Profile

KARLO MARKO ALTOMONTE

(updated 2009)

Born on September 20, 1973, Karlo Marko Altomonte was first introduced to theater in 1984 in his mother, Gigi Dueñas’ Workshop for Creative Survival, a series of workshops designed for underprivileged children from various communities in Metro Manila. Four years later, in 1988, he auditioned for and was cast in the play “Francisco Maniago” directed by Nonon Padilla and produced by Tanghalang Pilipino at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He eventually ventured into stage management and was the Stage Manager for the Tanghalang Pilipino’s “Tonyo, Pepe at Pule” in 1990 which eventually went on a month-long national tour.

In 1991, he was cast in Cannes Palm D’Or awardee Raymond Red’s “Bayani.” This was followed by “Sakay” two years later also by the same director, where he played the role of “Francisco Carreon.”

In 1995, he founded a theater company, Open Space, which has since been based in Baguio City where the group stages its productions in various forms of expression.

Selected Artistic Credits

• Composer, Director and Designer - “KAFAGWAY: SA SALIW NG MGA GANGSA” a musical journey through Baguio’s history (Baguio City 2009)
• Writer, Director and Editor - “PORTRAIT OF A HILL STATION” a video documentary on the history of Baguio (Baguio City 2008)
• Composer, Director and Designer - “PAG-IBIG SA TINUBUANG LUPA” a musical revue featuring the poetry of our country’s National Heroes set to music (Baguio City 2008)
• Director and Designer - “JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR” a rock-opera by Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice (Baguio City 2006, 2009)
• Director and Designer - “ANG PAGLILITIS NI MANG SERAPIO” a play by Paul Dumol (Baguio City 2007)
• Director and Designer - “ONCE ON THIS ISLAND” a musical by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Baguio City 2004, 2005, 2006)
• Director and Designer - “EYES OF GAUZE” a performance-art piece (Baguio City 2005)
• Playwright, Composer, Director and Designer - “MANIFEST DESTINY” a play on the life of Paciano Rizal (Baguio City 2002, 2004, 2005)
• Playwright, Composer, Director and Designer - “PANGARAP” a musical on the life of Fernando G. Bautista (Baguio City 2003, 2005)
• Director and Designer - “TONYO/PEPE” two one-act plays by Rene Villanueva and Malou Jacob (Baguio City 1997-98, 2002-04)
• Director and Designer - “PADI IGOROT” a musical on the history of the Episcopal Church in the Cordilleras (Baguio City 2001-02)
• Director and Designer - “CYRANO DE BERGERAC” a play by Edmond Rostadt  (Baguio City 2000)
• Director and Designer - “MGA INA NG BAYAN” three monologues by Rene Villanueva and Malou Jacob (Baguio City 1999)
• Playwright, Composer, Director and Designer - “TAGUAN, HABULAN, PATINTERO” a play on children’s rights (Baguio City 1998)
• Director and Designer - “A PRELUDE TO A KISS” a play by Craig Lucas (Baguio City 1997)
• Director and Designer - “SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL” a performance-art piece by Eric Bogosian (Baguio City 1996, 1999, 2000, 2005)
• Director and Designer - “JC-LIVE!” a benefit concert (Malate, Manila 1995)

Selected Acting Credits – FILM

• “Himpapawid” as “Karlo” (supporting role) - A full-length film by Raymond Red, 2009
• “Rangtay” as “Jun” (cameo) - A collaborative work between local filmmakers Ferdinand Balanag, Padma Perez and Kawayan de Guia, 2006
• “Abong” as “Jun” (cameo) - A film by Koji Imaizumi, 2001
• “Soldier Boyz” as “Radio Operator” (cameo) - An American production filmed locally,  1995
• “In the Name of the Queen” as “Soldier” (cameo) - A Dutch production filmed locally, 1994-95
• “Sakay” as “Francisco Carreon” (supporting role) - A film by Raymond Red, 1993
• “Bayani” as “Procopio” (supporting role) - A film by Raymond Red, 1991

Selected Acting Credits – THEATER

• “Tonyo/Pepe” as “Tonyo” and “Pepe” (lead roles) - Produced by Open Space Projects
  at the Bulwagang Juan Luna of UP Baguio (1997), Griffiths Theater, Brent School Baguio (1998), SLU-CCA Theater, BCF Theater and Lorma College, San Fernando La Union (2001), Daet, Camarines Norte (2002), Cordillera Career Development College (2003), CAP Auditorium - Baguio (2004), Lingayen, Pangasinan; Candon, Ilocos Sur (2006), Lipa, Batangas (2008)
• “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll” 11 different characters - Produced by Open Space Projects at the UC (formerly BCF) Theater and Bulwagang Juan Luna, UPCB (1996), Griffiths Theater, Brent School Baguio (1999), University of Baguio Gym (2000), Dap-ayan, University of Baguio (2005), Café by the Ruins (2007)
• “Manifest Destiny” as “Paciano” (lead role) - Produced by Open Space Projects at the Griffiths Theater, Brent International School – Baguio (2002), CAP Auditorium (2004), Dap-ayan, University of Baguio (2005)
• “A Prelude to a Kiss” as “Old Man” (major role) - Produced by Open Space Projects at the Mountain Breeze Theater, Camp John Hay (1997)
• “Kiss of the Spiderwoman” as “Valentin” (major role) - at the UC (formerly BCF) Theater, Baguio City (2000)
• “La Mandragola” as “Callimaco” (major role) - Produced by The Workshop for Infinite Media at the Victor Oteyza Community Arts Space (VOCAS), La Azotea, Baguio City (2004)
• “Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio” as “Serapio” (lead role) - A thesis production directed by Marcial Tarnate at the Bulwagang Juan Luna, UP Baguio (2000)
• ”Baguio Stories” as “Jefferson” (monologue) - Produced by Dulaang UP at the Bulwagang Juan Luna, UP Baguio (1999)
• “Sisa” as “Pedro” (major role) - Produced by The Poveda Learning Center, Greenhills, San Juan (1989)
• “Cyrano de Bergerac” as “Brissaille," "Soldier" and "Poet" (minor roles) - Produced by Tangahalang Pilipino at the Tanghalang Aurelio V. Tolentino, CCP Little Theater (1988-89)
• “El Camino Real” as “Soldier” (cameo) - Produced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, CCP Main Theater (1988)
• “Francisco Maniago” as “Taongbayan" and "Maniago's son" (minor roles) - Produced by Tanghalang Pilipino at the Tanghalang Aurelio V. Tolentino, CCP Little Theater (1988)

Selected Miscellaneous Credits

• Columnist - Cordillera Today, 2007-present
• Contributor - Sunstar-Baguio, 2009-present
• Artist-in-Residence - University of Baguio, Dec. 2004 – March, 2006
• Columnist - Skyland News, 2002-2004
• Speaker / Resource Person - various symposia on theater at the St. Louis University
• Facilitator - DepEd/NCCA Theater Workshop for teachers of the DepEd’s Special Program for the Arts, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 
• Artist-in-Residence - Brent International School – Baguio, 1999
• Member - National Artist Awards Preliminary Nomination Committee, 1999
• Member - Interim Board of Directors, Baguio Arts Guild, 1998-99
• Coordinator - Miss Saigon Auditions - Manila, 1989-1994
• Resident Apprentice Stage Manager - Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1991
• Stage Manager -Tanghalang Pilipino for its productions of “Tonyo, Pepe at Pule” and “Ang Memorandum, 1990
• Assistant Stage Manager - Tangahalang Pilipino for its productions of “Larawan” (1988) and “Bayan-bayanan” (1989)
• Stage Crew - CHASE International, various productions, 1988-1990
• Production/Stage Manager - CHASE International, various productions, 1991-1994
• Marketing Director / Production Department Head - Alpha Omega Productions, 1993