Delia Clark-Bautista began theatre at the age of 17. Delia was interested in musical theatre, but had only trained in dance and music up until that point. Realizing she didn’t know how to act, she applied to John Abbott College’s Professional Theatre Program and was lucky enough to be accepted. From there, she discovered all of the possibilities theatre offers in terms of storytelling. She also fell in love with the art form. Delia found an incredible community within her ensemble, where she felt safe to explore her potential as an artist. In theatre, she learned to embrace my curiosity for human nature, and my imagination and creativity as an artist. Delia continue to be inspired by the incredible artists she get to work with. She loves to discover new ways to connect people through story.

Experience

Delia Clark-Bautista (she/her) is an actor, dancer, and singer training at Sheridan College’s Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Program. She previously completed a diploma in Professional Theatre Acting at John Abbott College. She has also trained in various dance styles for over ten years, as well as studied piano and voice. Delia finds inspiration for her work from her training in different artistic disciplines, as well as her mixed cultural heritage. Connection and communication are important themes for her, especially between people from different walks of life. She aims to create and tell compelling stories with the hope of bringing people together.

Education

Delia Clark-Bautista is an actor, dancer, singer and aspiring theatre creator. She studied classical piano throughout elementary and high school before switching to studying voice. She studied ballet at l’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec’s professional training program during high school, and went on to train in many styles at Ballet Montreal Performing Arts. Additionally, Delia had the opportunity to train in contemporary dance as a member of the Sonia Balazovjech Dance Company (SBDC). She studied theatre at John Abbott College, where she graduated and obtained a Technical Diploma in Professional Theatre Acting. Delia also completed the ARTISTA mentorship program for emerging theatre artists with Imago Theatre in 2021. She completed an Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre at Sheridan College where she is studying theatre, music, and dance.

Additional Experience

Delia’s past theatre experience mainly comes from her training at John Abbott College. She had the opportunity to perform in productions of Peter and the Starcatcher, Pride and Prejudice, and The Laramie Project. Her first musical theatre experience was Mamma Mia at NUVO Theatre.

Select dance credits include

• Magic
• Feed to Feed
• Beverly with the Sonia Balazovjech Dance Company
• UBUNTU 2020, an interdisciplinary dance project directed by Liberté-Anne Lymberiou and Tina Struthers
• Loin Loin de la Ville, a music video for Bruno Pelletier, choreographed by Connie Rotella.

Delia has had the opportunity to create her own work as an artist/writer through the ARTISTA mentorship program with Imago Theatre. She also worked on theatre and dance creation projects within the Music Theatre Program at Sheridan College.

Summer Ensemble Member 2022

Delia Clark-Bautista is a member of Crane Creations Theatre Company’s 2022 Summer Ensemble. This was Crane Creations Fourth Annual Summer Ensemble.

What is Summer Ensemble?

The Summer Ensemble is an 8 week training program for theatre artists. In this paid working opportunity, artists learn skills required to be a professional artist in Canada. They gain valuable insights into the theatre industry in Canada and abroad. To apply artists must be between 18 and 30 years of age. Delia’s favourite part so far is the ensemble! She feels so lucky to be a part of such a qualified and inspiring group. Everyone has different training and backgrounds and unique gifts to offer.

Summer Ensemble is collaboration.

Delia Clark-Bautista

Who is Delia Clark-Bautista? An Interview with Delia

Where are you from?

I’m originally from Montreal.

What is your favourite thing about your hometown?

I love the multiculturalism and appreciation for the arts. Montreal has a very big performing arts scene, including dance, circus and many forms of theatre. Along with the coexistence of many cultures, these various art forms coexist and even combine to create new and exciting works. For someone with mixed cultural heritage and an interest in many art forms, this was a great place to grow up.

What are your favourite plays and why?

Currently, my favourite musical is Hadestown! The music is unlike anything I’ve heard on Broadway before, and it’s written by a woman. Also, so many of the roles were originated by diverse actors which is inspiring for emerging artists who previously have not seen people like themselves on stage. I also really like the play Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl.

Do you have any hobbies?

I love to read. My goal is to become better acquainted with the “classics” or landmark pieces of literature. I’m slowly working my way through a list. I want to read the books and works that are referenced in other works of art, or that people bring up in conversation. I realize many works that are considered classics were written by a certain type of person, so I am ready to dig a little deeper to diversify my reading list. Regardless of the author, certain works are well-known for a reason and have had a lasting impact on society, so I think as an artist, it is important for me to become acquainted with them, and understand their influence on later works.

What is your favourite food?

I love mushrooms so much, especially roasted mushrooms.

What is your favourite place to eat?

I love to eat with other people. I think a meal is a great place to build community.

What languages do you speak?

I speak English, French and Spanish.

Are there any new skills that you would like to learn?

I’ve always wanted to learn jazz piano.

If there was one place you could travel, where would you go?

I would love to travel to Japan! I’ve never been to anywhere outside of North America, so it would be a great experience. Also, I think the food looks delicious, and the forests and architecture are beautiful.

What is one fun fact about you?

I have three cats, adopted all at the same time.

Why do you love theatre?

I love theatre because of its potential to immerse people in a universe that is completely different from their day-to-day life. Everything from the words to the lighting, to the people are put together around a specific creative vision, which is a worldview that is likely completely different from that of the audience. However, they are allowed access into this different world and go through a journey alongside the characters. Hopefully, by the end, they will have recognized parts of themselves in the characters, as well as becoming more open to differences between them.

How did you get into theatre?

I began theatre at the age of 17 and I was interested in musical theatre, but had only trained in dance and music up until that point. I realized I didn’t know how to act, so I applied to John Abbott College’s Professional Theatre Program and was lucky enough to be accepted. From there, I discovered all of the possibilities theatre offers in terms of storytelling. I fell in love with the art form. I also found an incredible community within my ensemble in those years, where I felt safe to explore my potential as an artist. In theatre, I learned to embrace my curiosity for human nature, and my imagination and creativity as an artist. I continue to be inspired by the incredible artists I get to work with, and love to discover new ways to connect people through story.

Why is theatre important?

I think theatre is unique in that the story the audience sees is playing out in real time in front of their eyes, performed by real humans. Rather than passively viewing a movie on a screen, the audience in experiencing the characters journey alongside them as it occurs. Although a lot of theatre is scripted, there is always the possibility for spontaneity and improvisation.

What is one theatre project that you are proud of?

One theatre-related project that I am very proud of is my Creative Dance Project from my second year at Sheridan. I had to choreograph a dance piece and then put it into a video format. I was extremely lucky to have a great team of friends to help me along the way and help bring my artistic vision to life. This experience taught me a lot about my creative process and inspired me about what else I could accomplish going forward.

Do you have any advice for aspiring theatre artists?

My advice to aspiring theatre artists is to trust yourself. Everyone has their own unique gifts and artistic talents to bring to the table, and that is something that nobody else can offer or replicate. It’s important to be able to collaborate and adapt your ideas, but it’s also important to stay true to who you are as an artist and as a person. It can be tempting to want to change yourself to fit a certain project or role, something I sometimes struggle with, but personally, I would rather be remembered for work that feels authentic to me.