This, Epi Quizon saw for himself when he finally got his wish of communing with his late dad Dolphy one last time. He dreamt of the Comedy King embracing him tightly.
“Sa dami ng nagpaalam sa kanya – ang pamilya namin at mga kaibigan – bitin na bitin ako sa pagsabi ng ba-bye,” he admitted before the sneak preview of Spotlight’s "Katy the Musical" at Podium. The ambitious production sees Epi stepping into Dolphy’s shoes as Golay (the Comedy King’s stage name).
As a child, Epi recalls sharing his father with many others – especially those he helped. Epi recalls asking money for a toy and not getting it, because Dolphy chose to help someone who needed medicine for his child.
Epi chose to keep his father’s memory alive by having his hand and fingers tattoed with symbols that stand for Dolphy. One of them is the water dragon, which in Chinese astrology represents 2012 (when Dolphy died) and 1928, the year the Comedy King was born.
Epi also wears the ouroboros symbol, which stands for cycles (in this case, the cycle of life) on his hand.
He admits he won’t even try to step into Dolphy’s big shoes because he can’t. So he asks for his father’s help in the difficult tap dancing scenes he has to do as Golay.
“I know how people see my dad as a dancer,” Epi relates. And that’s what makes him nervous.
“I’m a character actor, not a dancer,” he explains.
Epi hopes to bring the audience back to his dad’s vaudeville days, to the time he escaped death by not joining a theater group whose members drowned when the ship they rode in sank. Epi also wants to bring back his dad’s legendary charm with the ladies in a scene where Golay humors them backstage.
“I know he’s watching over me, and that’s enough,” Epi muses.
As the Quizon offspring who closely resembles his dad, Epi has always been cast as the young Dolphy. His last such role was in the 2009 Metro Filmfest entry “Nobody But Juan.”
Inspiring story
Being the songwriter that he is, Epi is thrilled at the various kinds of music he encounters in “Katy the Musical,” which tells the inspiring story of legendary jazz performer Katy dela Cruz.
“Sari sari ito,” he explains. “May kundiman, may jazz, may patriotic song (Ryan Cayabyab composed the music).”
The musical sees Isay Alvarez wearing two hats – that of producer and Katy herself.
“We have 12 shows (starting January 2013 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater). “We’re praying that we can do more so we bring it on tour and bring the musical to every Filipino.”
Isay’s dream is for “Katy” to be like the 20-year-old “Phantom of the Opera.”
“Maganda ito ipasa sa mga kabataan. We have to know our roots. We have to reintroduce our music because it’s very rich. Hindi pwedeng hayaan na lang natin ang radyo at TV na negosyo naman. ”
Dulce, who is also part of the cast, adds, “Mabuti yung tayo na mismo, may ginagawa kesa yung reklamo ng reklamo. At least we have something to offer.”
“Katy the Musical” also stars Tirso Cruz III and Gian Magdangal.
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