Cover Reb Atadero as M in 'Lungs' (Photo: The Sandbox Collective)
Reb Atadero as M in 'Lungs' (Photo: The Sandbox Collective)
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With a theatre career built on spontaneity and natural skill, Reb Atadero has charmed audiences with his antics
You may know him for his iconic roles on stage or through his History You Should Know series on TikTok and Instagram, but did you know that Reb Atadero’s theatre career was born out of a dare? As a sophomore student pursuing a management degree at Ateneo de Manila University in 2006, going into the arts seemed like a faraway prospect for him. So when he and his friends were walking through countless college organisations during recruitment week, he unknowingly dove headfirst into his passion.
“As an impressionable young man, my friends and block mates knew that I could sing… So we saw a signup booth for Ateneo Blue Repertory and my friend who was doing a summer workshop with Repertory Philippines just said ‘I dare you to sign up.’ I had no idea what the organisation was about but I did it and the next thing I knew I was doing my first audition. Eighteen years later, I’m still doing it.”
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Atadero’s first production ever was a two-act musical called Hope for the Flowers which was adapted from a children’s book of the same name written by Trina Paulus. Here, he worked with many of his peers today such as congressman and artistic director of The Sandbox Collective Toff de Venecia and actress Sab Jose-Gregorio.
While his first exposure to theatre happened in college, Atadero’s career would start just two years later with Repertory Philippines where he played Juan in Altar Boyz. “This musical about a Christian boyband wouldn’t fly nowadays but I had so much fun doing that show,” he quips with a laugh. From here, he would work with plenty of theatre companies in the Philippines—becoming one of the most well-known names in the industry. He attributes his success to every mentor and coworker he’s had over the years—humbly proclaiming that he is a product of everybody he’s ever worked with.
“If I had to pick mentors who really influenced the way I think as an artist, Jaime del Mundo would be at the top of that list. We worked together in The Graduate (2013) and he started a friendship that lasts to this day. I would often speak to him for advice whenever I’d be lost or have doubts. Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo is also a great mentor for me as well as my wife, Tanya Manalang. When you’re married to somebody who’s been doing this since she was eight, you learn a lot and really get forced to raise your game,” shares Atadero.
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Over his 18-year career, Atadero has brought multiple of our favourite Broadway and Off-Broadway characters to the Philippine stage. His selection process for auditioning is quite simple in the sense that he has no selection process. Ever the versatile actor, Atadero would audition for anything and everything and see what sticks. One could say this developed his skill, emotional range, and ability to juggle productions.
“When I was younger, the advice I always got was ‘sometimes the audition is what’s going to get you in the door.’ I auditioned for everything because first, there weren’t as many theatre companies when I started and second, I was building my resume and figuring out what to do,” shares Atadero.
While he loved playing every role and found it difficult to choose a definite favourite, three stand out. “Favourite roles are always a difficult question for me because I feel like I’m cheating on the other roles. If I had to pick, it would be Shasta from The Horse and His Boy, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, and M in Lungs,” he says.
Perhaps the crowning moment of his career so far is when he won the Gawad Buhay Award for Outstanding Male Featured Performance in a Musical for Tick… Tick… Boom! “In terms of hardware, it’s that award. But honestly, my proudest achievement is being able to connect with the audience—to see that what I do makes an impact in their lives,” he shares.
When he’s not rehearsing for a new production or creating videos for his TikTok, Atadero likes to unwind with video games. “Right now, I’m playing NBA 2K25 and I’m so bad at it… I also play a lot of RPGs. I like to revisit games that I already played like Skyrim—I finished that maybe five times. I’m still playing Fallout 4 and I’m redoing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which is my favourite game of all time,” shares Atadero.
Often regarded as a fun person to be with by his friends, coworkers, and fans, one could easily observe that Atadero is somewhat of a prankster—always the life of the party and injecting some whimsy into every situation. He shares that he wants his legacy as an actor to be associated with encouragement—that one co-actor who will always be at your corner and help you get through anything. “I have worked with a lot of new actors like Khalil Ramos in Tick… Tick… Boom! and Sue Ramirez in Little Shop of Horrors. The first thing I would tell them is ‘I got you,’” he says.
Don’t try to fill somebody else’s shoes. Bring your own pair
Looking ahead, Atadero is optimistic about the theatre industry—seeing plenty of potential in the newer generation. “These younger generation of actors are much braver than I was when I was starting out. They really put themselves out there and I’m so happy to see that… I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to pick their brains, watch them in action, or be across the stage from them,” he says. For those who watch Atadero on stage and get inspired to be just like him, he only says this, “Don’t be like me. Be you, because that is your greatest gift.”
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Images: Reb Atadero and The Sandbox Collective
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
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A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
