The Story
A performer since the age of five, I explored several outlets to just get myself on stage before finding my niche: studying dance, music, and performing in my high school's color guard. Strangely enough, I grew up a very shy and timid kid, always hiding behind my parents in grocery stores and refusing to smile for school photos. However, I somehow always felt right at home and free to express myself on the stage. After years of trying new things that would satisfy my hunger to perform for others, I began my acting career early in high school with my local community theatre, Attic Productions. Once I auditioned for my first play, a small role with five lines in the yearly youth-led production, Archie and the Wallflower, I was completely hooked. Throughout high school I continued to work with the community theatre on many additional projects while also dedicating time to my music, dance, and color-guard pursuits.
After high school, I decided to completely devote my time to acting and pursued my Bachelor's of Arts at Bridgewater College in Virginia, where I majored in theatre and minored in English. Considering a career in the performing arts was still something that terrified me and had me questioning the possibility of for a long time. When I first began this journey in college, I remember asking my roommate at the time, “I think I want to be an actor. Is that crazy?” She looked at me plainly and said, “Yes. It is crazy. And you should do it.” I’ve never stopped believing in myself since then.
While in college, I participated in several acting competitions and still got involved with the local community theatre. I started writing my own plays (this is where that English degree helped a lot), tried my hand at directing, and started auditioning for local short films. The summer before my senior year, I was accepted to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' summer intensive program, where I studied on-screen acting in Los Angeles. It was some of the best times in my life, and was a complete privilege to be able to complete this program before being thrust into the “real world.” I was accepted to the 2 year conservatory program there but decided to finish my degree back on the east coast and work until I could afford to move to New York City. I moved to NYC in February of 2019, and got my start working with Incarn Theatre Company right before the pandemic hit.
While in isolation, I did what I could to still make my voice heard. I dipped into audiobooks and voice acting, returned to my passion for playwriting, and eventually made the decision to finish my conservatory training with Atlantic Acting School. During that time, I directed my first play in New York, The Gas Heart, exploring my love for Dada and the absurd, while focusing on bringing forward the political and social statements I hoped would impact a new audience. I have been working towards publishing plays that highlight the queer experience, advocate for mental health awareness, and bring the experiences of women to the forefront. Studying Practical Aesthetics really allowed me to amplify my own passions, technique, and specify my plans for what is next.
I am currently based in NYC but will be relocating to Los Angeles in early 2024. I hope to pursue work that challenges and surprises me, and work with other creatives who share my same values, visions, and passions. Even though when I was five years old I didn’t know exactly what my future would hold, I believe I would make little Emma proud if she could see me now.