News of Bobby Garcia‘s death at the tender age of 55 sent shockwaves earlier this week, with friends, colleagues, former workmates and thousands of audience members whose lives he touched taking to social media to post their tributes and share their grief.
Theater star Joanna Ampil thanked Bobby “for giving me the most incredible gifts: the chance to meet my husband and most of all your wonderful friendship,” she wrote on her social media pages.
“Until we meet again, Bobby,” she said, as she posted some lines from “the Bridges of Madison County,” a play she worked on in 2015, where she met her husband, director Faust Peneyra.
Lea Salonga meanwhile simply posted a smiling photo with Garcia and a heart emoji but one may notice some glitters in her eyes that could have been tears.
Rachel Alejandro, who has acted in several Atlantis productions like 2010’s “Xanadu” and the Manila premiere of “Rock of Ages” in 2013, posted a photo of her and Garcia with a caption: “I love you, Bob. My director, mentor, Ninong and dearest friend.”
“Thank you for being a part of all of my life’s happiest moments and for the faith you put in me. Miss you already,” Rachel added.
Garcia put up Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group in 1999, partnering with Monique Wilson’s New Voice Company and staging “Rent” at the Music Museum only three years after its Broadway debut.
Since then, Atlantis has staged more than 50 plays and musicals, with Garcia inviting rock musicians and pop singers into the theaterfold.
Among them are Ice Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Mark Bautista, Wolfgang’s Basti Artadi, and The Dawn’s Jett Pangan, who mourned Garcia on socials.
Posting a group photo with Garcia, Jett said “it’s still hard to believe that he’s already flown from this world.”
“Thank you, Bob, for the many years of being cast in your musicals. They are unforgettable journeys. Rest now, my friend,” he added.
In his official Facebook fan page meanwhile, Wency Cornejo, vocalist of AfterImage, recalled how Garcia invited him to act in “Rent” sometime in the late ’90s, “at a centennial celebration in Subic, while waiting for my soundcheck/rehearsal.”
“a guy seated next to me started to chat me up saying I would be perfect for the role of Roger in ‘Rent,'” Wency narrated. Not knowing it was Garcia, Wency auditioned for the role, got accepted, and turned down the offer for “personal reasons.”
“I have always maintained that the decision to beg off from doing ‘Rent’ was one of my biggest career regrets, but in 2018, I had the opportunity to be part of another production by Atlantis and this time I committed 100% thus my participation in ‘Sideshow’.”
Garcia didn’t direct the show, but “his presence was palpable,” Wency said. “I remember during dress tech, 2 days before opening, he wanted the choreography and blocking of the opening changed and for someone with 2 left feet, I was horrified. But true to form, his foresight and creative decision made the number better. It is with a heavy heart that I bid you farewell Bobby. May you direct all the angels in heaven where you now belong.”
Among Garcia’s longest collaborators in the theater industry is Canada-based director-actor Steven Conde, who played the role of assistant director to Garcia in several productions of Atlantis Theatricals.
Conde told GMA News Online it was only last month when he and Garcia communicated. He said he worked with Garcia for about 10 straight years.
As tribute, he posted a photo of his mentor and friend in ski clothing, looking at the camera, on a snow-covered road surrounded by pine trees on what looked like mid-morning and the vanishing point is leading the viewer to the bright light of the sun.
Conde wrote: “How do you put into words losing someone who has been such a consistent part of your life for all these years. How do you grieve someone you are not ready to let go of.
“Direk Bob, as I type this post I still cannot believe you’ve gone. I was so excited to work with you again soon! It’s so hard to process how somebody who has been such a huge part of your life is just not there anymore. I don’t want to believe it. I really don’t. Thank you Direk for so many unforgettable years of my life on stage. You gave me a theatre family. You were my theatre family. You trusted me when others didn’t and because of you, I was able to experience the magic and joy of musicals over and over again.
“I will miss messaging with you and giving each other updates. I will miss joking around with you and exchanging pictures of our adventures. I will miss your hearty laugh. Thank you direk for being so consistently in touch and supportive as I ventured into a new journey abroad. Thank you for being a friend I needed when I felt alone. Thank you for your mentorship and for opening so many doors for me.
“I will miss you terribly. Terribly. I still have to figure out how to move forward Direk but I can already hear you saying ‘stop crying steven and just keep going’ in that commanding voice of yours, so I will do my best.
“The theatre world has lost another star. The world looks a tad darker today. Love you direk Bobby”
“Request sa Radyo” was his last directorial gig, and his Tony Award-winning costume designer Clint Ramos, joined the chorus of mourners, posting a promotional photo of Garcia published in Vogue Philippines and simply accompanying it with a broken heart emoji.
GMA News Online tried to get a message from “Request” actress Dolly de Leon, who politely declined, saying “she’s not ready for [any questions regarding Garcia’s demise].”
Instead, she posted a photo of Garcia inside a car on social media and said “we will always have NYC. I love you.”
The rehearsals for “Request Sa Radyo” were held at The Carriage House in New York the whole month of September.
Garcia never made it to the Manila premiere of the monumental play.
— LA, GMA Integrated News
