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About Me!

 

Greetings! My name is Elise Delap, and I live in Los Angeles, CA via Louisville, KY! A little about me... I love traveling, I have an obsession with roller coasters, tv is my guilty (not so guilty) pleasure, and I still have hopes of being a Disney Princess one day (luckily my mom thinks I already am one). I love to move my body and dance, and I am trained in Jazz and the Loyd Williamson Movement Technique. My family and friends are my lifeblood, and music is my therapy. Particularly Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald or really anything full of jazz and soul.  

 

In May of 2019, I graduated with my MFA in Acting from the Northern Illinois University School of Theatre and Dance. In May of 2016, I received my BS in Theatre Performance/Directing with a Musical Theatre Concentration from The University of Indianapolis. My biggest goal in life is to change the world through artistic expression and story telling, and I do that through acting, directing & community outreach.   

 

I am a Company Member with Kane Repertory Theatre, composed of the Class of 2019 NIU MFA Acting Cohort, along with several other graduates of the NIU School of Theatre and Dance. In October of 2019, we opened our first production of Our Town, where I played Emily Webb. I also serve as the Community Outreach Coordinator at KRT (https://www.kanerepertorytheatre.com/). I am extremely passionate about the storytelling we strive for as a group of theatre artists that speak the same language, which is Somatic Meisner. Studying under Patricia Skarbinski, we were all trained in impulsive listening and responding through the nervous system. This psychosomatic understanding of the body allows for primal and deeply felt acting, which is our goal for KRT; to deliver an exhilarating theatre experience to the artistically hungry people of Kane County, IL. 

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I have assistant directed for the Rolling World Premiere of On Clover Road by Steven Dietz at Phoenix Theatre, and The Great Gatsby at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. I produced/directed Imagine the Musical, a world-premiere show written by myself and close friend/classmate, Andrew Wegg. Along with show production, I created and directed my own Children's Musical Theatre Camp titled "Let's Go Fly a Kite," which was a free, week-long offering for over 50 children K-5 through the Jeffersonville, IN Parks Department. 

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Besides acting/directing endeavors, I am a passionate children's theatre educator and a coach for young artists, serious about preparing for college auditions, competitions, professional acting opportunities, etc.  Throughout the work, we look for the perfect audition material to bring to life, cut down the pieces for time, edit resumes, research schools, compile questions to ask programs, and so much more!  Beyond logistics, I LOVE working with my students to discover artistic and creative growth, emphasizing  authenticity and vulnerability. 

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Lastly, I want to learn about YOU! Please feel free to contact me with artistic ideas, opportunities, and/or brainstorming. I am always up to chat!

 

"Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of someone else."-Judy Garland <3 

 

 

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