Born to shine

“I was born to shine,” the outlandish butler/maid Jacob/Claudine exclaims in [I]La Cage Aux Folles[/I], the latest production to be put on stage by Saipan’s Friends of the Arts.

The same rings hold about for actor behind the role. Hotel employee by day and a self-described “struggling artist” by night, Paul Dujua has been stealing scenes since he joined the local community theater last year. He has also done quite a bit of singing—in competitions or in social gatherings.

“Performing is my way of crying out loud. It’s my outlet, my way of releasing my energy,” Dujua says. “It also feels good when people appreciate what I do. It makes me happy to be able to make people laugh and forget their worries, even for just a little while.”

Dujua has been an entertainer all his life. At the age of three, he was already belting out the soulful Stylistics hit [I]You Make Me Feel Brand New[/I].

He wanted to pursue formal education in music after high school, but eventually opted for a “more practical” college degree in mechanical engineering in the prestigious University of Santo Tomas in Manila. Even then, he did not lay his artistic tendency to rest. He remained active in theater groups within the university, working as an actor or helping with stage productions. Toward the end of his college years, Dujua joined the Manila Metropolitan Theater and became part of its chorus for nearly three years.

Last year, Dujua got another opportunity to revisit the world of theater. At the prodding of his boss, he auditioned for a role in Friends of the Arts’ interpretation of the audience interactive comedy [I]Tony and Tina’s Wedding[/I]. He was cast as the flirtatious wedding singer, Danny, and has since been a common fixture in the theater group’s productions.

In February 2006, Dujua played “Chris” from [I]Miss Saigon[/I] for Friends of the Arts’ 25th anniversary presentation, “A Bit of Broadway.” The following month, he was the hilarious butler in the comedy [I]You Can’t Take It With You[/I].

Last month, Dujua went drag and got many wild laughs for his “fantabulous” performance as the flamboyant Jacob in the musical comedy [I]La Cage Aux Folles[/I].

Dujua says he had the most fun playing Jacob. “It gave me an opportunity to explore, do a lot of crazy things, and get away with it,” he says.

His next role is expected to be different from all the characters Dujua played before. People who loved his wacky roles are in for a somber performance as he plays Scrooge’s nephew in the Christmas musical, Scrooge, on Dec. 8-10, 2006.