Throughout her academic career, Yorktown High School senior Emily Whalen has been a vibrant presence on stage and in the classroom. From early piano lessons and a love of Broadway in elementary school to lead roles in school musicals and years in choir and orchestra, Whalen has cultivated her passion for music and theatre.
Chorus teacher Andrea Stock called Whalen “a multifaceted musician” who is “absolutely shining in her senior year.”
Yorktown News caught up with Whalen, who reflected on her journey through music and theatre and what’s next.
When did your interest in music and acting begin? Though I have played piano and obsessed over Broadway shows since first grade, I only really became passionate about acting and theatre during middle school, when I got a lead in my first show as Ursula in “The Little Mermaid” and immediately loved the community of theatre programs and the adrenaline rush of performing.
Do you plan to continue music after high school? Yes! One of the first questions I always asked colleges on tours was whether or not they had open theatre programs and a cappella groups, and though I don’t plan to pursue singing or acting professionally, they will remain as really enjoyable hobbies in my life.
Who inspires you? It may seem a little basic, but it’s the honest truth: my friends inspire me the most. I can always rely on friends made during school plays, my years in high school, and both of my brothers to make me laugh and constantly be utterly kind and brilliant. (As a footnote and more of a silly choice, I am also very inspired by my favorite bassist and hair inspiration ever, Mikey Way from My Chemical Romance).
What makes performance challenging? Especially in my earlier years of high school, I had a lot of trouble with performance anxiety. Though I’ve learned to work with my nerves much more with experience, I still have that little rush of fear every time I step on stage.
How do you spend your free time? I spend practically all of my free time listening to music, drawing, reading horror novels, and obsessively watching and studying as many films and television shows as I can.
What are the top five songs on your playlist?
My top five songs are “Because the Night” by 10,000 Maniacs, “Summertime” by My Chemical Romance, “TV Eye” by the Stooges, “Behind the Sea” by Panic! at the Disco, and “I Am a Poseur” by X-Ray Spex.
Which teacher has especially inspired you in your artistic pursuits? Two teachers have most powerfully inspired me—Ms. Olivia Knittle and Ms. Andrea Stock. During the first half of my senior year, Ms. Knittle immediately became a beloved fixture in the YHS Choir classroom and was a kind and lovely source of support for our whole choir—more specifically forming the most iconic concert chorus alto section known at YHS, that I section-lead with pride.
And Ms. Stock has been an amazing musical director and choir teacher for all of my four years in high school. She always has something supportive to say, and I’ve had so much fun in the YHS theatre program because of her.
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