Where Are They Now? EMILY FAITH

Actor, stage manager, teaching artist, blogger, raconteur, Lipscomb University alumna - no matter how you refer to Emily Faith, she remains something of an enigma. No matter how well you think you know her, there's always more to discover, more layers to peel away. To say that Emily Faith is an intriguing individual remains an understatement of the first order: She is a fascinating woman.

For today's edition of Where Are They Now?, we give readers a chance to catch up with Emily, who left Tennessee last year, first making the trek northward to Boston, where she acted and stage managed for several theater companies, and now she's back in her home state, working as a teaching artist at Arkansas Repertory Theatre in Little Rock while considering various graduate schools at which to continue her education, she is always striving to better herself, to be surrounded by people who challenge her to aspire for greater things, and to continue her pursuit of her idea of the American dream.

While she lived in Nashville, in addition to working on Lipscomb Department of Theatre Projects, Emily Faith proved herself an important part of the local creative community, acting in productions with Actors Bridge Ensemble, stage managing for Circle Players and other companies (she was production stage manager for a revival of William Inge's Picnic, which I directed in 2015) and making every effort to expanding her horizons, both theatrical and professional.

What brought you to Nashville/Tennessee in the first place? Mike Fernandez. Seriously, he can sell you on anything. I came to Nashville to audition for a few schools and after meeting with Mike at Lipscomb, I was sold.

How did your time in Nashville/Tennessee prepare you for where you are now in your career arc? Nashville has set a high bar for what I look for in a theatre community. Working in a big theatre in a small town, I miss the diversity of people, creeds, creative approaches, missions and passions. Nashville prepared me to work with all kinds of kinds, and the value in being invested in the community. It made me a better collaborator, artist and human.

What's your most vivid memory of your time in the Volunteer State? Stage Managing Tarzan in concert starring Eden Espinosa as Jane. It was this amazing collaboration for the National Association for Music Education with Disney Theatricals. Beki Baker directed, Lori Casteel did all of the casting, we had the Nashville Symphony Orchestra to play the show. That was the first time I had been in a room with so many talented people across all aspects of performance. It was during that time that I stopped settling for less in my work.

Who were some of the people in Nashville/Tennessee who had a lasting impact on your and/or your career? Beki Baker - she saw past my tough outside and taught me that I was tough on the inside, too. Evelyn O'Neal Brush for being the most real human being on the planet. C.J. Tucker took a chance on casting me when she didn't have to and completely restored my post collegiate spirit. I could go on and on. There is an abundance of goodness in that town and lessons to be learned from each actor, designer, stage manager, etc.

What advice would you give to someone taking their first steps to becoming a part of the theater scene here? Volunteer to hand out programs. Email directors, educators, actors to get coffee. Anyone can have a good audition. Show that you are invested and I promise Nashville will invest in you.

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