BABE #5, EMILY TARALLO Professional Actress & Dancer

I've known this pretty lady since my freshman year of college when, in the middle of a dance class, she pointed at me and said "You. Who are you? You're killing it." and I've loved her ever since ;) Born into a family of artists, she's a dancer, singer, choreographer and actress who is truly carrying on her family name and taking the industry by storm. In college, she was a member of the FSU Golden Girls dance team in addition to teaching at a local dance studio. Em marches to the beat of her own drum; she was not only a teacher to me, but a friend who has helped me dance through some really crappy times. I'm lucky to have trained under her magic and I'm super excited to watch her journey unfold. 

The Basics:

Hometown: Born in Manhattan, NY, but grew up in Davie, FL
Current city: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Alma mater: Florida State University
Degree: B.A in Women’s Studies & Psychology
Job: Professional Actor/Singer/Dancer/Choreographer

The Interests:

Babe you admire:
Sophia Bush. I absolutely love her. I think she is a brilliant actress and also a wonderful human being. She's a huge activist for women's rights, gay rights and the environment and I stand with everything she fights for.

Must-have item in your purse:
Vaseline lip therapy and hand sanitizer by Bath & Body Works. (Sometimes a cookie if it’s been a rough day…)

First concert?
Aaron Carter. I think it was in like 1998. It was AWESOME.

 

Favorite TV character?
Cristina Yang is my everything.

Who is your biggest inspiration?
My parents. They are both in the arts as well. My mother is a brilliant director/stage manager and my father is an actor/musician with one of the best voices I’ve ever heard. He was in the original Broadway production of Grease. I remember growing up in various theaters watching them on stage. It’s all I’ve ever known! They are amazing. They always give insight from their own work experience but they encourage me to create my own voice and craft. They are my biggest fans as I am theirs.

 

The Hustle:

Every day is a hustle. For me, it changes, depending on whether I'm working on a show or not. When I am, the hustle is in learning my material: doing research, embracing my character, so much choreography, practicing harmonies, memorizing lines, et cetera. Typical theater contracts rehearse six days a week for 2-3 weeks before the show opens. It’s a long, exhausting, and very detailed process, but it's all so, so worth it on opening night! When I'm not doing a show, I have to hustle to make money. I teach dance classes. I work in the box office at the theater. I babysit. I do whatever I have to do in between contracts to stay on top of things!

What does your typical workday look like?
A lot of singing, dancing, and slowly building a production. The first few days of rehearsal are almost always music-focused, where you learn all of the singing material from the show. Then you get into choreography, typically learning 2 to 3 pieces a day. Towards the end of the rehearsal process we will go into full run-throughs of the entire show. Sometimes, if I'm the dance captain for a show, I'm responsible for conducting brush-up rehearsals, teaching choreography, and making sure all of the dance numbers look clean and sharp.

Dancing, acting or singing? Pick one.
Dancing is my first true love.

Which shows have you performed  in?
Cabaret, A Chorus Line, Peter Pan, West Side Story, Big Fish, Curtains, Songs For A New World, Hair, Footloose, The Secret Garden, Gypsy. 

Upcoming: Swing, Swing, Swing and Xanadu - Terpischore (Muse of Dance.)

Where do you see yourself in the future?
I have always dreamed of being on Broadway and I know that one day I will make it there.

What is the most important lesson your job has taught you so far?
You will be told “no” much more than you will be told “yes”. And it will make you stronger. 

What is it like being a woman in your industry?
It’s empowering. Inspiring. There is nothing better than being cast in a show alongside brilliantly talented women who you can learn and grow and create with. It’s hard sometimes because it definitely is competitive and typecasting does exist. But when you find those women who you truly connect with artistically, you form relationships that last so much longer than a show contract.

 

 

Hardest part about your job?
"10 out of 12’s", which is also called “tech week. It takes place the week before opening night. We rehearse, clean, and run through the show in full costumes (most of the time, twice!) from 10 am to 10 pm. Twelve hours, with a dinner break, of non-stop preparation. It’s exhausting.

Best part about your job?
Performing. (#Duh.)

Any embarrassing performance moments? :)
This is the beauty of live theatre! I have had SO many funny moments on stage. One time during West Side Story, one of my heels came off during the iconic “Cool” number, which is a HUGE dance number for the Jets. I danced almost the entire number with one heel on. Opening night of Footloose, my Ren completely blanked on one of our most important balcony scenes. We stood there, awkwardly, then walked off, completely missing a big piece of the story. We laughed so hard afterwards, the show must go on!

Words of advice for other women?
Never try to get between a woman and her dream - you will lose. You can make anything you want happen for yourself if you just trust yourself, your craft and the universe. You can never learn enough.

Follow Emily!

Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
For bookings, email eetarallo@gmail.com

This interview has been condensed and edited.