Today we’d like to introduce you to Camilla Ross.
Hi Camilla, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey began with the belief that theatre should do more than entertain—it should educate, inspire conversation, and give a voice to people and stories that are too often overlooked. As a producer, director, actor, playwright, educator, and military veteran, I have seen how storytelling can bring people together.
Lisa Giordano and I co-founded Emerson Theater Collaborative in 2008 in Mystic CT along with Emma Palzere-Rae to serve youth and underrepresented communities through innovative theatre, education, and community engagement. Since beginning our work in Sedona in 2016, we have built strong partnerships with artists, schools, nonprofits, and community leaders while working to keep professional theatre accessible.
Over the past ten years, Emerson Theater Collaborative has produced approximately 50 shows in Sedona, ranging from socially relevant dramas and new works to classic plays, comedies, educational programs, and community events. We have also used our productions to support humanitarian causes and bring attention to important social issues.
That journey led to the creation of the Arts Academy of Sedona in 2020, a community arts center supporting theatre, visual art, music, comedy, culinary arts, education, and collaboration. Today, as Emerson Theater Collaborative celebrates its tenth anniversary in Sedona, we remain committed to producing meaningful theatre, supporting emerging artists, and building community through the arts.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road. Building and sustaining a professional theatre company in a smaller community comes with real challenges. Funding is never guaranteed, audiences must be continually developed, and finding affordable performance space, housing, and qualified artists can be difficult. As a small organization, we often wear several hats and accomplish a great deal with limited resources.
The pandemic was another major challenge, particularly because the Arts Academy of Sedona was established in 2020. We had to rethink how we produced programs, remained connected to our community, and kept the organization moving forward during an uncertain time.
We have also chosen to produce stories that address difficult social issues. That work is not always the easiest to fund or market, but it is central to our mission. The challenges have taught us to be resourceful, flexible, and persistent. Strong community partnerships and our belief in the importance of the work have helped us continue growing.
I have never let a challenge get the best of me, and I always will find a way to solve for the issue at hand. I love a challenge, because it allows me to connect back to the community to help solve it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Emerson Theater Collaborative . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Emerson Theater Collaborative began humbly in Mystic, Connecticut, in 2008. Lisa Giordano, Emma Palzere-Rae, and I co-founded the company with a shared belief that theatre should entertain, educate, and give a voice to people and stories too often overlooked. We started small, but our commitment to producing theatre with purpose has remained at the center of everything we do. Since then, more than 70 productions have been produced in Mystic.
Sadly, Lisa died in 2024 after a long battle with Ovarian Cancer. Her vision, creativity, and commitment helped shape Emerson Theater Collaborative, and her legacy remains an important part of who we are today.
In 2016, I expanded our work to Sedona, Arizona. Emerson Theater Collaborative is now known for producing professional, socially relevant theatre that encourages conversation and creates understanding. We specialize in stories that center underrepresented voices and explore important social and humanitarian issues.
What continues to set us apart is our combination of professional artistry and community purpose. Our programming includes fully staged productions, new works, classic plays, comedies, staged readings, educational opportunities, internships, audience talkbacks, and partnerships with nonprofit organizations. We also work to make theatre accessible through complimentary and reduced-cost seating.
I am most proud that our brand represents theatre with a purpose. From more than 70 productions in Mystic to approximately 50 shows during our ten years in Sedona, we have remained committed to using storytelling to educate, connect people, amplify diverse voices, and create meaningful change.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Something that may surprise people is that my professional life extends well beyond the theatre. I am a veteran of the United States Navy and United States Army. My military service taught me discipline, leadership, resilience, and how to remain focused when circumstances change unexpectedly, all skills I use constantly as a producer and arts executive.
I also teach finance and business as an adjunct instructor at Three Rivers Community College. People often see creativity and finance as two separate worlds, but producing theatre requires both. You need the artistic vision to tell a powerful story and the financial knowledge to build an organization capable of sustaining that work. That combination of military service, education, business, and the arts has shaped the way I lead Emerson Theater Collaborative.
Pricing:
- 35 – General Seating
- 45 – Reserved Seating
- We do have group rates
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.emersontheatercollaborative.org
- Instagram: @etcsedona
- Facebook: @ETCSedonaAZ
- LinkedIn: @camillaross.
