Moms and Dads

Dads On The Carousel: Gian Magdangal and Lorenz Martinez

by Kevyn Gohu
October 6, 2022

In Rodger and Hammerstein’s Carousel, the two leading men — a fisherman named Enoch Snow and a carousel barker Billy Bigolo — go through not only the hardship of the Great Depression but also being a dad. But with Repertory Philippines tackling more pandemic and post-pandemic difficulties, a lot of the elements added as a layer to the text hit home for dads Gian Magdangal who plays Billy Bigolo, and Lorenz Martinez who plays Enoch Snow.

What is it like for a dad to ride the Carousel?

“After reading the script, especially reading what happens to Billy, I realized, probably, I’d do the same thing,” admits Lorenz Martinez. “Because during the deep depression, we all went through that during the pandemic. A lot of depression going on, a lot of people shifted industries and the sort.”

However, the commitment to stay in the creative industry as a dad was equally challenging. “There were times of disappointment and anxiety. But I said, “Hey, I’m creative. I’ve committed to this life,” affirms Gian Magdangal during a Q&A session. “I needed to be creative about going about this change.”

But as they say in theatre, “the show must go on.” They continued to do online shows by sending out a recording of themselves singing or doing commercials. “We could still survive. But it wasn’t as regular as pre-pandemic times,” adds Lorenz.

A Father On Stage and a Father in Real Life

Despite the irregular performances, Lorenz Martinez’s and Gian Magdangal’s roles as Enoch Snow and Billy Bigolo respectively had an existing foundation: their experiences as a dad. Lorenz Martinez, being a father of two kids that have a big age gap, fuels his performance as Enoch by using the fun and comedic times he had in disciplining his kids.

“There’s a scene in the show where Enoch is reprimanding his son. Not in a serious way, it’s like there’s a way of disciplining someone that’s supposed to be fun. It shouldn’t be, your kids shouldn’t feel like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It should be like, ‘Okay dad, I was wrong.’ So I’m trying to put some fun and comedy in my disciplining my kids into the show because that’s how I father. That’s how I parent,” shares Lorenz. “My eldest is 28, youngest is 12. The big age gap helps because I know how to parent an adult but I also know how to deal with a toddler.”

Gian Magdangal, having a 14-year-old son, draws his inspiration from taking responsibility and how it transforms a man into a dad.

“When you’re a dad, it’s really up to you on how to pave that way. It’s something that if it happens to you, the stakes are just higher as a dad or as a parent. And I guess, it’s something you got to take responsibility for. With Billy Bigolo, his decision to take responsibility transformed him. There are suddenly so many things you have to make decisions for. To make decisions, you try as a dad to be a good person and try not to step on people. But I think the key here is that survival suddenly becomes real for you and your kid. You just have to make those decisions that will define you as a man.”

To whom their performance is for

Before Lorenz Martinez and Gian Magdangal take the stage on November 26, 2022, for Repertory Philippines’ debut of Carousel, they wish for all those who watch and especially those who they dedicate their performances to heed their messages as both their characters and as dads:

“To my kids, what I want them to see and take away from my performance is that Enoch is very hardworking; he’s straightforward. He knows what he wants and he will just go for it and get it,” shares Lorenz. “I want them to learn that from him.”

And to understand a dad means having to be a dad. It is with this premise that Gian dedicates his performance as Billy Bigolo to his dad.

“I’d dedicate this performance to my dad because being an artist and being a father in this industry, I know how difficult it is to be a dad. Billy Bigolo had to go through many things to be a good man. You know, be a good person and a good dad and there’s no other person I’d like to dedicate this to my dad who I owe a lot to that I’m able to enjoy this life.”

The Message of These Dads To Every Filipino Dad And Young Man Out There

As they perform on opening night, Gian also offers a message to other dads.

“I’d dedicate this performance to all the dads out there. To the Filipino men, who have to man up. In this day and age. To be a good way to show them, what are you doing if you don’t decide on big things in your life? Also for the youth or the young guys out there, how do you decide on your life? Because sometimes, we all can be so righteous about what we want to do. But when things really come your way and you have to make the difficult decision, the kind of person you want to be will be defined by how you react and proceed with these kinds of things,” explains Gian.

Don’t forget to catch Rodger and Hammerstein’s Carousel on opening night on November 26, 2022! The show will run until December 18, 2022.