Emma Palzere-Rae

Emma Palzere-Rae is a playwright, actor, director, producer and non-profit administrator. Emma spent 15 years as part of the NYC theater community, where she began producing one-woman plays and founded the Womenkind Festival. Over its ten-year run, Womenkind presented nearly 75 different performers, mainly original works.

She is the Associate Director at Artreach, Inc. (Norwich, CT), and has also held the position of Artistic Director for Plays for Living (NYC), a touring company dedicated to social change, where she also wrote and developed plays for the repertoire. Emma’s plays include “The Woodhull Project” about 1872 Presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull; “Aunt Hattie’s House”, about what compelled Harriet Beecher Stowe to pen “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, and “Live from the Milky Way… It...

Emma Palzere-Rae is a playwright, actor, director, producer and non-profit administrator. Emma spent 15 years as part of the NYC theater community, where she began producing one-woman plays and founded the Womenkind Festival. Over its ten-year run, Womenkind presented nearly 75 different performers, mainly original works.

She is the Associate Director at Artreach, Inc. (Norwich, CT), and has also held the position of Artistic Director for Plays for Living (NYC), a touring company dedicated to social change, where she also wrote and developed plays for the repertoire. Emma’s plays include “The Woodhull Project” about 1872 Presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull; “Aunt Hattie’s House”, about what compelled Harriet Beecher Stowe to pen “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, and “Live from the Milky Way… It’s Gilda Radner!” Her current projects include "Breaking Glass" about Victorian photographer Julia Margaret's Cameron's search for beauty, and the multi-characters plays “Finders Weepers” and "Carole's Christmas." Her one-woman plays tour throughout the country under the banner of Be Well Productions. 

Emma is passionate about nurturing theater artists and co-founded The Way of the Labyrinth Playwright’s Retreat (2015-2019), held in southeastern Connecticut. Emma has also been an adjunct professor in the Arts Administration program in the Dramatic Arts Department at the University of Connecticut. Emma serves on the advisory committee of the League of Professional Theatre Women (CT Chapter), co-chairs the New London (CT) Arts Council and serves on the board of Mystic Film Institute. She is a member of Actors Equity Association and the Dramatists Guild, where she serves as the regional representative for New England. Emma holds a B.F.A in Acting with minors in Creative Writing and Speech from Emerson College, Boston. In 2021, Emma was awarded an Artist Fellowship from the CT Office of the Arts.

Scripts

Breaking Glass

Written by Emma Palzere-Rae

Synopsis

Breaking Glass is inspired by the life of Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Cameron took up photography at the age of 48. She produced 900 photographs in a 12-year period, capturing 'famous men and fair women.’ One of the first art photographers, she is credited with creating the ‘close-up.’ Yet, as a woman, she faced fierce criticism. Today, few know of her immense contribution to the art of...

Breaking Glass is inspired by the life of Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Cameron took up photography at the age of 48. She produced 900 photographs in a 12-year period, capturing 'famous men and fair women.’ One of the first art photographers, she is credited with creating the ‘close-up.’ Yet, as a woman, she faced fierce criticism. Today, few know of her immense contribution to the art of photography. This play aims to change that

Set in 1875, Julia Margaret Cameron is about to take her last portrait at her Glass House studio on the Isle of Wight. As she prepares to return to India, she reflects on her career as a photographer and her longing to capture the beauty that surrounds her.

Carole's Christmas

Carole's Christmas by Emma Palzere-Rae

Synopsis

It’s July. Carole, a middle-aged dance professor and mother of a rising college senior, finds out that she has four weeks to live. Rather than fight her diagnosis, Carole decides to celebrate Christmas. Advent is four weeks, right? While her daughter is just about to launch her adult life, Carole’s is ending. As they start to unravel the significance of their journey, the magic of Christmas intervenes. With her...

It’s July. Carole, a middle-aged dance professor and mother of a rising college senior, finds out that she has four weeks to live. Rather than fight her diagnosis, Carole decides to celebrate Christmas. Advent is four weeks, right? While her daughter is just about to launch her adult life, Carole’s is ending. As they start to unravel the significance of their journey, the magic of Christmas intervenes. With her daughter Ivy, best friend Marla, estranged husband Paul — and even the benefits manager from the university — by her side, Carole refuses to succumb to sadness and instead searches for the light in her situation. In the end, the magic of Christmas prevails, and hope for the future endures.