Czarina Faith Abuso

EXCLUSIVE: Thou Reyes on starring in the play Ateng: 'This is not just another gay character'

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

Push Team

<p>While working as part of the cast of Paulo Avelino and Kim Chiu’s newest series <em>The Alibi</em>, Thou Reyes has been happy juggling acting duties as a stage actor after making his theatrical return this year in playwright Vincent De Jesus’s Carlos Palanca award-winning one-act play <em>Ateng </em>which opened in mid-November. Thou shares with PUSH ABS-CBN how he ended up being handpicked for the role about a strong-willed gay parlorista in the early 2000s. </p><p>“I got a call from our playwright Vincent de Jesus, because I’ve worked with him sa <em>Care Divas</em> and it’s been eight years since I did a theater play,” he shared. </p><p>“It’s my second straight play. I did Virgin Lab Fest, and then after eight years ngayon pa lang ako ulit nabigyan ng chance. He called me and offered me a role. Vince told me to read the script kasi meron akong ginawang restaging ng nasulat niya and then sinabi niya sa akin ‘yung mga possible na makakasama ko. And then nung nakuha ko ‘yung email, I forwarded it kaagad sa best friend ko, si Jamie who is based sa States, and sabi ko, ‘Please read this.’ Siya kasi ‘yung nasasabihan ko ng mga projects ko. And then after that, I got a text from her, sabi niya, ‘Yeah, it’s a good material!’ Sabi ko, ‘Of course, it’s Vincent de Jesus,” Thou recalled.</p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQfuFFKE61l/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=498&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A611632.599999994%2C%22ls%22%3A315658.5%2C%22le%22%3A315661.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="659" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-5" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DRBfY0PjRH5/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=498&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A5%2C%22os%22%3A611660.900000006%2C%22ls%22%3A315658.5%2C%22le%22%3A315661.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="461" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-5" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/11/20/-himala-composer-vincent-de-jesus-returns-to-acting-in-theater-with-his-new-play-ateng-2059" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>READ: &#x27;Himala&#x27; composer Vincent de Jesus returns to acting in theater with his new play &#x27;Ateng&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>Although he had second thoughts about accepting the project, Thou said he believes in the message behind the story of <em>Ateng</em>. “At first I was a bit hesitant kasi hindi na nga ako masyado tumatanggap ng gay characters because I’ve been venturing into action and drama. I decided to take the role because this not just another gay character, it’s a very strong character.”</p><p>He explained how he felt how impactfut the role could be, and just couldn‘t pass up on the chance to be part of the production. “Ito ‘yung mga gusto ko eh. If I’m going to do something different, I want to make an impact sana and makakapagbigay ng understanding and more clarification sa community, not just with LGBT but of course, with cis people. So that they can understand more of this community.”</p><p>“No brainer, I said yes and now we’re here. Ang bilis ng mga pangyayari talaga. I don’t know, parang dumilat ako and pagdilat ko, nag-rehearse, and then now we’re here and kakatapos lang ng first weekend namin. We still have three more weekends so sobrang punong puno yung puso ko talaga ng pagmamahal,” he continued. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbwl_dNh1ID/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=498&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A611675%2C%22ls%22%3A315658.5%2C%22le%22%3A315661.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="895" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-7" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRB-jhwkf8g/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=498&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A7%2C%22os%22%3A612408.1999999881%2C%22ls%22%3A315658.5%2C%22le%22%3A315661.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="771" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-7" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p><em>Ateng</em> is a dark comedy that tells the story of a gay parlorista named Kiwi (Ateng) and his younger gay brother Juicy who have an unforgettable encounter with Onyx’s smooth-talking two-timing boyfriend, Onyx. </p><p>In preparing for his role, Thou took inspiration from his own family members. “It’s a mixture. Meron akong late uncle who is a victim of unfortunate events and na-massacre siya and parlorista siya. I was really young then. I think I was only seven or eight years old then. Nung ginagawa na namin itong play, saka ko lang siya ulit naalala. Aside from that uncle, I also have an uncle sa other side ko naman that is part of the LGBT. ‘Yung character ni Kiwi, which is my character, siya ‘yung tiyuhin mong LGBT na mapagmahal sa mga pamangkin, alam mo ‘yun? ‘Yung tumatayong pangalawang nanay natin, siya si Kiwi.”</p><p>He also acknowledged the play‘s wrtiter and director in helping him fully understand the character. “Of course, with the direction of Rem Zamora and some of the insights of our writer Vincent de Jesus, kaya nabuo yung character ni Kiwi. We’re under a very good director, direk Rem, because meron akong mga unang pagkakaintindi dun sa character na nung siya yung nag-explain, ah ganun pala yun.”</p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQTu81xkwha/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=498&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A612493.400000006%2C%22ls%22%3A315658.5%2C%22le%22%3A315661.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="809" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>The talented actor admitted that people will see his darker side here, because of the play’s unexpected twist once all the characters come into contact with each other. “People might think that it’s my psychotic version (laughs). I always put a bit of myself — not just a bit, I always put a version of myself sa lahat ng ginagawa kong roles. And for this one, it’s more mature. It’s kind of scary but it’s very human. You will understand why he chose those things, why he needed to do those things, and you will understand na sometimes you kind of have to put a bit of dahas and a bit of roughness to get and to deliver what you want other people to understand. It’s not the right choice, but it is a choice.” </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-9" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbzwOz0B5mq/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=498&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A9%2C%22os%22%3A612569.900000006%2C%22ls%22%3A315658.5%2C%22le%22%3A315661.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="859" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-9" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Thou told PUSH ABS-CBN that he hopes people can give their play a chance, because of its limited run. “Sana subaybayan niyo ang aming three weekends. We will be running up until December 7 only here at Rampa Drag Club. If you want to understand and you want a good theater experience, please do watch us.”</p><p>“I’m telling you guys, hindi kayo aalis ng Rampa ng dagdag na pagkakaunawa at pagkakaintindi sa ating mga kaibigan at kapatid na nasa LGBT community. We need more materials like this. We need to normalize this kind of materials para maging love is just love. It doesn’t matter what gender it is, love is just love. We have to spread love and kindness,” he stated.</p><p>Tickets for <em>Ateng</em> are available at <a href="https://ticket2me.net/event/22697" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ticket2me.net/event/22697</a> or call Kevin – 0966 997 7425 Jonathan – 0915 827 7671. All shows will be held at the Rampa Drag Club is located at Tomas Morato Extension corner Eugenio Lopez Drive in Quezon City.</p>

<p>The Alibi actor Thou Reyes talks about his return to theater after eight years to star in playwright Vincent De Jesus’s Carlos Palanaca award-winning one-act play “Ateng.”</p>

The Alibi actor Thou Reyes talks about his return to theater after eight years to star in playwright Vincent De Jesus’s Carlos Palanaca award-winning one-act play “Ateng.”