In theater where the story is always the star, Reb Atadero uses the stage to dream big for himself and others, one role at a time.
“I had no idea what theater was. No background, no workshops, zero.” That singular admission did not deter Reb Atadero from accepting a friend’s dare to audition for Ateneo Blue Rep. Little did he know that fateful day would propel him into a life of building character, pun intended, beyond anything he could imagine.
Leading the next generation of theater stars, Atadero has run the gamut of lead, and ensemble roles, taking each one on and off with the same ease as a change of clothes. ‘It’s these complex characters that I live for,’ he says.
“Wow! You get to sing, dance, act, and tell stories all at the same time? I just fell in love with it. I was all in,” he enthused. Eighteen years later, Atadero is on the cusp of Philippine theater’s new golden age. With an already impressive body of work, he has earned the admiration of both his mentors and peers, and a place amid the next generation of Filipino thespians.
The recognition and acclaim Atadero enjoys these days is not from a lack of hard work. It was 2007, and he had just wrapped up a successful run of Ateneo Blue Rep’s High School Musical directed by Chari Arespacochaga.
Guest actors he met in the show suggested he sign up for a summer workshop. So he did, landing in now 9Works Theatricals artistic director Robbie Guevara’s class under Repertory Philippines. Even then, he made quite an impression.
“When Tita Baby (Barredo) saw a rehearsal of our workshop production, where Reb played the lead, she told me, ‘He reminds me of you, but with a better voice,’ said Guevara of the young actor. “Rather than feel like I was given a back-handed compliment, I smiled proudly because I knew Reb was on the right path.”
That summer gave Atadero a glimpse of what it was like to work in theater, and the rest is history. “It opened up a whole new world for me. That’s why I always tell aspiring actors to take workshops. Meet people. Make connections,” he shared.
Asked to describe himself as a newbie actor in three words in 2007, Atadero said, “Will do anything.” Fast forward to 2024? “Will do anything. Seriously, I still would.”
One jump at a time
By summer’s end, Atadero was confident enough to audition for Rep’s Altar Boys, marking his professional debut. Finding himself in the company of friends and a familiar creative team, any residual doubts faded away. Save for the curly hair he had to sport for the show!
“It taught me a very valuable lesson early on—if you ever feel terrified, everybody else is in the same boat,” he explains. “We understood how difficult the work would be, so we took it one jump at a time. It’s a philosophy I bring to this day.”
The initial belief that he could be typecast as the wide-eyed impressionable guy or in character roles allowed Atadero to be malleable as an actor, trying out different things with each role. “I always say this – there are a thousand ways to make a lightbulb, but there are also a thousand ways to not make one. If it is in the realm of human possibility, just go for it,” he quips. Rep’s The Graduate would be his first foray as romantic lead.
He was cast by director Jaime del Mundo after a reading, on the recommendation from actress and director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo. “He has such an understanding of text. It’s a wonder to see him develop characters with so much clarity,” she further noted.
Atadero even gave TV a try, most notably as the flamboyant maître d’ in Boston: The Kitchen Musical, which was shot in Singapore. “I don’t think it matters what medium per se. You just find ways to get better at your craft in different situations,” he adds.
I know this is just the beginning for Reb. He is going to continue to grow as an actor and be totally amazing. This is the future of theater right there in Reb’s hands,” declares Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo.
The Sandbox Collective’s current production Little Shop of Horrors put Atadero’s romantic and comedy skills to good use as Seymour, the lovestruck nerd caring for a murderous plant. Theater veteran Audie Gemora, who stars as Mr. Mushnik opposite him, says, “Reb is intelligent and instinctive, with a flair for comedy. It’s my first time working with him, and it has been a delight. Sharp, inventive, and generous, he is the kind of co-actor you can build great chemistry with.”
These days, Atadero has run the gamut of lead, and ensemble roles, taking each one on and off with the same ease as a change of clothes. “Reb is a sensitive and insightful character actor. He has the charm to play romantic leads, and the wit and impeccable timing for comedy,” says Michael Williams, who worked with him in Ang Huling El Bimbo. “His flexibility allows him to convincingly play a wide range of roles. That is what gives actors longevity in theater.”
Earlier this year, Atadero got to play one of his dream roles, Mark Cohen, in 9Works Theatricals Rent. Other parts on his list are Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Amadeus, Jamie Wellerstein in The Last Five Years (hopefully with his wife, singer and actress Tanya Manalang-Atadero) and “the one I want immediately,” Usnavi in In The Heights. Atadero will be seen next as Iago in C.A.S.T. PH’s production of Othello this October. “It’s these complex characters that I live for,” he adds.
Leading the next generation
Being cast as the next generation of Philippine theater is a responsibility Atadero does not take lightly—“It’s such an unbelievable honor.” It is proof that the focus he puts on the craft—less of “hopefully someone notices” and more of “what is my function in this machine?”—has begun to pay off.
So is his recent win for “Male Featured Performance in a Musical” in Tick, Tick, Boom at the 14th Gawad Buhay Awards. As appreciative as he is of the recognition by his peers, the work comes first, “especially when you are embroiled in memorizing monologues, or moving from one choreography to the next. As an actor, that’s all I’m thinking about in the moment,” he notes.
Now that I am standing on the shoulders of all these people, I gotta make sturdier shoulders for myself so others can stay on top of it.”
On days when Atadero finds himself sitting in an empty theater, he ponders how “theater is home. It’s a passion magnet. And you always find your way back home,” he muses. “You don’t have to be there for the whole process, but it evokes something in you. It makes you feel. I have been very fortunate.”
In Atadero’s version of paying it forward, he is generous with giving advice and guidance, especially to the newer actors he works with. Often, he tries to help clarify director’s notes if he sees co-actors struggling. He also doles out theater basics like “Don’t forget to breathe,” or even a simple “We got this,” for days when the fatigue kicks in.
Anthony Rosaldo, who played Roger with him in Rent was on the receiving end of some of that wisdom. “I told him, no matter what happens, I got your back. If it doesn’t work, it’s because we didn’t work or I didn’t lift you up enough. It’s always an ‘us’ thing,” explains Atadero.
He’s even given Sue Ramirez, who made her theater debut in Little Shop, a crash course on what to expect come tech week. “Theater really tempers your ego. It’s not about you. It’s about everybody,” he muses.
Growing up on stage has not only given Atadero a creative career path. Theater has shaped the very belief system by which he lives. “It is an exercise in empathy,” he says. “The world could use more of it these days.” It has taught him to listen, break down situations and stories, and enjoy the process of understanding. The craft has also given him a sense of discipline—to come in early, put in the work, learn the choreography. “Theater has taught me the intangibles like no other subject can, combined into this art form that I enjoy doing, and people I enjoy watching. It’s a win-win,” he adds. “That’s how it has changed my life.”
Now you know
Aside from being an actor, Atadero has also gained a following as a vlogger under his tag @rebranger on Instagram and TikTok. His “History You Should Know” series shares fun facts and trivia about historical events, people, and places.
He started it after students told him during a livestream that they were hating on online learning. For the lifelong history buff, it was a lightbulb moment! “How can I make learning fun for them? Maybe I can, with some research, tell them a little about what I know,” he says excitedly. His sign-off “Boom, now you know” has even become his trademark.
Seeing himself as an eternal student, Atadero lives and breathes the same passion and commitment to the craft as theater icons like Gemora, Lauchengco-Yulo, Williams, Guevarra, and others did before him. “His depth and breadth as an actor is immense,” adds Williams.
Gemora calls him “deep, nuanced, and sensitive.”
Reb’s humble response? “Now that I am standing on the shoulders of all these people, I gotta make sturdier shoulders for myself so others can stay on top of it,”
With each role, he keeps his eye on the prize—affecting lives through the stage, rippling beyond that proverbial fourth wall. “I want to leave this place better than I found it. If I may have affected .0001 percent of their lives, then I would have done my job right,” he adds.
As Philippine theater enters its latest iteration, “I know this is just the beginning for Reb. He is going to continue to grow as an actor and be totally amazing,” declares Lauchengco-Yulo. “This is the future of theater right there in Reb’s hands.”
As Atadero says, “BOOM! Now you know!”
