Karylle (right) plays the role of Audrey in The Sandbox Collective's "Little Shop of Horrors."  Karylle Tatlonghari has matured into an individual with a deeper understanding of life in general. She's married and for 14 years now is a leading lady to her husband Sponge Cola's Yael Yuzon.

Like the character Audrey she portrays in the currently running musical production by The Sandbox Collective, "Little Shop of Horrors," Karylle also dreamt of a picket fence life that symbolizes the ideal middle-class suburban life in the United States -- with a family and children, a large house, and a peaceful lifestyle.

"There was a time when I was so into this beautiful picket fence home in North Greenhills that had a brick home... quite close to the look of Mom and Tina’s. But that was when I was a kid, and I would visit my Lola Tita Pilar Treichler in that village," she said.

That dream changed when she matured -- and now as a married woman, she declares: "It’s hard to clean a big house!" 

As an artist on TV, in films, and onstage, Karylle has learned to pick up something from the roles she portrays. The one thing she likes about Audrey as a woman despite her not being well-educated is how she's into marketing.

"Strangely enough, I love how she is so into marketing," she said. "I never caught it in the movie so I'm loving her pitch in the scene where she suggests a little store revamp by having a 'strange and interesting plant' on display to attract business." 

Channeling the vulnerable and insecure Audrey is something that the audience would see how effective Karylle is as an actress. 

"Having a big bruise on my face helps a lot," she shared. "When we put ourselves out there with everything we’ve got, we become vulnerable because we become open to the world's critical eyes. But that’s just life." 

"Despite her insecurity, I think she needs to stand tall 'cause her painfully high heels force her to do it."

Karylle added, "I love the part where Audrey candidly talks to the Urchins about her aspirations via the song 'Somewhere that's Green' -- it's a big 'aha' moment when she shares her dream life and concretely enumerates a wish list only to have that be pulled under the rug by the end of the song."

Through that song, Audrey tells of her dream to leave Orin Scrivello, D.D.S, marry Seymour, and live on a "little street in a little suburb" with luxuries she has never known on Skid Row -- like a washer, a toaster, a "big, enormous" 12-inch TV, and so on.

Karylle was asked if she encountered someone like her character, who has an abusive relationship with her boyfriend -- what would she say to that person?

She paused and coming from a space of love and maturity, she said: "Domestic violence is a tough issue and it is hard to meddle in someone’s life if ever they have that kind of situation."

"If it’s a close friend, I would just first listen to everything that they have to say and just look her/him in the eye to make them feel seen and heard," she continued.

"I think building up their confidence would have to be also part of the healing process because they lost their self-esteem. But really since I’m no expert, I would offer to bring them to the Center for Family Ministries Foundation (CEFAM) in Ateneo for a professional session," she added. "Healing of the mind, body, and spirit is critical in such moments." 

"Little Shop of Horrors" runs at the Globe Auditorium of Maybank Performing Arts Theater until July 28. 

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