We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Emerick a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Shannon with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I get my work ethic from my parents. Both my parents made the decision fairly early in my life to work for themselves, following their passions. The arts were always important in our household (my mother is a pianist and piano teacher, and my father is a great lover of the arts). They never once questioned me wanting to become an actor. From the time I was twelve, I knew I wanted to be an actor, and they nurtured and support my passion throughout my growing up and still do to this day.
My mother is tireless. She has more energy than anyone I know and does so much! I know that watching her impacted my own work ethic. She also taught me an immense amount about how to map out what needs to be done and how best to learn things, whether it be learning a new piano piece, a monologue, studying for a test, etc. What she instilled in me is still serving me today!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have been a professional actor for 27 years. The majority of my experience is in stage and voice work, but I have done some TV and film as well. My passion for acting, especially theater, is rooted in my belief in the importance of genuine human connection through sharing stories. Whether it’s anime or cartoon voice work or a play that’s happening live, in real time, acting and sharing stories allow us to walk through a bit of life together in a way we might normally get to do.
I’m currently working on the biggest role I’ve ever played: Heidi in WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME by Heidi Schreck at Main Street Theater in Houston. It’s been an incredible experience so far, intensely humbling, both to be working on a role like this and to be telling Heidi’s very personal story. We run Sept. 16 – Oct. 15, 2023. I am nervous and beyond excited. It’s a very human, very real, sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastation play – and role.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Never assume that a director remembers you or will always think of you at audition time. Step up and contact directors when there’s a role you’d like to audition for – there’s a way to do this in polite and respectful way while also advocating for yourself. But you’ve got to do the work of putting yourself out there.
Always bring a headshot and resume to an audition, even if you know the director or casting agent has it on file. You never know what they’ll decide to ask for when you’re actually at the audition.
Do not let your self-worth become bound up in your next project. There are bound to be lean times as an actor where you may not know what’s next for you. Don’t let your next role – or the lack thereof – define your self-esteem. The world is bigger than your next role. Nurture relationships with family and friends and build a life that makes you happy and into which you can then fit your acting work. I mean this even if you are a full-time actor. You have to have a life outside of being an actor. And this will also make you a BETTER actor! You need to be able to bring your real-world experiences into the characters you create.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My favorite college professor, who has become a personal friend over the years, once gave me the most heartbreaking acting note I had ever received. In college, another actor and I wanted to do HAMLET for our senior project. My professor rightly new that we really weren’t ready to take on such a play, so he asked us to work up a scene to show him. Afterwards, he told me my Ophelia was steely – all in her head, brilliant with language, but nowhere close to the emotional life I needed to have for Ophelia. I was devastated. I have always been a deep feeling person naturally, but for some reason it wasn’t coming through in my work. But I took it to heart, it opened me up, and my entire career has benefitted from it. Now I often play dramatic roles that require very open hearts. I feel it all, and though that can be hard sometimes, I love it and my life is richer for it.
Side note: I have played Ophelia twice in my professional career. Both were great experiences!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @shannonemerick24
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-emerick-7b809834
Image Credits
Photos by Pin Lim/Forest Photography and Art Ornelas/Ricornel Productions
