Emma Philpot has had a love for performing and music from a very young age. She has been performing onstage since she was three years old, and has been teaching and directing programs for young artists since she was twelve. She is the artistic director and founder of Shore Summer Theatre Camp, located in Cape Charles, Virginia, and has been directing their summer camp productions for the past eight years. Emma also loves the one-on-one interaction she has with her private voice students and is looking forward to teaching at Centerstage!

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Emma is a junior at Christopher Newport University, where she majors in Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance. On campus, she is a member of the CNU Chamber Choir, and is the student research director of the Captains Cabaret Series for the 2026-2027 school year. Her CNU credits include Die Fledermaus (Adele, Opera CNU), Pride and Prejudice (Jane and Miss de Bourgh, Theatre CNU), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Ensemble/Phoebe US), and a performer in multiple Captains Cabarets. Emma was also a member of Virginia All-State Choir in 2023 and 2024, and the VMEA Senior Honor Choir in 2023. She recently attended the CS Music competition in Boston, MA, where she was recognized as a National Semifinalist in Musical Theatre (Top 20). 

 

While Emma loves to perform, her true passion has always been teaching. She has directed and music directed twelve children's productions, and has assistant directed and choreographed numerous others. Some of her favorite directing credits include Finding Nemo JR, The Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition, Beauty and the Beast JR, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical. Her love of teaching continues to inspire her dreams for the future. She is so excited to be on the team here at Centerstage, and is looking forward to the year ahead!