Rachelle Ann Go opens up about ‘working 24/7’ as a mother and Les Misérables star
From performing at musical variety shows in the Philippines to making waves as a broadway star across the globe, Rachelle Ann Go has hit a home run in her career.
This month, she is set to reprise her character in Les Misérables—the longest-running musical in the world. It’s something she’s been doing from time to time since she landed the role in 2015, but this one feels a lot different as she will, in her own words, be “working 24/7.”
By that, she doesn’t mean donning her songstress hat the entire time. It means having to align her schedules with her one-year-old son Lukas Judah, whom she decided to bring with her to the UK & Ireland tour kicking off on May 16.
“I know it’s going to be tough preparing during the day, for the show, and at the same time, taking care of Lukas,” she confessed. While that’s the case, she also knows it’s doable because she has encountered many people “who did it and who are doing it as well.”
For her, it would boil down to equal parts sacrifice and time management. “By the time he eats his dinner around 5:30, that’s the time I’m going to work, so matutulog na siya sa time na ‘yun. I think I’m basically going to be working 24/7. I feel like gising sa umaga and then I’ll be home at like 11:30 or 12 midnight after the show,” she said.
“I’m excited about this new season,” she told PhilSTAR L!fe. “Up to now, I feel like I’m not ready yet but it’s going to be fun.”
Despite her busy schedule and the time difference—I’m in Manila, she’s in London—it was quite a breeze to book a chat with Rachelle. Negotiations between doing an audio call via Whatsapp and having it on camera via Zoom just needed to be made as she doesn’t have a nanny and she had to make sure everything was okay with her son before our virtual interview.
Talking to the international musical theater actress was like talking to a friend. She opened up about her fears as a mother, starting from safety concerns and the time Lukas gets to eat solids, moving on to the future, when he could become too shy to shower her with kisses like he does so now.
Sometimes, when I’m so tired, I just have to pat myself on the back and just remind myself, ‘Yeah, I’m doing okay.'
Even so, all I saw was a supermom who is fulfilled, dedicated, and certain of herself. “My greatest accomplishment would be, one is pushing him out and probably when he hit his first year as well, thinking that we managed to do it for a year as parents,” she recalled.
Lukas turned a year older on March 6. “As a mom, ang dami mong takot at first but now you’re thinking ‘Oh my gosh, I shouldn’t have thought of that’ or ‘Hindi ako dapat nag-worry’ kasi it turned out good, he turned out healthy and one year’s down,” she continued.
Her love tank, she said, has been full since she started her motherhood journey. “I think just seeing him every day, that’s basically an accomplishment for me. Seeing him healthy and happy, that’s such a big thing for me."
In Les Miz, Rachelle plays the role of Fantine, who had to take care of her daughter Cosette by herself amid the abandonment and loneliness left by the latter’s father. In real life, Rachelle is happily married to Martin Spies, with whom she shares their son.
It’s safe to say that the most common denominator for Rachelle and Fantine is that they are both mothers who have gone through their own set of struggles.
As a hands-on mom, one thing she has learned so far is the importance of giving herself grace. “Sa sobrang hirap, parang meron tayong ‘I feel guilty’ sometimes, but you just have to understand that you cannot do everything at the same time so you just have to give yourself grace every single day,” she said.
There are times she would give herself a pep talk and tell herself she’s doing a good job. “Sometimes, when I’m so tired, I just have to pat myself on the back and just remind myself, ‘Yeah, I’m doing okay’ and I’m doing the right thing as long as he’s happy,” she added, saying everything’s well worth it at the end of the day. “Kahit na I’m so tired, I’m feeling so much love and appreciation from him. It’s really special.”
You cannot do everything at the same time so you just have to give yourself grace every single day.
Rachelle’s biggest goal for her child is for him to grow up as a godly man. “That’s our number one priority—to guide him to be kind, to be generous, just to have a big heart, basically, and to just share love. I feel like our world needs that.”
“For us, parents, and as a mom, I feel like I have that responsibility and that’s my purpose as well—to just guide him and to hone him to be a good person,” the singer continued.
With all that’s been going on in her life, what’s next for the international theater actress? “New baby!” she let out a laugh. “I’m kidding! No, not yet.”
For now, it’s really just about cherishing every single moment with her son. “I love dreaming, I love planning, but I guess I just want to keep spending time with Lukas, just really enjoy this season with my baby because time flies. All the moms, alam nila lahat ‘yan,” Rachelle said.
Aside from finding a good community for Lukas, Rachelle hopes that, like Fantine—who is most famous for the Les Mis song I Dreamed A Dream—he won’t be afraid to achieve great heights when he grows older. “Life is hard, but he can do anything he can and he can go through anything. We will always be here for him.”
“He can dream whatever he wants to do in life, he can do it. Just believe. Like what I did in my life, I dreamt of things and I was able to do it. I just want him to believe in that and to always claim that he’ll be able to do anything,” she declared.
