Meet Vancouver actor Elan Bertles.
This continues our special series featuring the 50th anniversary fall graduating class from Studio 58, the professional theatre training program at Langara College.
Meet Elan Bertles
Elan Bertles is an Edmonton native who’s been living and loving Vancouver for three and a half years! Elan grew up as the sensitive type person in a family full of straight forward type people/ big time jokesters. Elan thinks of herself now as balanced all around theatre artist. In school, an acting graduate acts in six shows in the last year and a half of the Studio 58 program. However, Elan acted in only half of the shows – one third she worked in stage management and one sixth she spent working front of house as audience engagement coordinator. Elan was also able to shadow two of her voice and movement teachers to get a taste of another aspect of this wonder called theatre. Whoa, busy gal. In February 2016, as a part of Studio 58’s one act festival Fourplay, Elan’s play The Train Carr will premiere. Along with her best friend and co-writer Carly Pokoradi, Elan is thrilled to add writer to her “acting” resume. She hopes to return to the stage or get in front of a camera soon!
20 Questions with Elan Bertles
1. Your first job.
As a cleaner at a tanning salon. I was lovingly known as the ‘butt sweat cleaner’.
2. The job you always wanted as a child.
To be a mother.
3. Your pet peeve.
Not rinsing dirty dishes and leaving them full of water in the sink!
4. Your hero.
My mother, Loreen.
5. Your biggest indulgence.
Sweets and treats, baby!
6. One thing no one knows about you.
I am cold all of the time.
7. Three things you would want with you on a deserted island.
My journal, a purple pen and my teddy bear, ‘Teddy’.
8. The one word your best friend would use to describe you.
Charismatic.
9. If you were not a theatre professional, what would you be doing right now?
Crushing it at a sales job while exploring something creative.
10. Hero or villain?
Hillain.
11. Your life’s motto/mantra.
Say out loud only what you want your subconscious to absorb.
12. Your favourite playwright.
William Shakespeare. #BasicBitch.
13. The role you are destined to play.
Winifred in Once Upon A Mattress or Madame Thenardie from Les Mis, but if we are talking destiny it’s got to be Billy Elliott.
14. If you were a cartoon character what cartoon character would you be and why?
Cartoon Lizzy McGuire – because her whole life is an internal monologue, out loud … also I’m not a big fan of cartoons.
15. What will it say on your grave marker?
That I dared greatly.
16. Who would you most like to have dinner with?
Brene Brown!!
17. Your idea of happiness.
Waking up looking forward to the day ahead.
18. The one thing in your life that makes you most proud.
The people who love me.
19. Your most memorable moment at Studio 58.
The run of my D term project MOUTH.
20. To be or not to be?
That is the last question.