Emilio Rodriguez (He/Him)
Wolf Trap Teaching Artists
Emilio Rodriguez began his theatre career at the age of 2 by performing one-kid adaptations of The Wizard of Oz in his parent's living room using a funnel, a broom and a pair of his mama's high heels. Since then, he has gone on to have his plays produced in Miami, Sacramento, Lancaster, Portland, Houston, Dallas, Austin, Ann Arbor, Minneapolis, and Puerto Vallarta. Emilio is the recipient of a Kresge Detroit Artist Award, a National Association for Latino Arts and Culture Catalyst for Change Grant and the Victor Bumbalo/Robert Chesley LGBT Playwriting Award. He was the guest playwright for the 2017 Theatre Kalamazoo Festival and the 2019 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Midwest Region. He has taught theatre and playwriting at Michigan Actors Studio, Detroit Institute of Music Education and Kalamazoo College. He currently teaches playwriting at the University of Michigan.
Q: If you could be BFF’s with any fictional character, who would it be?
A: Belle so we could trade book recommendations.
Q: What is the funniest thing you’ve heard a young person say?
A: Child: “Knock knock” Me: Who's there? Child: “Someone who is knocking!”
Q: What is the most memorable or impactful art experience you’ve had as an adult?
A: Getting to teach people how to write and direct their own plays through Black and Brown Theatre's Our Voices program.