Winnipeg Studio Theatre New Artist Spotlight - December 2023
Emma Welham
I’m an artist working primarily as a director, though I have also worn many other hats including dramaturg, actor and producer. Theatre has been one of my biggest passions since I was a child, and I will never stop being grateful that one of my greatest joys is also my job!
Favourite Show:
A tough choice! Favourite musical: Matilda; Favourite play: POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Show or Company you’d like to work on/with someday:
For the past six months I have had the pleasure of working at theatres across Canada. I’d love to continue exploring theatre scenes throughout the country while also working with the wonderful companies we have here in Manitoba. And, getting the chance to direct both Matilda and POTUS would be pretty amazing!
Special Project you’ve worked on to date, and why it left an impression on you:
This past summer I directed Mark Ravenhill’s Pool (No Water) for the Winnipeg Fringe. We received such an overwhelmingly beautiful outpouring of love and support from the community – something that continues to mean everything. Working on that show with a fearless, brilliant, collaborative team is an experience I will cherish forever.
Upcoming/What’s next:
I’m currently one of the Creation Coaches for the Village Conservatory’s 2024 Inhibition Exhibition. In the spring, I will be the assistant director for The Year of Magical Thinking at Prairie Theatre Exchange. And, in the fall, I’m incredibly excited to be directing my first opera, The Tales of Hoffmannn, for Manitoba Underground Opera!
I’m an artist working primarily as a director, though I have also worn many other hats including dramaturg, actor and producer. Theatre has been one of my biggest passions since I was a child, and I will never stop being grateful that one of my greatest joys is also my job!
Favourite Show:
A tough choice! Favourite musical: Matilda; Favourite play: POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive
Show or Company you’d like to work on/with someday:
For the past six months I have had the pleasure of working at theatres across Canada. I’d love to continue exploring theatre scenes throughout the country while also working with the wonderful companies we have here in Manitoba. And, getting the chance to direct both Matilda and POTUS would be pretty amazing!
Special Project you’ve worked on to date, and why it left an impression on you:
This past summer I directed Mark Ravenhill’s Pool (No Water) for the Winnipeg Fringe. We received such an overwhelmingly beautiful outpouring of love and support from the community – something that continues to mean everything. Working on that show with a fearless, brilliant, collaborative team is an experience I will cherish forever.
Upcoming/What’s next:
I’m currently one of the Creation Coaches for the Village Conservatory’s 2024 Inhibition Exhibition. In the spring, I will be the assistant director for The Year of Magical Thinking at Prairie Theatre Exchange. And, in the fall, I’m incredibly excited to be directing my first opera, The Tales of Hoffmannn, for Manitoba Underground Opera!
Emma Welham and Sarah Garton Stanley Discuss Mentorship
UWinnipeg Students and Alum Helping Bring MTC's Orlando to the Stage
"...This is the first MTC show since the pandemic and UWinnipeg student Emma Welham says the chance to create theatre for a live audience again “feels like a balm for the soul.”
She says she will never forget the first day of rehearsal when MTC said it had been almost 600 days since they had welcomed a group of artists for an in-person show.
“The applause and joy that erupted in that moment is a memory I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” she said. “While I have enjoyed exploring digital theatre during the pandemic, it is wonderful to see the audience react. Their laughter and energy is something I have missed greatly over the pandemic...”
She says she will never forget the first day of rehearsal when MTC said it had been almost 600 days since they had welcomed a group of artists for an in-person show.
“The applause and joy that erupted in that moment is a memory I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” she said. “While I have enjoyed exploring digital theatre during the pandemic, it is wonderful to see the audience react. Their laughter and energy is something I have missed greatly over the pandemic...”
