Emma Bucknam (she/her) grew up in a small town on the Mississippi River, loving words and all things Shakespeare. From the age of 12, she grew her skills as a performer with the Great River Shakespeare Festival, through both professional opportunities and educational programs. As part of GRSF's Shakespeare for Young Actors class, she played roles ranging from Viola to Henry V, and developed an early and voracious appetite for scansion and textual analysis.

 

During her time at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Emma grew her already established loves, and discovered new passions as she earned her BFA in Acting. Some of her favorite roles while there include Olivia (Twelfth Night), Mariana (Measure for Measure), Eurydice (Eurydice), and Tottie (Bondagers). At NWU, Emma also shared her voice as a director of productions including her adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Claire Kiechel's Pilgrims, and Jenny Rachel Weiner's i <3 my coven.​ She is excited to now take what she learned at NWU and apply it to her work beyond college.

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Outside of theatre, Emma finds joy in friends, family and swing dancing, and finds peace in yoga and long hikes. She especially enjoys hikes that involve her two muppet-like dogs, or involve foraging for mushrooms and berries, or the two combined!