About Ren Robles

Ren Robles is a 29-year-old performer, playwright, traveler, and occasional website developer from the Philippines. He graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City in 2004 with a degree in AB Psychology.

Ren was first bitten by the acting bug when he joined Ateneo Blue Repertory (blueREP), a college musical theater organization, during his Senior year in 2003. His first production was the musical Bye Bye Birdie, where he played Mr. Harry MacAfee, the often overbearing yet loving father to Kim MacAfee. He followed that up with a role in the romantic comedy play Mr. 80% , playing Leslie Sullivan, a gay lawyer out to protect his friend Sharon Price. Even after graduating college, Ren continued to perform for blueREP. Other shows Ren has done for blueREP include Merrily We Roll Along, Sweet Charity, High School Musical, and Bat Boy: The Musical.

Ren has also performed for the Koine Theater Foundation, a group which offers performing arts scholarships for underprivileged children, raising funds by putting up one-act plays. Ren’s first one-act play was the madcap comedy S.A.W.I.: Single Ako, Warning Ito written by Jihan Estrella and directed by Niel de Mesa. Ren played Viktor, a muscle-bound lunkhead prone to fits of effemininity. Other shows for Koine include Sampung Minuto Bago Makaraos, Subtext, and Old Apologies.

In the summer of 2006, Ren joined the Adults Class in the Repertory Philippines Summer Theater Workshops, under the tutelage of theater veterans Robbie Guevara and Niccolo Manahan. The workshop culminated with a showcase production. By a stroke of fate, it was once again the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along. This time, Ren played the lead role of Charley Kringas, a writer set on pursuing his dreams. He was one of the three friends which the musical revolved around; Franklin Shepard was played by Harold Cruz, and Mary Flynn was played by Joy Alano. Musical direction was by Alex Drilon.

This was quickly followed Ren’s first major professional musical: Aladdin Jr., a stage adaptation of the hit Disney movie, for Repertory Philippines Children’s Theater (RCT). Ren returned onstage for RCT the following year with Cinderella Kids.

In addition to being a performer, Ren is also a playwright. While not the first play he has written, All I Want, a one-act romantic comedy about what one looks for in a perfect partner, was Ren’s first play that was staged. The show made its debut at Coffee Nook in SM Supercenter Pasig on May 29, 2008. The show was directed by Joy Alano and starred Pol Doble and Sab Jose. The premiere was such a success that it went on to extend its limited run by one weekend, and was even turned into a digital short film by Robbie Guevara. The play has also been performed in Antipolo (this time directed by Mia Marci and starring Altair Alonso and Jorja Hung). Ren has a few more plays that will soon see the light of day.

Aside from being a theater person, Ren is also a freelance website developer. Ren created the first unofficial fansite for the TV series Lost, Lost-TV. The site has been recognized by the show’s creators and producers, and consistently draws attention from fans and the press alike for its frequent updates and collection of information.

Ren hopes to continue doing theater for the rest of his life. He dedicates his career to God, his family, his closest friends, and of course, the ever-loving Charrie.

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