What I Do
As an educator, theatre practitioner, and teaching artist, I've accumulated a wide array of skills, interests, and experiences over the years. You'll find just a few of these listed below. You can also click here to download my resume!
My journey is only just beginning. Click here to see some of my future plans!
For the nearly two decades I've been involved in theatre, I've worked with a wide variety of actors and collaborators. These have included differently abled youth, neurodivergent youth, children belonging to a vast array of ethnic and racial backgrounds, and young people who identify with every gender (or lack thereof) and sexuality imaginable. I've had the opportunity to observe and participate in various programs in the Chicago area independently and in conjunction with the teaching artist seminar and practicum sequence offered by UIC. Some of these have included:
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Assistant Director of Summer on Broadway Intensive camp, 2023
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Stage Manager for Summer on Broadway Teens camp Productions, 2023
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Co-Stage Manage and Dialect Coach for productions with Thin Ice Ensemble Theater, a subsidiary of Devonshire Playhouse catered towards homeschooled youth, 2022-Present
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On-Call substitute and Co-Instructor for Advanced Scene Study Classes, 2022 - 2023
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Summer on Broadway camp counselor and program leader, 2022
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Production Intern for the Theatre Division with a focus on youth theatre, 2022
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​Assistant Director in Teen, Children’s, and Historic Society Productions, 2019 - 2021
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Assistant Stage Manager for Teen and Youth Productions, 2014, 2022-2023
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Backstage Run Crew for Teen Productions, 2011-2012, 2022
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Assistant Teaching Artist in Build-a-Play programs for elementary school children at schools such as Orrington Elementary in Evanston, IL and Fairview Elementary and Middleton Elementary in Skokie, IL, 2022-2023
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Attending a virtual workshop related to The Red Folder Project, 2021
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Observed a session of a youth improv and sketch comedy class, 2021​
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Over the years I've accumulated a wide variety of skills and interests, some in a more formal setting, some through practical experience. Some of these skills and interests include:
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Dialect Expertise and Coaching, particularly with dialects found in the British Isles
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Comfortable familiarity with the International Phonetic Alphabet
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Music Writing, Arranging, and Transposition using MuseScore and / or Noteflight
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Certification in Various Stage Combat Disciplines
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Training in Theatrical Firearms Safety
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Simple Machine and Hand Sewing
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Knowledge of Vocal and Musical Pedagogy
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​Basic Piano/Keyboard Abilities
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Stage Makeup Design and Application
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Small Prop Design and Creation
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Basic Set Construction Skills
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Laban Movement Analysis
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Playwriting and Devising
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Character Development
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Dramaturgical Research
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Shakespeare
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Beat Work for Actors
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Acting
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Movement
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Voice
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Improvisation
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Theatre History
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American Musical Theatre History
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Script Analysis
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Costume Construction
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Theatre Design Fundamentals
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Stage Management
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Theatre Administration
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Stage Direction
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Makeup Design
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Teaching Artistry, including
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Hands on Field Hours​
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Lesson Planning
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Student and Self Assessment
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Teaching Artist Pedagogy
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An Introduction to Trauma Informed Care
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Some other relevant accomplishments at UIC include:
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My original play being chosen to be read as part of the University's inaugural New Play Workshop series
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Selection to participate in the Flames Internship Grant (FIG) program which subsidises unpaid internships for my work with the Skokie Park District's Devonshire Theatre Division
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Working on UIC's theatrical productions through
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Costume build crew
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Wardrobe run crew,
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Understudying​​
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I've done a lot outside of my theatre and education work. For one thing, I was classically trained in pâtisserie at The French Pastry School in Chicago prior to its transition online. I've also worked in food service and retail, and I volunteered in the cat section of the Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.) animal shelter in Skokie. Some of the many skills I've acquired in my wide breadth of non-theatre experiences include:
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Working knowledge of Spanish and French
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Proficient use of Eventbrite for ticketing and event management purposes
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High adeptness in Fact Checking, Proofreading, and Data Entry
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Experience with cash registers and other Point-of-Service systems
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Comfortable using both Windows and Macintosh Operating Systems
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Familiarity with Microsoft and Google Office Suites
Em Sheffey
(they/them)
emiliasheff@gmail.com​
(847) 770-3417
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago's Theatre Performance BA program in May, 2022. My formal training at UIC has consisted of courses in many theatrical and pedagogical disciplines including the following:
One of my ambitions is to widen the breadth of my experience and expertise by gaining qualifications in as many theatre and education related specialties as I can. In services of this goal, I attended the Central Illinois Stage Combat Workshop (CISCo) in the early summer of 2022. This workshop resulted in my receipt of the following:
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Passed Skills Proficiency Test in Sword and Shield from the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD)
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Passed Skills Proficiency Test in Smallsword from the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD)
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Completion of the SAFD Theatrical Firearms Safety Course
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Introductory Combatant status in Single Rapier from Dueling Arts International
I also take classes in stage combat at The Actors Gymnasium in Evanston, IL where I passed the Skills Proficiency Test in Unarmed Combat from the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD).
Additionally, I was lucky enough to have been selected to join Skokie and Niles Township's 2022-2023 cohort of the National Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) Project.
I've also completed DCFS Mandated Reporter Training and CDC Concussion Training​.