Teaching & Coaching
I absolutely love teaching, and chose my MFA in Acting Program at the University of Washington specifically because of its teacher training program. My curriculum (drawn from and inspired by the incredible teaching faculty) applied Stanislavski based script analysis, as well as Chekhov embodiment and imagination exercises, to monologue and scene study. I have coached countless people in their scenes and monologues, and have also happily coached actors for auditions and when working on roles. I’m also a Teaching Artist at the Seattle Children’s Theatre, working with age groups from 6 years up to 18 years old.
Below are some testimonials from artists who have worked with me in a classroom and coaching setting!
Adah S.
Emily is the embodiment of a great teacher. In her coaching, she never told me what to do; she asked me questions which pushed me to make choices I wouldn't have made otherwise. She helped me get out of my head and into my body. Emily is empathetic, knowledgeable, a great listener, and an astounding actor. I have come away from her classes a more confident actress and person, and would recommend her to anybody in a heartbeat.
Sam S.
Emily Stone is a fantastic theater educator. Her feedback on my work has not only been insightful, but direct and actionable as well. Her ability to create a comfortable, productive space for collaboration with other actors is unrivaled.
Becca M.
Emily Stone taught me how to open myself up in my acting and made my confidence soar. I appreciated that her teaching style focused on play and finding our own interpretation of texts. Previous to her class, I struggled with natural body movement and spacial awareness and I came out feeling more secure and mindful of my body language.
Emily has not only helped me through her techniques but has been a great support in my pathway in theater. I truly believe that I wouldn’t be pursuing theater if not for her support and kindness.
Tabarak A.
I really loved Emily’s teaching style. She showed a variety of ways to approach different situations or issues and taught me that we are always learning when it comes to performing a scene. The discoveries never stop. Emily really influenced my part of keeping an open mind and being open to new possibilities. She showed me a variety of different ways to approach a scene. There would be times when I’d feel like I'm set on my scene, then Emily would give me feedback and I’d look at my scene with an entirely new perspective. Emily showed the class several different techniques, warm-ups, and exercises that I still carry with me every day, that are very useful when I am getting ready to play with my character and make new discoveries.
There are so many things that I love about Emily, but one particular quality about her is that she is very kind and always willing to help. When she first started coaching me individually, she gave me extra credit because I ended up staying after class for a bit for her to coach me. I thought that that was very nice of her, but that wasn’t it. The first time I truly asked for her help was when I asked for her feedback on a few clips that I shot that I wanted to put together for my demo reel. She was more than willing to help and even asked if I wanted to schedule an appointment to meet with her so she can view them! After she coached me that day, she gave me lots of feedback and offered to help me reshoot my clips. In the end, she ended up shooting two clips with me and now I have my demo reel put together! I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Emily’s help. There were also several times when she set an appointment to help me with other stuff, such as cutting lines with my scene partner and also dropping in to watch and coach my scene partner and me the following day. We didn’t even ask for her help, she offered! Additionally, she gave me extra credit for that as well. Emily’s kindness and passion for teaching will always stick with me. I could tell that teaching is something that she loves dearly and always looks forward to, which is perfect because she does it so well!
Cyrus S.
Through Emily’s course, I gained a better understanding of myself as an actor, and felt a serious improvement in my acting abilities. For the majority of my time with Emily, she coached me on a single role, and I appreciated her guidance as I deeply explored my character. I’m very thankful to have been Emily’s student, as she created a fun, safe environment that encouraged vulnerability and collaboration every step of the way!
Ruby O.
I had the pleasure of being taught by Emily in an acting class in the UW School of Drama; her teaching style was incredibly personalized and attentive to exactly what I wanted to work on. She came up with engaging, creative ways to draw out specific emotions and choices within a scene that I had never even thought of! I felt safe and inspired to explore and get out of my comfort zone because of her careful coaching.
Karis H.
Working with Emily jump-started my professional pursuit of acting. She provides such an encouraging and affirming presence, and positively challenges me to grow as an artist. She is generous in every way, providing advice on how to navigate the industry and thorough notes when teaching that help me refine my artistic work.
During coaching, Emily provides both specific affirmations of things done well and helpful critique and guiding questions to provoke deeper exploration. This helped me shape a clear understanding of what makes a great scene/monologue, and how to get there.
Emily took me seriously as an actor even when I was new and inexperienced, and created a lively environment where I could explore and experiment with being bold. This meant the world to me as someone who hasn’t always been welcomed in theater spaces as a naturally shy individual and a person of color.
Her coaching prepared me for roles I auditioned for and received in School of Drama Mainstage productions (The Oresteia, The Wolves) and Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Public Works (The Tempest).
Working with Emily expanded my understanding of how to bring text to life through exploring space, uncovering the layered experiences of a character, and thoroughly understanding circumstances (given+imagined). This helped me approach auditions feeling prepared and at ease, and allowed me to make bold choices and stand out during the monologue and scene work.