We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tina D’elia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Tina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

As a Solo Performer, Actor, Writer, Creative, I learned from being inspired and moved by other solo performers, spoken word poets, stand up comedians, and performance artists starting in the early 90’s. In my early 20’s I became transformed and driven to dive into the craft of spoken word poet to solo performer and eventually joining the SAG-AFTRA union. My coaches, teachers, peers, and artists I admired are a diversity of BIPOC, immigrant, LGBTQIA+, feminist, and artistically distinct.
What could have speed up my learning process is working with the “guru of solo performance” teacher/coach/dramaturg David Ford prior to when I started in 2011. Once I started taking David Ford’s 10 week classes and working one-on-one with him in conjunction with working with the magical director Mary Guzmán my work has gotten stronger and I’ve enjoyed my craft far more.
Utilizing the skills of improv, rehearsal, physical/vocal warm ups, imagination, people watching, listening, allowing characters to improv monologue and audio record are essential to the style of multi-character solo performance that I create.
One obstacle that stands in the way of creating a solo show is not having a creative team to help develop a show that can includea class, peers, dramaturg, coach, teacher, and director.  The second obstacle is financial. Which can involve trying to get enoughgrant funding, raise enough money on your own to pay your artists, and if in a co-production cover your costs to work with a theater company.The third obstacle is finding a balance with a theater company that can help provide all and/or a certain amount of  technical support, stage management, and marketingand promotion. I believe that every opportunity to perform is incredibly helpful information to reflect on during and after – what is working, what is not working so well, and whatworked very well.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a SAG-AFTRA actor, solo performer, producer, casting director, and performance coach, I was inspired to become a small business owner in 2012. I had started working with a casting director in December 2010 and feel blessed that I could be mentored for 6 years in this area. I didn’t want to do just one thing. I knew I wanted to continue utilizing the tools of performance coaching, public speaking, and authentic connection to lead me to my business, Tina D’Elia Consulting. My slogan “It’s a good day” came from a true place, as I told my clients. I was on set as an actor, and self-doubt, and self criticism got to me and started to tense up. After the director called cut and I looked them in the eyes. And as they smiled they said “Tina…it’s a good day”. And the ease and expansiveness in my body opened. I stopped frowning and I started to smile and said “Got it. Thank you. My heart was open again and I could continue the on-camera scene.

I’m most proud of learning how I can improve my work in any creative capacity. And the ways I learn how to improve is to dive in, take risks, and do the practice of the craft, and get up and do it.

When I’m not casting a stage reading or film in the Bay Area. I can be found collaborating with Bay Area artists and performing my solo shows at local Bay Area, CA theaters.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

What is most rewarding aspect of being an artist is feeling connected to humanity, working in solidarity, and collaboration with other artists, and creating art that fosters social justice.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2009, after an economic crash, I lost my full time job and for the next 15 years my career pivoted. I took a variety of gigs and completed a 16-week business course for women, took a public speaking class, completed a 2-week employment intensive, and started casting, acting coaching, public speaking and acting classes.

Prior to this pivoting I always said I’d never work for myself, however, being unemployed and open to applying my skills to a gig, even if I was nervous, scared, and thought ‘what if I fail’ – I was going to give it a try because maybe each ‘try’ and step would take me to the next great career or business opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tinadeliaconsulting.com
• Instagram: @tinadeliasf
• Facebook: Tina D’Elia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinadeliaprogrammanager/
• Youtube: @tinadelia1

Image Credits

Colin Hussey