Farida Pineda Kabayao shares her passion for theatre arts

By Wein P. Gadian

Farida as Eliza Doolittle in " My Fair Lady"

Theatre Arts or Performing Arts, a combination of different arts, is complete in itself. There you will find visual arts in the set design, make-up and costumes of the casts; music in the solos, choruses and the background music; choreography and blockings of which bodily kinesthetic is a part of are also elemental.

A key element to theater art is the artists who give life to the characters of every theatrical play. These actors are expected to give justice to every role they play. To realize this, actors must go through the process of detachment from their real selves. The live performances also make each show different from the other. Thus, the actors are tasked to express their mastery and artistry. Although theatre is sometimes compared to the movies, the two are never the same. Both have uniqueness and attributes that could be present in one yet absent in the other and the other way around. Because of these, more and more people fall for it.

One lady who literary changed her career and fell for theatre is Farida Pineda Kabayao. “I was bitten by the bug of theatre when I was in 3 rd year High School. It was during the musical Noli Me Tangere in Iloilo.”

“Far” as called by friends and family grew-up in a family of musicians. Her parents are the internationally acclaimed Filipino violinist Gilopez Kabayao and pianist Corazon Pineda.

She's a member of the Kabayao Quintet and has been playing her violin since she was 2.5 years old. She has also traveled to United States, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, China and key cities of the Philippines playing the instrument with her parents, her older sister Sicilienne and Gilberto, her younger brother. She is a History graduate from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas.

Farida, now 24-years old, will play Anne Sullivan in the “Miracle Worker” coming August 18, 19 and 20. It is her first major role and says she needs “a lot of energy”. She also played Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” where she did her first musical role. She was Jo March in “Little Women”, Mary Tillford in “The Children's Hour”. Far also played her dream role as Ann Frank, in the soul-quenching story “The Diary of Anne Frank”.

Even with the many roles she has already portrayed, she confesses the need to rehearse more for the betterment of her craft. Her burning passion for theatre is paralleled with her love for playing violin with the Kabayao family. The Kabayaos launched their solo and family CD and is now available in music stores.

Artists in the Making

The Kabayao Quintet : L - R, Farida, Corazon, Gilopez, Sicilienne & Gilberto Kabayao

Inspired by her love for Barbara Streisand, Sally Field, Lea Salonga to name a few, she took time researching for every role given her to play. Working with different directors, attending to workshops and accepting criticisms have brought refinement in her art. Farida considers herself an artist rather than an ‘actress'. “I'm not as brilliant as Barbara Streisand who could do almost anything. And that's what an actress is. Like with my other role (The Children's Hour). It's ‘sayang' because I could have done better.”

An artist also has to prepare for the role and trust the director. Like Farida, her energy comes from her supportive family, friends, a love one and God. Farida, just like any artist takes her roles to heart and prepares for it physically, emotionally, mentally and artistically. As told by her encouraging directors, she would always find time enhancing her gift. “There's always this certain accountability to the audience when you perform on stage. A research on the role…helps a lot. ” As a whole in her acting she says: “When one acts, it should also be an instrument to touch other people lives.”

Simply Farida in an ordinary day

On the lighter side, she loves poems by Sylvia Plat and likes writing. She loves going to places like Blue Jay, watching movies, shopping and she also does lots of traveling. Though Farida admits she's not really into sports, she plays a bit of tennis. Farida says someday soon, she wants to do a performance of Shakespeare's play.

Farida shares her heart to aspiring artists: “You should pursue it. Theatre takes a lot of hard work and discipline; you just have to have the will power to do it. And you should think that you're telling a story through acting. And also remember that you must keep your feet on the ground. The passion for doing something should also be for the glory of God.”