In Good Company: Arman Ferrer and Shiela Valderrama Lift the Velvet Rope in ‘As We Are’

Onstage power duo Shiela Valderrama and Arman Ferrer are set to celebrate eight years of collaboration and friendship told through songs and harmonies in a special one-night-only concert titled “As We Are.” The show is an opportunity for both theater mainstays to step beyond the memorable characters they usually play in musicals and reveal who they are as individual performers in their most authentic and personal concert yet.

For both, timing was everything. “It just feels like the right time,” Valderrama reflects. “After years of performing together, we’ve grown so much—individually and as a duo. The chemistry, the timing, everything just aligned. ‘As We Are’ is our way of celebrating that journey.”

Individually, they have been celebrated stage actors, together, the pair has consistently proven this unmistakable chemistry throughout productions they’ve worked on over the years. From “Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag” (2017), their relationship–both onstage and after the curtain comes down–has bloomed into a special connection that extends beyond events, concerts, and string of well-attended shows.

On Arman: Top and pants, both Antonina. On Shiela: Blazer, beaded top and pants, all Antonina. Photographed by Chris Cantos.

“We were first paired in a musical back in 2017, and after that, we just kept getting cast together–one project after another. We discovered along the way that we have really good chemistry and similar work habits, so performing together started to feel effortless. Over time, that turned into a kind of creative rhythm–we just get each other on and off stage,” shares Valderrama.

“There’s a deeper comfort now, where we don’t even have to say much to understand what the other is going for,” she adds.

This special connection, which synchronizes their creative rhythm, is the heart of “As We Are.” Through their numerous collaborations, the two performers have built even greater trust in each other, both musically and emotionally. This powered both to flourish in their craft.

Their collaboration revealed just how effortless it is to perform as a duo, sharing an unspoken understanding on stage where a single glance can convey a message only the two of them can comprehend. Their tandem clicked naturally, and the support they offered each other felt instinctive.

Photographed by Chris Cantos.

“We know the capabilities of each other personally but to be able for us to last this long it’s the building of the friendship that’s important,” Ferrer highlights.

Learning comes naturally for the both of them. For Valderrama, working with her long-time stage partner has long served as a calming experience, where “breathing and trusting the process” is of vital importance. His calm and steady demeanor perfectly balances her energy. For Ferrer, it is the value of sincerity and the importance of being a genuine person, imprinted to him by his constant life and stage collaborator.

“As artists you learn from each other the basic skills you need to do to be successful in your career but from our friendship, from Shiela, I learned a lot in becoming a better person,” he furthers.

Photographed by Chris Cantos.

“As We Are really came from a simple idea – to finally do something that’s ours,” Valderrama declares.

After years of shared spotlight and a creative bond built through countless productions, “As We Are” feels like a natural next step in their artistic journey—a moment that everything they’ve built finally converges into something that’s truly their own.

For Ferrer, the concert marks both a celebration and a long overdue milestone. “We’ve been singing for eight years now, so we thought why not celebrate our friendship and music together,” he says. “It’s very rare that you get to share a concert with someone who’s talented and hardworking and most especially your best friend.”

Unlike their previous collaborations, “As We Are” removes the layers of performance to reveal something more personal for the duo.

“People have seen us perform together in musicals or as guest artists in concerts, but ‘As We Are’ is different because it’s really our show. This time, we’re not playing characters or fitting into someone else’s story — we’re telling our own. It’s more personal and honest. You’ll still see the same connection and teamwork people know us for, but in a more relaxed way,” Valderrama describes.

Ferrer then echoed this with sincerity saying that this one-night-only concert is an invitation for people to see them differently than the usual professional “Shiela and Arman” they always get to see onstage.

“We would like people to see who we really are as friends and as individuals. In a production or an event, we hide behind the character, but in our concert we come as we are. What you see is what you get,” he continues.

Photographed by Chris Cantos.

Behind the show’s concept lies an equally thoughtful creative process—one that is grounded in trust and long-built artistic kinship.

“When it came to choosing our director and musical director, it was important for us to work with people who really know us—people we’ve worked with before and trust creatively,” Valderrama discloses. She believes that having that kind of connection makes a huge difference, with everything boiling down to understanding their instincts, their rhythm, and their choices in telling a story through music.

Ferrer describes this decision to collaborate with Director Nelsito Gomez and Musical Director Ejay Yatco, both accomplished theater geniuses, as an “automatic choice.” But beyond their stature as “amazing artists”, it is their friendship with the two that brought this decision to the fore—how it doesn’t feel like they’re working when they’re with people who respect and listen to them and vice versa.

Beyond the stage, their bond continues to evolve and is something that goes beyond stage collaboration. “The discoveries are on the personal side,” Ferrer says. “Throughout the years, we’ve learned how to deal with each other’s personalities. The likes and the dislikes, the mood swings, the pet peeves, how to motivate each other in different situations, you learn all these during the past years.”

Photographed by Chris Cantos.

And even as “As We Are” stands as a glowing milestone in their shared journey, both artists continue to look ahead.

“For me, I hope to keep doing more shows and taking on roles that challenge and fulfill me—something that keeps me growing as an artist,” Valderrama discloses. “At the same time, I’d love to explore producing or creating projects. It’s really about continuing the work I love and staying inspired. And of course, I’d love to keep performing and traveling—that’s something that will always make me happy.”

Ferrer echoes this, expressing gratitude and optimism for what lies ahead. He hopes to continue doing the work they love, performing, collaborating, and creating together, while cherishing the rare privilege of building both a career and a lasting friendship side by side. For him, being able to share a musical life with his best friend is nothing short of a gift.

“As We Are” goes beyond the definition of a concert but a culmination of friendship, artistry, and years of shared growth. For Ferrer and Valderrama, it serves as both a reflection and a rediscovery, a chance to stand before their audience not as characters but as their true selves, raw and simply as they are.

Produced by Noel Ferrer and David Cosico, the curtain rises for “As We Are” on October 18, 2025 at the Globe Auditorium of the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Ticket prices are ₱3,500 (Orchestra Center), ₱3,000 (Orchestra Side), ₱2,500 (Loge Center), ₱2,000 (Loge Side), ₱1,500 (Balcony Center), and ₱1,000 (Balcony Side).