Elia Saldana is a 2008/2009 Ovation Award Nominee for Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Jilly in FAMILY PLANNING at Chalk Repertory Theatre.

As an Ovation Award Nominee, LA Stage asked Elia the following questions:

What was the moment that first inspired you to pursue working in the theatre?

Well, my first moments of inspiration came in high school, where I was first able to experience acting onstage. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt in my life. So, acting joined the list of things I was crazy about, which already included singing and dancing. Soon afterward someone told me about these plays called “Musicals,” where you could act, sing and dance at the same time! From then on I was somehow pretty much sold on the idea that I belonged onstage. I could not understand why anyone would want to do anything else.

What do you feel made the production you were nominated for particularly successful, either overall or for you specifically?

I think Family Planning was successful for several reasons. It’s an extremely well-written play, with parts that actors dream of sinking their teeth into and lines that actors dream of owning. The subject matter is very real, relevant and contemporary, making it something a lot of people can relate to. It was staged in a very interesting and intimate way where audience members were sometimes only a couple of inches away from the actors, and the emotions and energy were able to flow powerfully back and forth. Personally I felt very connected to the material, and I had a brilliant director in whom I could trust one hundred percent. But if I had to name one thing, it would be that every single person who was involved in the production was doing it out of love and a great desire to tell a story.

What project or projects are you currently working on?

I’m working on securing my next paycheck! That one takes up most of my time. But I’m also working on a couple of new songs - my brother must be so glad not to live with me anymore, because I can’t seem to shut up. Eventually my dream is to conceptualize and create music videos for a few of these. I’m workin’ on it!

What do you love most about theatre in Los Angeles?

I love that there’s tons of it. I love that the theatres and shows truly run the gamut, so there seems to be something for everybody, and I love how passionate we are about the theatre we make.

What’s your dream project?

Wow, that’s a big question! I think I have many dream projects because sometimes dreaming seems to be the only thing that’s completely in my control. I would love to originate a leading role in a fresh, heart-felt, inspiring musical with a score to die for, a role that it would seem I was born to play, where all the moves that the choreographer came up with happened to be exactly the same moves that I can actually perform! I would also love to be in the film version of this same musical I think musical films can be extremely, incredibly beautiful when made with heart. I guess ultimately, a dream project is one where you are able to feel challenged yet fully capable, feel that you are fulfilling your purpose in life of creating art and beauty that others can enjoy and be uplifted by, and be able to collaborate with friends or kindred spirits and inspire and bring out the best in each other. Now that I think about it, sounds like Family Planning was one of my dream projects! I can’t wait for the next one…

Biography: Elia Saldana hails from the Tijuana/San Diego border. She graduated from UCSD with a lucky B.A. in Theatre, and shortly afterward Los Angeles welcomed her with open arms. L.A. Theatre credits include Jilly in Family Planning (Chalk Repertory Theatre,) Maria Elena Holly in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story (Theater League tour,) Ashley-Jo Hill in Manner of Trust (The Underground Theatre,) Micaela in L.A. Carmen (Latino Theater Company,) Consuelo in West Side Story (Stepping Stone Players,) Guadalupe (Festival of Chicano Theatre Classics,) Mad About Money (National Theatre for Children,) and 69 Portraits of Che. Also a passionate songwriter, she collaborated with composer Rachael Lawrence and recorded a debut demo album entitled Black and White, available on cdbaby and iTunes. She was the lead singer of the LA-based rock/pop band Kissing Violet, with whom she co-wrote and recorded about 17 original songs and made it to the top ten in Teen Vogue’s first ever Rock Meets the Runway contest. She has appeared in several short and independent films, most recently in the feature On the Run, and she received the Best Actress Award at the Nosotros American Latino Film Festival for her role in the film Echoes. www.eliasaldana.com

For a full list of Ovation nominees, or for information about the Ovation Awards Ceremony on January 11th, click here!