RICCI is an actor, singer, writer, teacher, stylist, host, musician and makeup artist.
He started performing at the age of 8 with the Ateneo Boys’ Choir, and has since made a career out of being a thespian, having done countless productions with the country’s top theatre groups, notably with Repertory Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino for the CCP, Dulaang UP, New Voice Company and PETA, to name a few. He is best known for his critically-acclaimed performance as ANGEL in the 1999 production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical RENT; as the helpless and hilarious JOSHUA in the premiere run of the smash camp hit TEMPTATION ISLAND at the CCP; was well received by the critics for his performance in ALL ABOUT MEN: PENIS TALKS 1 & 2, to which he credits his 2004 Aliw Award for Best Actor In A Musical to; his sidesplitting take as DIDI in the original hit production of ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH ZE MUZIKAL at the CCP; his notable portrayal of KYLA in PETA’s original hit musical CAREDIVAS, and most recently, his exceptional interpretation of the role of MONOTOMIA for PETA, Cornerstone Entertainment & ABS-CBN’s co-production of AKO SI JOSEPHINE featuring the songs of Yeng Constantino. He has honed his craft in the last 3 decades in other various productions for the stage including DIVINAS PALABRAS; THE WOMEN; LA VIUDA ALEGRE; EL PUBLICO; A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM; THE WINTER’S TALE; LOVE’S LABOURS LOST; THE THREEPENNY OPERA; & NO EXIT to name a few. Ricci has also facilitated workshops on Acting, Singing and Musical Theatre for The New Voice Company, and has also done Musical Direction for plays produced by Repertory Philippines and Tanghalang Ateneo.
When he is not indulging in his theatre, Ricci busies himself with TV & Film. On the small screen, he can be seen in many a soap operas for all major networks, as a series regular for the notable soaps NARITO ANG PUSO KO, STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, SA DULO NG WALANG HANGGAN, MAGING SINO KA MAN & FOR LOVE OR MONEY; for the hilarious sitcom JOHN & SHIRLEY opposite the King of Comedy Dolphy; served as a main judge for the beauty-reality TV show BUHAY BEAUTY QUEEN; and was a co-host for ABS-CBN’s then daily morning show MAGANDANG UMAGA PILIPINAS, and Studio 23’s youth-oriented debate show YSPEAK. In film, he was first seen in The 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival entry MARKOVA, which has since been shown and toured around different international film festivals, and has since been playing next to some of the country’s biggest stars in the movies NO OTHER WOMAN, HERE COMES THE BRIDE, ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK 1 & 2, ANG TANGING INA, ALWAYS BE MY MAYBE, EDSA WOOLWORTH, BEAUTY IN A BOTTLE, and much more.
Ricci can also be seen doing beautiful and famous faces on magazines, commercials, and print ads. He is part of the makeup and style group PROPAGANDA. He has done the cover for all of the major glossies in the country, painted the faces for countless beauty TV commercials here and abroad, as well as styled dozens of billboards lining the metropolis. He was the head image stylist for the first season of TV5’s PHILIPPINE IDOL and has since been the go-to person for styling for many other shows and celebrities since. His hands have touched most of the country’s major stars, and when he is not busy doing his makeup magic on his select client list, he can be seen teaching the art of makeup at the ATENEO, where he serves as lecturer for Theatre Makeup Design for its Fine Arts Program. Aside from this, he also contributes as a writer to most of these major magazines in his spare time.
Outside of the performing world, Ricci is also a musical director and a songwriter, and was nominated in 2003 by the Awit Awards for Best Composition for the song STAY, which he co-wrote with Carol Banawa & Andoy Ranay. He is also an album producer, having served as creative producer for David Pomeranz’s 2007 album HOLD TIGHT and Nancy Castiglione’s dance album NANCY JANE, where he also served as songwriter & creative director. Aside from these, Ricci provided the movie “100” its theme song entitled THE HARDEST PART OF LETTING GO, where he received nominations from The Entertainment Press of the Philippines (The 6th Golden Screen Awards) & The Philippine Movie Press Club (The 25th Star Awards for Movies) for Best Original Theme Song in 2009.
