A theater professional from the Philippines, Joel’s body of work has granted him Permanent Residency status in the US as an “alien of extraordinary ability and achievement.”

He has performed in over 50 plays and musicals, including the Asian Premieres of AVENUE Q and THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (Philippines and Singapore); SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT (La MaMa Theater); and PROOF (opposite Tony and Olivier Award-winner Lea Salonga). On screen, he has acted alongside the likes of Bob Hoskins (in NORIEGA: GOD’S FAVORITE), Connie Nielsen (in THE GREAT RAID), Jeff Fahey (in CRASH POINT), and Christian Kane (in the Amazon series ALMOST PARADISE), among many others.

A prolific writer as well as an actor, Joel has penned a dozen original librettos, most of which have been successfully produced and in his home country (and most of which he directed himself): BREAKUPS & BREAKDOWNS (music by Rony Fortich); AFTER EVER AFTER (story by Nicky Triviño, music by Jon Vera Perez); GUADALUPE: THE MUSICAL (music by Ejay Yatco); and FAIRY TALE RESCUE (music by Reggie Tan and Onyl Torres), to name but a few. He’s also written more than a hundred short plays (many of which have been produced in NYC). His latest musical (created with composer Luke Simnett) is the two-person comedy A TALE OF TWO (based on A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens), which premiered in London in July 2024.