ARTISTIC STATEMENT
As a theatre artist, director, devisor, actor and teacher with over 30 years experience, my training and practice lies in physical transformation. Applied not only to theatre, my work urges and pushes the creative spirit in all who witness, participate and engage. The performer is both pedestrian and poetic as their body transforms into varying aspects of the human condition. Body, voice and imagination are the only tools the performer has to engage and are the most essential tools a performer has to engage with the audience.
ABOUT
Susan Bertoia is a professional theatre artist, performer, director, devisor, writer, passionate drama teacher, AND mom to three amazing humans. Susan’s invigorating artistic style with specialization in physical theatre and mask performance make her a well sought-out teaching artist and performer throughout Canada. Her work explores transposing the poetry of life into the comedic and dramatic moments for the stage. Artistic leadership has been described as engaging, encouraging and disarming.
Susan is an Adjunct Professor at UBC teaching acting and mask performance. She conducts numerous creative initiatives with schools through ArtStarts, a government funded agency. Susan facilitates many professional development workshops with the ABCDE and has presented papers at the Canadian Association for Theatre Research Conferences. Recently Susan was awarded the ‘Excellence in Drama Education’ through ABCDE which recognized her years of dedication and innovative work with youth. She is also the recipient of the Vancouver Jessie Richardson’s Professional Theatre Award for Outstanding Performance and The Gordon Armstrong Theatre Artist Award which recognized her creative initiatives. Susan has performed at many venues including: PuSh International Festival, Arts Club Theatre, Western Canada Theatre, Firehall Theatre and Richmond Gateway Theatre. Susan also directs multi-platformed shows ranging from youth engaged theatre to professional ensemble productions.
Susan holds a BFA in Theatre Acting from UBC, and has trained abroad at schools that specialize in Italian mask theatre (Ill Piccolo Teatro di Milan and Donato Sartori International Mask Workshop). Additionally, she has trained in physical devised theatre with One Yellow Rabbit; Jeremy James and UK’s Frantic Assembly.
Susan is an Adjunct Professor at UBC teaching acting and mask performance. She conducts numerous creative initiatives with schools through ArtStarts, a government funded agency. Susan facilitates many professional development workshops with the ABCDE and has presented papers at the Canadian Association for Theatre Research Conferences. Recently Susan was awarded the ‘Excellence in Drama Education’ through ABCDE which recognized her years of dedication and innovative work with youth. She is also the recipient of the Vancouver Jessie Richardson’s Professional Theatre Award for Outstanding Performance and The Gordon Armstrong Theatre Artist Award which recognized her creative initiatives. Susan has performed at many venues including: PuSh International Festival, Arts Club Theatre, Western Canada Theatre, Firehall Theatre and Richmond Gateway Theatre. Susan also directs multi-platformed shows ranging from youth engaged theatre to professional ensemble productions.
Susan holds a BFA in Theatre Acting from UBC, and has trained abroad at schools that specialize in Italian mask theatre (Ill Piccolo Teatro di Milan and Donato Sartori International Mask Workshop). Additionally, she has trained in physical devised theatre with One Yellow Rabbit; Jeremy James and UK’s Frantic Assembly.
RECENT, ONGOING & UPCOMING PROJECTS:
JUGGLE ME NOT
director & writer for all-ages commedia dell'arte show
that toured parks in the Greater Vancouver Area summer 2021
READ MORE HERE
PROJECT CHAIR
facilitator & teacher for on-going
online & in-person devised theatre workshops
LEARN MORE HERE
UBC THEATRE & FILM
adjunct masked theatre professor
director & lead devisor for commedia dell'arte show
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL
creative director & writer for an original outreach film
project with elementary school-aged students in Smithers, BC
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON
director & writer for all-ages commedia dell'arte show
that toured parks in the Greater Vancouver Area summer 2021
READ MORE HERE
PROJECT CHAIR
facilitator & teacher for on-going
online & in-person devised theatre workshops
LEARN MORE HERE
UBC THEATRE & FILM
adjunct masked theatre professor
director & lead devisor for commedia dell'arte show
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FESTIVAL
creative director & writer for an original outreach film
project with elementary school-aged students in Smithers, BC
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON