Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Grace Gargiulo.
Hi Emily Grace, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been immersed in the arts for as long as I can remember. Dance and music were incorporated into my daily life growing up, cultivating an environment for my passion of performing to grow. As many young professionals know, there’s always one memory, one lightning-in-the-bottle moment, that sparks an ever-growing, insatiable need to create art. Whether it’s to dance, to sing, to act (or in my case, all three), there’s always a start, a beginning, and mine was in the small town of Chesapeake, Virginia.
My mother always jokes about how both my sister and I could “dance before we could walk and sing before we could talk,” mostly in reference to the ABBA song used in the musical Mamma Mia!, one of my family’s favorites. I started my journey into performing when I was only three years old, dancing in recitals, and later making my stage debut as “ZuZu” in Theatrix Productions’ It’s A Wonderful Life. From that first moment, standing in the wings, hearing the clapping from what seemed like the whole world in the eyes of a three-year-old, the performing arts was the only logical path for me.
Fast forward to 15 years old, graduating high school, and starting a new journey to AMDA New York was a whirlwind. The only thing I can remember was applying for the Fall semester of 2018 at the AMDA High School Summer Conservatory, later receiving the acceptance letter on a trip to my grandparents, and my mother’s lackluster reaction of “Well, I guess you’re going to collage at 16,” accompanied with a knowing shrug. It, of course, all happened in a flash. I met amazing people and professors, all helping me grow into a better version of myself, both as a performer and simply as a person. After New York came and went, Los Angeles was my next destination, only to be cut short by the good ol’’ Covid. With that insatiable desire to create still burning in my chest, I attained my B.F.A one Zoom meeting at a time, later acquiring my M.A in Theatre, and becoming the first inaugural recipient of this degree from AMDA LA in October of 2022.
And of course, this is only the beginning of the story.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In every aspect of my life, I’ve learned to find the core purpose in every setback. Every cloud has its lining, it is said. This principle, of course, helps me see not a challenge, but a learning experience, a place to grow. One of these occurrences happened at the age of nine. In the September of 2011, I was diagnosed with Appendicitis and rushed to the emergency room within Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. After a successful operation, I was cleared to return home until things took a turn for the worst. I was on life support only two days following, for reasons unknown, my survival rate only at a 10% chance. My body went into shock, organs failed, all to the utter disbelief of both my family and the resident professionals. After a month and two days, however, I walked out of the hospital with only a few new battle scars. Even at such a young age, I knew I was blessed with this life to use my artistic gifts, and I made a promise to myself that I would not let this second chance go to waste by not pursuing the art I loved.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a creative, I pride myself on being versatile and flexible when it comes to the arts. Although I started in Musical Theatre, I focused in both Acting and Theatre during my college years, giving me a wider knowledge in the spectrum of the performing arts. Along with that, I chose to challenge my physical skills with Stage Combat Skill Proficiency Tests, learning how to build a story and character around fight choreography. This can span from Unarmed combat to Quarterstaff to Sword and Shield, to name a few. My desire to learn new things consistently has always been something I’ve been proud of. The ability to push myself mentally and physically has been at the core of my being, and I maintain that through my various endeavors. This usually precedes me into various performing spaces, and I don’t mind that at all!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck is a funny thing. Personally, I believe there are certain roles and opportunities set out for me. If a specific role aligns with that plan, then I’ll have the honor of portraying that character, and if not, then it will go to someone else who can play it better that I ever could. There’s a sense of peace in thinking about the industry in that way that opens us up to a more supportive, collaborative environment, in my opinion.
Contact Info:
- Website: emilygracegargiulo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily_grace_gargiulo/
Image Credits
Shirin Tinati Matt Coughlin
