Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers

As promised, we have assembled the list for today’s top 10 Philippine female performers. Statistics from Facebook and Twitter are used as barometers for ranking them from 10 to 1.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Screenshot by Starmometer.com

10. Aiza Seguerra – 152K Twitter followers; 8061 Facebook likes

Previous Works: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Katy The Musical, Aladdin

Claim to Fame: Rock of Ages

Aiza Seguerra in a bikini – let that image sink in because it happened on “Rock of Ages” when it was performed at RCBC Theater. Not everyone can be in the list of top 10 Philippine female theater performers by donning a bikini alone. She did by singing and acting at the same time. For a multimedia career that started at age 3, she really let herself evolve and mature on national TV. Transitioning into theater taking on roles you don’t expect her to be really pushed the envelope for her. And now she’s a hit for her Dubsmash videos with wife Liza Dino (at 3:02 and 3:45) that acknowledged her glory days as Philippine cinema’s child wonder.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Publicity Photo for Philippine Opera Company’s “Master Class”

9. Cherie Gil – 198K Twitter followers; 3266 FB likes

Previous Works: Full Gallop; Master Class

Claim to Fame: Nine, Arbol de Fuego

Ms. Cherie Gil – wait, make that THE Cherie Gil – would be one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers today that fans would expect to transition to theater. The Eigenmann family tradition of topnotch acting is seen here indeed. She was so effective as bel canto opera legend Maria Callas that she was mistaken as Maria Callas herself in a casual dining restaurant in the Netherlands. That is until a Filipina diner spotted the “Maria Callas portrait” as reported by Interaksyon.com. If a picture alone commanded that kind of performance, what more if she gets into theater as well? Whether she’s doing award-winning straight plays like Terrence McNally’s “Master Class” or musicals like “Nine” and “Arbol de Fuego”, she delivers. Of course her solid fanbase would still be occasionally quoting her most famous line as Lavinia Arguelles in “Bituing Walang Ningning” – “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!” A goblet of water is optional.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Image by ABS-CBN News

8. Agot Isidro – 533K Twitter followers; 5784 FB likes

Previous Works: Honk; Baby; Footloose

Claim to Fame: ZsaZsa Zaturnnah, Ze Muzikal

Being one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers, it’s been awhile since Agot Isidro got cast in musical theater. Perhaps because she’s one of the memorable actresses to play the feminist extremist alien, Queen Femina Suarestella Baroux, in “ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal”. When would she return to musical theater? Hopefully her fans won’t have to wait that long.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Screenshot from the film “Emir”

7. Frencheska Farr, 362K Twitter followers; 190172 FB likes

Previous Works: The Addams Family; Katy The Musical; The Wedding Singer; Rent

Claim to Fame: Grease

Finding fame in GMA Network’s singing competition “Are You The Next Big Star?”, the question can be answered differently. She is at the moment one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers. Expectations soared the moment she bagged the lead role for the musical film “Emir”. Musical theater gigs followed and there was no turning back.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Promotional Photo for “Grease”

6. Antoinette Taus, 110K Twitter followers, 48378 FB likes

Previous Works: Les Miserables; The Wiz

Claim to Fame: Grease

The strong personality must have explained why Antoinette Taus got cast as Gavrouche in one of the earliest stagings of “Les Miserables” in the Philippines. Finding her way back home, she made a comeback to Philippine musical theater through 9Works Theatrical’s “Grease”. But the kind of dedication she applies to her theater craft never wavered. It helped her reclaim her status as one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers now.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Image from “Rama Hari”, taken by Jude Bautista

5. Karylle – 2.15M Twitter followers, 267234 FB likes

Previous Works: Seussical, Little Mermaid, Rama Hari

Claim to Fame: West Side Story, Cinderella

Top-billing AXN’s “The Kitchen Musical” with Christian Bautista, it then solidified her fanbase. The exposure was born out of being one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers. Her stints in high-profile projects like “West Side Story”, “Rama Hari” and “Cinderella” sealed the deal.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Image from Philippine Daily Inquirer

4. Rachelle Ann Go – 1.99M Twitter followers; 1794465 FB likes

Previous Works: The Little Mermaid; Tarzan

Claim to Fame: Miss Saigon

Rachelle Ann Go was already a pop star when she bagged the role of hardened stripper Gigi in “Miss Saigon”. Cameron Mackintosh himself mentioned it when he finally announced the official cast for the “Miss Saigon revival”. It helped that prior to this stint, she was already cast in “Tarzan” and “The Little Mermaid”, a good start for getting included among the top 10 Philippine female theater performers today. The 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards in London agrees. They awarded her the Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Award for her portrayal of Gigi.

Witness one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers today, Rachelle Ann Go, featured in the soundtrack of Disney’s “Cinderella” by clicking here.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Image from Ms Lea Salonga’s official Facebook page

3. Lea Salonga – 2.81M Twitter followers; 1106327 FB likes

Previous Works: Flower Drum Song; They’re Playing Our Song; Allegiance

Claim to Fame: Les Miserables; Miss Saigon

Ms. Lea Salonga is the only actress in this list of top 10 Philippine female theater performers with a Tony Award and Olivier plum to date. And she keeps on giving hope to young girls worldwide especially on the master class she officiated. She gave them hope that one day, they can be a Disney princess too. That was a stark contrast to her signature role, neophyte bar girl Kim in the original West End run of “Miss Saigon”. To everyone that had seen Miss Saigon premiere on West End, she will always be Kim.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Poster for “Sweet Charity”

2. Nikki Gil – 3.3M Twitter followers; 3511013 FB likes

Previous Works: Legally Blonde, Seussical, They’re Playing Our Song

Claim to Fame: Sweet Charity, The Last 5 Years

From being a recording artist to Myx VJ to soap opera villain, Nikki Gil wore many hats in the Philippine entertainment industry. That is not the only reason why she got included in the top 10 Philippine female theater performers list. The kind of initiative to learn the Bob Fosse choreography in “Sweet Charity” meant she’s willing to do what she can to embody the role.

Top 10 Philippine Female Theater Performers
Promotional Photo for “Grease”

1. Iya Villania-Arellano – 3.53M Twitter followers; 5260174 FB likes

Previous Works and Claim to Fame: The Wedding Singer; Grease

It is this likeability that boosted the stats on her social media accounts. It catapulted her as one of the top 10 Philippine female theater performers at the moment. Those who have witnessed her performances as Julia from “The Wedding Singer” and as Rizzo from “Grease” are pleasantly surprised to discover her believable take on this characters. And those characters are very different even if you use the film versions as references. It made everyone look forward to what could be next for her.

That list was a blast. Surely there would be more to come from them if the positive feedback from their performances would be based. This is why we recommend that you subscribe to our email newsletter here at MusicalsOnline.com. Any updates and freshly written articles are yours to read straight to your inbox. Like our official Facebook page as well, Musicals Online, and follow us on Twitter @musicalsnews. Thanks for reading.