Agot Isidro admits she is happy being single: ‘I've had a lot of heartaches’

After a seven-year absence from the stage, Agot Isidro returns to theater as the star of the Pulitzer prize-winning play Rabbit Hole to be staged by Red Turnip Theater for the entire month of August. Agot admitted she felt flattered to be considered for the lead role of a mother who is coping with the loss of her four-year-old child.

“I've always liked challenges. I haven't done a straight play ever. Musicals always feel comfortable to me because you break out into song. When you’re doing a straight play, you’re really in the scene that's why I was supposed to be in another production but my schedule wasn't available so when they offered me Rabbit Hole I said okay. And it was perfect timing because I wasn't doing other showbiz stuff. I have the time to focus and do my best and give my best to this. Wala pa talaga akong nagagawang straight plays, lahat ng nagagawa ko ay musicals. Ito walang kanta panay dialogue lang. Kakatapos lang nung teleserye kaya okay ako nag-e-enjoy ako dito ngayon sa play,” she shared during the Rabbit Hole presscon held last June 16 at 2nd's restaurant in BGC.

Agot said she is currently enjoying rehearsals with Michael Williams, a theater veteran and alumni of the original cast of Miss Saigon. “Siyempre gusto ko yung ganun eh, kumbaga hindi na ako kinakabahan dahil hindi ko siya kilala. We've done shows before and of course I admire him as an actor and director. Masaya naman first day of rehearsals kasi hinihimay talaga yung scenes eh. So talagang ang haba ng diskusyon and everyone is heard. I'm really focused on this project and that's fine with me. I am very lucky to be able to do the thing that I want to do. I'm lucky to have that choice. Maganda yung script eh, it's very heartbreaking but funny and it's very real, totoong totoo. Masaya naman kasi sa rehearsals and hopefully talagang magampanan namin as real as possible because the play is so rich and so engaging so sana makita nila yun,” she said.

A big supporter of local theater, Agot said she also wants to accomplish a lot as a theater actress. “Theater gives immediate gratification as an artist because you really see how you’re doing and if the audience is enjoying it, talagang ang sarap ng feeling ng ganun. Kanya-kanyang ano yan but maybe because I haven't done this in a while so of course this is more challenging. It teaches you discipline. Of course hindi ganun kalaki yung pera but the experience and the learning that you get from it is incomparable. It's very advisable to get into theater or at least try it. Marami naman tayong mga kaibigan sa theater who have crossed over to film and they are actually doing very well. Ang play immediate yan eh. You know when you’re bombing (laughs). You know when your doing well and alam mo yun eh and somehow mag-a-adjust ka as it goes because immediate yung reaction eh unlike movies or teleserye. Gusto ko yung ganung energy yung you feed off of the energy of the people. That's what’s exciting,” she explained.

Even though she does not have a child of her own, Agot said it was not hard for her to get into the role of Becca in Rabbi Hole. “Of course, everybody has experienced grief and loss, loss by death or separation or whatever so lahat tayo can relate to that I think and can play the role quite effectively because nga we've experienced it. This is about grief and it's about love which I've also experienced as an actor. Everybody experiences grief which is different from one person to another. I think I could relate to it because of what I went through,” she said.

As she turns 48 next month, Agot also shared the secret to her timeless beauty. “Positivity (laughs). You know I've had a lot of heartaches. I've had my share, but then in the end you really wake up in the morning and it's another day, ‘di ba? So it's your choice to be happy or to be negative about life. So dun lang ako sa happy. Happy lang tayo,” she added.