Meet Emilia Torello
Founder & CEO
Artistic Director
ROLES
Biography
The Wilmington Foundation
Emilia Torello is a Wilmington native and a proven artistic leader dedicated to building a sustainable, equitable, and career-focused pipeline for the performing arts community. Her passion for the performing arts began when she was just two years old, crawling up the steps of historic Thalian Hall to see her first show—a Pied Piper production.
Emilia’s commitment to the Wilmington Theatre Community began over 15 years ago, starting at age nine. Despite initially facing several audition rejections from the local children’s theatre, she and her sister, Arianna, refused to give up. They were finally given their first performance opportunity in the 2009 production of Last Chance High at the Community Arts Center, directed by Michelle Reif, who even wrote a line for Emilia so she could have her first line on stage. Soon after that, Emilia began taking classes with Theatre Dance Workshop, taught by Judy Greenhut and Michelle Reif, and voice lessons with Liz Field of Field Studios.
At age 10, Emilia was cast in her first main stage production at Historic Thalian Hall, The Music Man with Opera House Theatre Company. This marked the beginning of a long-term mentorship with director Suellen Yates, who later cast her as Gavroche in Les Misérables and Chava in Fiddler on the Roof.
She grew up performing with the Thalian Association's children's theatre program and later served on TACT Leadership throughout her teenage years, contributing to the organisation's fundraising and community outreach efforts.
Transition to Directing & Artistic Leadership
Inspired by the directors she worked with, Emilia began seeking out directorial experience. At age 16, she became the first youth director for LJ Woodard at Performance Club, directing her debut show, Legally Blonde, Jr. (2016). She went on to direct Bye Bye Birdie (2017) and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (2018) for the organisation.
In 2019, Emilia partnered with the very theatre company where she had spent every summer of her life from ages 9 to 18, Opera House Theatre Company to co-found the Apprentice Program, alongside Wilker Ballantine and Jason Aycock. The program’s success led to its evolution into the independent Apprentice Theatre, which now serves as the practical application stage of the PTPT Professional Pipeline for novice creatives seeking mentorship in all aspects of production, from directing to design.
Education
University of Miami: She graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Musical Theatre and was honoured as a Foote Fellow—the university’s most prestigious distinction for high-achieving undergraduate students.
International Study: As part of her BFA, she spent a summer studying theatre abroad with Forest McClendon (of The Scottsboro Boys) in the Music Theatre Italy program.
Industry Training: After earning her BFA, Emilia trained at Drama, Inc. in Atlanta, GA, to study Film and Television, where she honed her emotional access skills with April Billingsley.
Select Performance and Professional Credits
While focusing on executive leadership, Emilia maintains a deep connection to her performance roots and is represented by STW Talent. Her stage career spans over a decade across both classic and contemporary roles:
Regional Theatre Highlights: Her first lead role came in 2011 as Annie (Annie, Opera House Theatre Company, Dir. Judy Greenhut). Other highlights include:
My Fair Lady (Eliza Doolittle) - Opera House Theatre Company, Dir. Shane Fernando (2018)
Newsies (Katherine Plumber) - Opera House Theatre Company, Dir. Shane Fernando (2022)
Peter and the Starcatcher (Molly Aster) - Opera House Theatre Company, Dir. Jason Aycock (2017)
Fiddler on the Roof (Chava) - Opera House Theatre Company, Dir. Suellen Yates (2024)
Sister Act (Sister Mary Robert) - Cape Fear Theatre Arts, Dir. Justin Smith (2016)
Peter Pan (Peter Pan) - Thalian Association, Dir. David Loudermilk (2014)
To Kill A Mockingbird (Scout Finch) - Thalian Association, Dir. Tom Briggs (2012)
Ragtime (Little Girl) - Thalian Association, Dir. Michael Walton Jones (2012)
Television & Film: She has appeared in major television series, including roles on The Summer I Turned Pretty, Outerbanks, and The Hunting Wives.
Creative & Executive Producer Roles
Demonstrating her capacity for large-scale, visionary work, Emilia has produced and directed original content: Underground: Musical Web Series. She served as the Executive Producer and Director for this ambitious 7-episode project, which was awarded the $10,000 Miami Knight New Work Award to fund its production.
Emilia’s extensive experience—from her first line on stage to launching a celebrated web series—provides the foundation for PTPT Studio’s mission: to provide the Wilmington artist with the comprehensive education, practical application, and professional opportunity they need to sustain a successful career.