stories from raine...

The Gifted One...

"Be the best that you can be and money will follow."

Those were the inspiring words of 36 year-old stage actor, Nap Ching.
Nap is a Tsinoy, thus making him a little devoted to business. It really wasn't his dream to act. At an early age he realized that he must earn money. But as he grew up, his perceptions have changed. He developed an intimate feeling for acting and performing.

He had his first exposure when he was still in grade school. Starred in a play entitled "Jonah and the Big Fish," he reminisced his moments as it was only him and the "Big Fish" acting on stage. When he reached college, he had an exam wherein he could write his answers or act them out. And again, his acting skill helped him as he passed the test by just acting out his answers.

Nap became a part of a theater group before he underwent an acting workshop. As a professional stage actor, he really enjoyed his job. For him, every show is memorable especially when he got his first paycheck. However, being a stage actor doesn't promise a regular income. After every show, he had to audition for another one. So while he's not on stage, he teaches gymnastics for kids.

As he enters the spotlight, the audience would not see Nap. But instead, they would see what he is portraying. Every show transformed him into a new being. On the other hand, he describes himself as a passionate, funny and optimistic theater guy. He doesn't take criticisms as negative comments. For him, those were like giving tips for him to improve. His will to learn made him stay young and be capable of achieving more success.

Playing humorous roles is what he loves. He wants his audience to smile and laugh inspite of today's hardships. With his comic acting , he was able to join ABS-CBN's “Clown in a Million”
hosted by Bayani Agbayani and Vhong Navarro. And being part of it is one of his biggest breaks.

Nap never rejected any role for theater. But when he had an opportunity to do a television commercial for a brand of liquor and a cigarette, he refused to accept it. He didn't want to break his stand that he must serve as a role model especially for kids. To put it simply, he didn't want to go against his principles.

But God was really good to him. After rejecting the said commercial, a blessing knocked at his door. He was offered to do a television advertisement for Globe Telecommunications with young actor Geoff Eigenmann. With that, he added another big achievement to his list.

Between performing on stage and doing commercials, he prefers the former. He likes seeing the reactions of his audience as he performs, and with his dramatic performances, he always had an instant reward, unlike in commercials that he had to wait for them to be aired before receiving some response. Also, the reactions that he could get were only from those who know him personally. Plus, it was already polished before it was aired to the public.


Nap doesn't have any dream role. But aside from his passion for comic roles, he also enjoys being a villain. On the other hand, he desires to work with the people behind any stage play or show. He really appreciates the tasks of the directors and the creative team. For him, the actors would be nothing without them.

With all of his achievements, Nap knows that he would go farther. Considering his attitude and passion for the craft, he would surely reach the top. He always makes the best out of his talent and for as long as the stage calls him, he would surely never stop sharing his gift.

posted by raine @ 4:22 PM