Making Changes: Expressions of Gratitude Aliw Pablo: Hi, Tita Bong, how are you? Tita Bong: I'm fine, Aliw. Thanks for having me. Aliw Pablo: Yes, you're so welcome. We invited you today because nearly 30 years ago, you did something for us. And it was so simple. I'm sure you never even thought about it. Tita Bong: That's way too long ago. That's a long time and you think at my age I'll remember that, right? Aliw Pablo: From INC Media Audio, this is Making Changes, a podcast about the changes we go through, and the life lessons we learn along the way, but always with God by our side. I'm your host, Aliw Garcia, Pablo. Aliw Pablo: Today, we're continuing our Thank You Series, which are surprised calls to people who have made a positive change in someone's life. It's simply a chance to say thank you. Aliw Pablo: And this time, it's my turn to show my gratitude. Today, I get to thank someone who was responsible for my love for Broadway musicals. Okay, but first, let's set the record straight. I can't sing. But you know, there is something about watching live stage musicals. It's the stories, it's the writing, it's the music. It's really storytelling at its finest. And my husband, Jason, I mean, I would, we would have never discovered our love for stage musicals together, and passed it over to our kids, if it wasn't for this person you're about to meet. And all this because of our aunt Eva, or who we fondly call Tita Bong. Come meet her! Aliw Pablo: Theatre for stage musicals. Do you remember what year that was…kind of? Tita Bong: Oh my gosh, what show was it? Aliw Pablo: It was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I think it was 1993, 94 was definitely mid-90’s. And I was in college, I think at the time and you know, and we had never, you know, Joy, and I, you know, my sister, we've never really been exposed to musicals, or live stage or anything. And I remember you asked us, Hey, do you guys want to go usher and we're like, usher? Oh, sure. And, you know, you even allowed us to bring our friends. You allowed us to invite their friends. It was all free. Aliw Pablo: So Tita Bong was a paid staff Usher at the theaters here in San Francisco. And when they were short staffed, they were allowed to invite volunteer ushers, and all we had to do was pass out playbills and show people to their seats. And once the show started, whatever empty seats there were, it was ours. Aliw Pablo: But you exposed us to musical theater that I don't think we would have ever been exposed to. I mean, Filipino parents don't necessarily encourage their kids to go watch musical theater. But it's something that, you know, Jason and I, we both really loved it. It was our first time seeing any kind of musical theater, we pass it down to our kids. And now that the Church has lots of stage musicals. I really believe that that's why our kids are so excited every time there's stage productions in the church, because we had exposed them to musical theater. And it's all because you had exposed us to musical theater. So 30 plus years later, Tita Bong I just wanted to say ‘thank you’ for that. Tita Bong: Oh, my goodness, you're most welcome. I haven't done it. I mean, that was back in. I started back in 1981. ‘81 was when I first started at the theater and like you for an initial introduction like that, I was hooked also. Aliw Pablo: Right. What was your first musical?