Although Markki Stroem already has his own place, a condo unit he shares with friends, the Filipino-Norwegian crooner still looks forward to going home in Antipolo.
“When I go home, what I most look forward to is the food. I can go to the fridge and just eat anything I want. I look forward to seeing my dogs because I rarely see them now,” says Markki who adores his two golden retrievers, Odin and Troy.
A triathlete, Markki also goes home to his collection of medals displayed in his bedroom; and to his troll collection showcased in the dining area. These are the ugly-looking, authentic Norwegian trolls, he qualifies.
“I got my first troll when I was seven years old. There are some back in Norway, maybe 50 of them. Some are gifts, some are my brothers’. Why troll? Because they ’ re Norwegian, they’re the embodiment of Norwegian folklore. All the bad things in the world, the trolls, the vikings, all the barbarians, are from Norway. But the funny thing is, they’re actually the nicest people. I think it’s just a projection. They just want to show that they have a tough exterior, but they’re really friendly,” Markki explains.
On weekends, he spends quality time with his two younger brothers. “When they’re not doing homework, we swim, we kick ball, play computer games on PSP3 or on the Wii, watch TV or movie. It’s a fun house. I find like it’s a country club, how my dad built it.”
Up on a roof
Of all the parts of the house, Markki considers the roof as his favorite hang-out place.
“It’s the calmest place in the house. I enjoy the peace, especially at night with all the stars, just chilling up there, having conversations under the stars. Whenever my friends come over, we go at the top and check it out. It’s a beautiful view,” he says.
Thespian Markki
Although Markki was not able to clinch the top spot in the first season of Pilipinas Got Talent, the local franchise of a British reality-based talent search, he was given a chance to be part of a compilation album, and an afternoon series on TV5.
He will also soon make his debut on prfessional stage as he plays Henry in Atlantis Productions’ “Next To Normal,” a highly-anticipated staging of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning musical which will run all weekends of March starting this Friday at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.
“Acting has been an inlet passion that I’ve had. It’s my first professional play and it’s amazing to be working with Menchu Lauchengco, Jett Pangan and director Bobby Garcia. It is a difficult role to play. Henry is a stoner but he’s also ADHD, so the role is contrasting. He’s all over the place but when he smokes, he’s kind of chill. The challenge is playing that mixture and knowing to be what. The music is intense as well.”
To prepare for the musical, Markki went through a series of workshops under Kitchie Molina. “I still get scared before getting on stage. Usually I freak out, but now it’s getting less. For ‘Next to Normal,’ I pray that I get stage fright because you can’t come on the stage and think that you’re so perfect,” adds the budding thespian.
Markki has always been in love with musical theater. He has done a few plays in high school and with Repertory Philippines such as “Pippin,” “Babes in Toyland,” “The Wiz” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”.
Among his dream roles are Melchior in “Spring Awakening,” Roger in “Rent,” Benny in “In The Heights,” Fiyero in “Wicked,” Joseph in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” and Chris in “Miss Saigon.”
After “Next to Normal,” Markki will start work on his first solo album where he will be writing some of the songs. “I'm in a relationship with my music. It's what I want to do and it's what I want to cultivate,” he ends.
(credits: Jaser Marasigan)
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