Education

Emily holds an MFA in Theatre Arts with an Emphasis in Costume Design from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a BA in Theatre from Bethany.

Academic Interests

Costume Design, Costume Construction, Theatre History and Dramatic Literature, Directing, Makeup design, Hair and Wig design, Historical research, Art History, Textiles and hand crafts.

Professional Memberships

Emily has been affiliated with the KCACTF Region 5 Festivals in seasons past. She has participated in the Northern Boundaries regional chapter of USITT and attended the national conference multiple times.

Awards

Emily has received commendations and Certificates of Merit from KCACTF for her Costume Designs for the following productions: What Child is This? (2024), Pride and Prejudice (2023), Antigone (2023), The Adventures of Pinocchio (2022), Tell It to the Wind (2017), and others.

Her costume designs have been invited and participated in the KCACTF Costume Parade.

She has also received Certificates of Merit in Directing for Antigone (2023) and The Game of Love and Chance (2023).

Presentations/Publications

“Aboveboard”, co-written with Peter Bloedel, is a romantic comedy and published and available for performance through Playscripts.

Teaching Philosophy

My work as an educator and theatre artist is shaped by the belief that my faith and my craft are inseparable. I am called to create and blessed to share that calling with students, guiding them not only in skill but in character. I aim to lead by example, demonstrating that artistry is as much about empathy, perseverance, collaboration, and self-discovery as it is about technical mastery. By leading with both high expectations and wholehearted support, I hope to instill in students the confidence to discover and live their vocations with the resilience to meet challenges with grace, curiosity, and creativity.