Photograph by BluNote Photography.
Bio:
Emily Wanamaker (she/they) is a Philadelphia-based director, playwright, dramaturg, producer, and arts administrator. She is a passionate #insulin4all and disability rights advocate. Previous productions of their plays include O(rest)eia (University of the Arts, 2018) and This is a Play About Buttons (Philadelphia Fringe Festival, 2018). Other recent appearances include directing and producing Ghost Town: The Musical - A Concept Album in the 2022 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, stage managing The Kite, Tortoise Vs. Hare 2: This Time It’s Personal!, and The Pinch and Penny Show at the Please Touch Museum. Aside from their theatrical work, Em is a marathon reader, a weightlifter, a bread baker, a deep cleaning aficionado, and a huge fan of cats. She is the Development Associate at the Wilma Theater. Upcoming: Director, Ghost Town: The Musical (semi staged reading) - Polyphone Festival, University of the Arts.
Artistic Statement:
I am a multifaceted, interdisciplinary artist determined to create art that is rigorous, elegant, and above all, accessible. I strive to communicate the stories of individuals who are undervalued and underserved through the generation of new work and adaptation of ancient texts. I am type 1 diabetic, and I am a passionate advocate for affordable, accessible medication and disability rights. I strive to be an antiracist in both the work I create and in my personal life, and I strongly believe that advocacy is an essential part of art. I am not afraid to challenge my audiences and my readers, and I hope to inspire change through the work I create towards a world that is accessible and equitable.
—Emily Wanamaker