Currently based in New York, Clark Mantilla’s work revolves around a different schedule. As a theatre actor, he does not only express ideas and portray characters. He also loves supporting other people’s work whenever they have a show, cabaret, or anything that revolves around the art industry.
Having undergone conservatory training from the Professional Conservatory of Musical Theatre at the New York Film Academy for Singing, Acting, and Dancing, Clark has been cast in New Works and is currently in a production that is part of the New York Theatre Festival Winterfest.
The 28-year-old theatre actor recently took on the role of The Baker in Into The Woods at school. His previous performances include a community production of RENT as Roger, and Les Misérables as Feuilly/Ensemble, both locally produced in the Philippines.
“Being able to perform on a stage, whether to entertain or to be in another person’s shoes, has been a dream of mine ever since I graduated with by bachelor’s. I’ve always loved performing since I was a kid. It’s the one thing I am sure about my life. Never have I ever thought of anything else to do but this,” he said.
Before moving to New York to pursue a career in the performing arts, Clark performed back in the Philippines for multiple events. He was a part of a performing group called Dreamcatchers, where they did character skits on particular themes like Disney and The Greatest Showman.
When he got to New York, he did two sessions: a staged reading of new undeveloped plays and a new musical called Y2K: A Musical Cataclysmic Event. In both performances, he received relatively positive feedback.
Clark had to join hundreds–if not thousands–of auditions before landing a good role and job. It was a struggle because it’s a mixture of getting to know people at the take and that skill you have.
“Not to mention other people who have the same skills as you do. There are so many factors leading to booking a single role/job. Every day you wake up hoping you’d get the call that you booked,” he added.
Comparing himself to others and getting rejected from booking a role are a struggle that he has come to terms with.
“There are hundreds of us hopefuls out there, and if I don’t get the job, all I have to do is to let it go and move on to the next audition. I feel like I’ve been better at accepting that rejection is part of the process. It doesn’t mean that I’m bad, it just means that I don’t fit the bill for the issue that the people at the table were trying to solve,” the optimist Filipino said.
Clark plans to build a better performance space back home in the Philippines, specifically in Cebu, as he believes that theatre and arts, in general, are not recognized in the city.
“Perhaps opening up a summer school for performing arts, producing local shows. Basically, boost the theatre and the arts in the area,” he added.
Clark also created duet-ready videos on YouTube for musical theatre and pop songs which he named ‘Clark on Stage’ and ‘Clark In Studio’, which have reached a community of 360,000 and 260,000 subscribers, respectively.
He advised his fellow Filipinos to keep on pushing until everything makes sense.
“Not everything will go according to plan, but it doesn’t mean you should stop. When one door closes, another one opens,” he concluded.