Rollan.
Really?
Yeah.
All right.
Well he and I kind of talkedabout it, but yes, Kodie yeah.
Yeah.
Kodie amazing.
Mm-hmm that's an awesome human being.
ANDRÉS: (33:20):
As you're working on admin and especially with a program like El
Sistema, which is such a beautiful programbringing music to, to kids who might not
have had the access to it, mm-hmm like,do you see yourself wanting to go down
that path and creating a program likethat maybe back home or, or offering
kids the chance to tutor them in, insinging or, you know, things like that?
(33:42):
Or do you think that that'ssomething that like, that drives you?
Or are you driven more by like buildingcommunity and that kind of stuff?
CHARIZ: (33:49):
I think I'm more into building the community.
Mm-hmm I would love to do todo that in the Philippines.
I don't know the network there.
I don't know how theater runs there.
So maybe that's a great question.
Maybe I should start looking into that.
Well, and yeah, that's, that'salways kind of gone through my head.
(34:09):
I'm like, oh, what would I be ifI, if I didn't come to Canada and
didn't start doing everything thatI'm doing now, who would I be?
Who, who would Cher be?
Short answer is probablya nurse yeah, yeah.
Like many of my cousins.
ANDRÉS: (34:25):
I just wanna hit on something that you just said
because it's, I I've always foundit so interesting that as immigrant
children, we grow up with this thing.
That's like, there's, there's aversion of ourselves that stayed
home mm-hmm and I don't knowwhat that does to our upbringing.
But it's something thatI find is a shared.
(34:45):
Reality with so many of people whohave immigrated as children, you know?
Totally, totally.
And I don't know.
I just it's I, I always find it superinteresting to talk to other immigrant
children, because it's a, it's a bigthing that you go through as a child.
CHARIZ: (35:02):
Yeah, , you don't even know what, you know, until you start reflecting
years later or when you're an adult.
And what that experience was foryou as a, as a little human mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (35:18):
I remember listening to the Heights.
Nina has this I know, right?
CHARIZ: (35:21):
Woo.
ANDRÉS: (35:22):
I know.
But the Nina has this, this thisline where she's like, "I would
stare at the sea and thinking,where am I supposed to be?"
And I don't think people who don'timmigrate, ever think about that,
you know, am I supposed to be here?
Well, you were born here.
So that's kind of where you'resupposed to be, I guess.
But as somebody who left, wherequote unquote, you're supposed to
(35:44):
be and created a space where nowthis is where I'm supposed to be.
It's just the duality of living thatmm-hmm . And especially when you go home.
CHARIZ: (35:55):
Oh, it's, it's such an interesting
ANDRÉS: (35:57):
yeah.
CHARIZ: (35:58):
Experience, cuz you're almost a stranger in a way to yourself
and kind of those around you, youkind of have to put something away.
Mm-hmm . In either spaces
ANDRÉS: (36:08):
exactly
CHARIZ: (36:09):
here and there.
ANDRÉS: (36:10):
Like, do you speak, do you speak Tagalog at home?
Yes,
CHARIZ: (36:13):
I do.
ANDRÉS: (36:14):
With your family.
With my family.
Yeah.
And do you find that withinitself creates a bit of a duality?
CHARIZ: (36:19):
Yeah, there's always, I mean, there's many sides to everybody, but
that's always something that likeI was, I, like I was saying, like
doing and creating in Tagalog is sodifferent from me creating in English
and talking about art in English.
ANDRÉS: (36:40):
I definitely echo that
CHARIZ: (36:42):
mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (36:43):
like, I think that I find myself much more eloquent in, in, in English.
And it's something thatI've wanted to change.
CHARIZ: (36:51):
Mm-hmm
ANDRÉS: (36:51):
cause I also want to feel like I can express myself like
this in Spanish, but it's hard.
CHARIZ: (36:57):
Give me some,
ANDRÉS: (36:58):
oh my God.
It's so hard.
No, I mean like you, you have to remember,I left Columbia with grade three Spanish.
Ah, right.
Yeah.
And like, you know, you grow upand you pick up words here and
there, but at the end of the day,like, I don't know any slang words.
I'm not cool in Colombia
CHARIZ: (37:14):
Yo!
Me too!
I'm like, oh, this is notwhat the kids say these days.
ANDRÉS: (37:21):
And I always go back there and I'm like, I'll listen.
And if someone's like really using a slangword or something, I'm like, all right.
Okay, cool, cool.
I can be cool too.
Yeah, what's up, you know?
CHARIZ: (37:31):
Yeah.
The kids are cooler than me.
oh, there,
ANDRÉS: (37:37):
I think they'll always be cooler.
That's just the thing.
Kids will always be coolerthan who they came before.
Oh, my gosh.
Yeah.
That's why I'm really excited just tobring this all back to theater cuz you
know, I love theater but I'm reallyexcited with kind of this new, fresh
blood that's being brought into a lotof theater, like we're bringing in
new air, new, new perspectives andperspectives that may not have been as
(38:07):
constrained in their upbringing, you know?
As a queer person, like just evenseeing the queer kids who are coming in
nowadays, they're so much more freer.
, when I apply that to theater,it just makes me excited to see
like what people are gonna create
I dunno.
It just makes me excited and, and
CHARIZ: (38:25):
me too, they've always been around.
It's just now finally getting some light
ANDRÉS: (38:32):
and so many cool groovy things are happening because of it.
It just makes me excited, you know?
CHARIZ: (38:37):
Yeah.
Like this podcast, what this is great.
ANDRÉS: (38:40):
One last question to, to close us off.
If you could reflect on one of thelessons you've learned through theater,
and articulate it in a way where youcan impart that lesson to someone else.
What do you think is your favoritething you've learned in a rehearsal hall
CHARIZ: (39:01):
it's I think cliche and, but take risks.
And know that what's coming fromyou is, is the best just do you
take risks and believe in yourself?
(39:24):
Believe in yourself.
I think it's cliche and oversaid,but it's can't be said enough.
Mm-hmm it's something Ialways have to remind myself.
ANDRÉS: (39:36):
Believing yourself sounds easier than it is.
And it's a daily practice, you know,
CHARIZ: (39:41):
And this theater in general, there's so, so much competition and so
much, so much of that vibe when you go toan audition, you in a rehearsal hall and,
and there's expectations, but know thatwhat you do that day is if it's the best
(40:01):
you can do that day, it is what it is.
And just stick to your gunsand believe in yourself.
I'm saying it again.
ANDRÉS: (40:11):
and then the famous words of Dory, "just keep swimming"
CHARIZ: (40:14):
just keep swimming.
ANDRÉS: (40:16):
On that note.
Thank you so much, pal.
Like this has been such apleasure and such a gift to be
able to just share space, sharetime and share moments with you.
I'm really excited to seewhere your musical goes.
It's out of the ether now.
Listen, it's out.
The world is listening.
CHARIZ: (40:36):
Ah
!!ANDRÉS:: But I, I genuinely very excited to see, to see that and and
to see where you continue to go,
and I, you, my friend,
ANDRÉS: (40:45):
thank you so much, pal.
Thank you all for listening.
Thank you to Selina for putting upwith this episode, Selina you are
the unsung hero of this podcast.
AD: (40:56):
Hey pal, enjoying the conversation?
Traversing the Azimuth is a brandnew branch of Azimuth Theatre
aimed at connecting artists with awider community, deepening mutual
understanding, and getting to shareeach artist's process and journey.
If you would like to continue hearingthese amazing stories, you can help out
by going to AzimuthTheatre.com/sponsorshipand sponsor Traversing the Azimuth.
(41:19):
Your sponsorship will go straightinto paying more artists to
come and share what it means forthem to be "proudly in process."
We would also like to take thismoment to thank Canada Council
for the Arts, for their supportin the pilot of this project.
For more information onTraversing, the Azimuth go to
AzimuthTheatre.com/traversing.
Woo.
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