Cris Villonco

Cris Villonco is a Filipino performance artist whose credits include performances in theater, television, film, album recordings, music videos, and advertisements. She is currently associated with Repertory Philippines.

Villonco's singing career began when she was only nine years old, prodded by her grandmother, showbiz industry crusader and former MTRCB chief Armida Siguion-Reyna. She first gained public attention when she sang the theme song for the ABS-CBN morning series Hiraya Manawari which was composed by Ryan Cayabyab. In her teens, she rose to prominence as a solo artist after the release of her teen pop song "Crush Ng Bayan".

In 2000, she was featured in TIME Magazine (International Edition) as a Hero For The Planet. Villonco had her first solo concert Cris at Dish in August 2003, a year which also saw the release of her third album for Viva Records. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in May 2006, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree with concentrations in Music and Economic Development. In 2007, she worked for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Manila and Asia Society Philippines. Villonco then returned to theatre, appearing in such roles as Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof and Ophelia in Ana Abad Santos-Bitong's steampunk-influenced Hamlet, for Repertory Philippines. In November 2016, she is starring as Alison Bechdel in the first international production of Fun Home, which premiered in Manila, alongside Lea Salonga as Helen and Eric Kunze as Bruce. The production is directed by Bobby Garcia. A review in ABS-CBN News said that she delivers "a heartbreaking performance ... often using only her expressive face to suggest the wave of emotions inside her. Her solo 'Telephone Wire', about the pall of what's unsaid between Alison and her father during [an] ill-fated drive dramatically captured the inner turmoil that Villonco lugs with her even after the curtain call."

Villonco has had a varied career as an artist, with credits in Theatre, Television, Film, Album recordings, Music videos, and advertisements.

Theatre

• Les Misérables (Little Cosette/Eponine) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Jack and the Beanstalk (with Repertory Philippines)
• Larawan (Patsy) (with Musicat)
• Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Frances) (with Actors, Actors, Inc.),
• Alikabok (Bising Vallejo) (with Musicat)
• Cinderella (Cinderella) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Fiddler On The Roof (Hodel) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Love Labor's Lost (Lydia Lansing) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Hamlet (Ophelia) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Orosman at Zafira (Zafira) (with Dulaang UP)
• Mulan Jr. (Mulan) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Romeo and Bernadette (Bernadette) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Legally Blonde the Musical (Vivienne Kensington) (with Atlantis Productions)
• A Little Night Music (Anne Egerman) (with Atlantis Productions)
• The Joy Luck Club (Waverly Jong) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Shakespeare in Hollywood (with Repertory Philippines)
• Simon's Way
• Noli Me Tangere the Musical (Maria Clara)
• The Sound of Music (Maria Rainer) (with The Ultimate Entertainment)
• Leading Ladies (Meg) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Jekyll and Hyde (Emma Carew) (with Repertory Philippines)
• Trumpets 4Faith presents Castrato (with Trumpets)
• Walang Sugat (Julia) (with Tanghalang Pilipino)
• D' Wonder Twins of Boac (Viola/Cesar) (with PETA)
• Closer (Alice) (with Red Turnip Theater)
• Mga Ama Mga Anak (Bessie) (with Tanghalang Pilipino)
• Ghost the Musical (Molly Jensen) (with Atlantis Productions)
• Bituing Walang Ningning (Lavinia Arguelles) (with Monica Cuenco)

Television

• Aawitan Kita (television series)
• ASAP (variety television show)
• SOP (variety television show)
• Numerous television drama and musical specials.
• Ang Dalubhasa. (Film, co-starring Fernando Poe Jr.)
• Maalaala Mo Kaya. Cellphone episode
• Ang Lihim ni Annasandra (Drama series)

Album Recordings

• One Smile At A Time (BMG Records) (1997)
• A Girl Can Dream (BMG Records) (2000)
• Cris Villonco (VIVA Records) (2003)

Music Videos

• Hindi Ko Masabi (1999 MTV Philippines Favorite Female Video Award),
• It's You, (The Problem Is You) (BMG),
• Bago Mapagod ang Puso (VIVA),
• Kasali Ka (Code NGO),
• The Jubilee Song (National Eucharistic Congress).

Advertisements

• Pop Cola Soft Drink,
• the PLDT Centennial ad campaign, and the
• 1996 Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) ad campaign.