​Emily Bodkin

June 2nd, 2019

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I've been a Mom for a year and loving every minute of it, but now I'm excited to get back onstage with In The Wings in our summer production of Mamma Mia! as Donna!  Running for one weekend only at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island from August 1st to the 4th, I can't wait to bring this character to life.  I've almost always played the Mom role in most of my shows, but to finally play one after the birth of my daughter is going to mean so much more to me.

I'm also beyond excited to be sharing the stage with Tanya Glassman and Anna Glenn Sparks, playing Tanya and Rosie respectively, as I've not yet had the chance to be IN a show with these two lovely ladies, and now we're playing the three Dynamos!  Come see us at the St. George!  Tickets are available at www.sishows.com or by calling 718-442-2900.

July 29th, 2018

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Today we took my beautiful baby to "see" The Little Mermaid.  By "see", I mean that I brought her around to all the cast members beforehand, and then I held her in the back of the theatre to watch Under The Sea.  And then she napped in my arms for most of it, haha!

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I love being a part of In The Wings.  Even though I wasn't able to perform with them this year, I've still been blessed to do so much of the behind-the-scenes work, and I love being a part of the theatre world in any aspect.  Every single person in this company has supported my journey to motherhood and they were all thrilled to see Ellie in her mermaid costume today.  Thank you ITW family, Ellie can't wait to get onstage with you all one day!  :-)

May 17th, 2018

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She is here and perfect and we love her!  Elizabeth Joanne was born on Thursday, May 10th at 6:57pm, weighing 9 pounds 8 ounces and 20 inches long.  We call her Ellie, and we are just over the moon in love with her.  I can't get enough of holding her, staring at her, especially those CHEEKS.  Cheeks for DAYS!!!!

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Joe and I definitely went through the wringer to become parents.  It was a long journey to get here, but now that we're here, I don't think I've ever been so happy.  I was always worried about what kind of Mom I'd be b/c when other people gave me their kids to hold, I was very awkward and unsure of what to do, and ready to give them back in about 5 minutes!  But from the minute Ellie was placed in my arms, I knew right then and there that I never wanted to let her go.  Seeing her face and hearing her cry for the first time was truly a moment that I will never forget.  I am beyond blessed to have her and Joe and all my family and friends who support us.  Thank you for being there for the three of us!

November 2nd, 2017

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As my husband and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary today, we are also celebrating our 12 week mark of being pregnant!  The first trimester is done and I can't wait to welcome our baby and then sign her* up for every voice and dance lesson possible, mwahahaha...

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In all honesty, my husband and I definitely faced some challenges and ended up having to go through IVF.  We were lucky enough to have an excellent insurance plan that covered us 100% on the procedure, and of course, the amazing support of family and friends as we went through this.  We had to go through a few tries, but it's true that the third time is the charm and that we will welcome our baby in May of 2018.  

So here we go... I'm truly excited to be preparing to play the role of a lifetime!  

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*Edited once we found out it's a girl!!  

December 15th, 2016

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On my 36th birthday this year, I decided to get all done up at my salon (go Marucci!) and finally got some new headshots! 

I was VERY fortunate to actually win the headshot package from Karen O'Donnell Photography at our One Enchanted Evening gala this past year.  Not only that, but these are my first headshots outside, something I've always wanted to do.  We had a gorgeous fall day and met at Snug Harbor to take a bunch of shots.  I have to admit, I always get nervous when taking headshots.  I'm always very hard on myself and worried that I look "weird" in pictures... but that definitely wasn't a problem with Karen!  She helped me to relax and have fun, and now that I have to choose, I'm going NUTS... it's always a good problem to have when you can't make up your mind between 20 different shots.  :-)  If you need new headshots, I highly recommend Karen!  

July 15, 2016

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If there's one thing I can say about In The Wings, it's that I've had the chance to play some of my favorite roles, some of my dream roles, some of my most challenging roles, and definitely some of the most fun roles! 

Madame de la Grande Bouche (aka, the Wardrobe) has been an absolute blast to work with in rehearsal.  The costumes are AMAZING!!!  You need to see them to believe them!  And even though they can be a bit of a challenge, it really is one of the best times I've ever had on stage.  Be Our Guest is absolutely magical... even I get a little teary while we do the number (I know, I'm a sap for anything Disney!).  I cannot wait to see the faces of our audiences, both children and adults alike, as they take this magical show in.  Happy Opening!

April 8, 2016

I'm so excited to direct my second musical with In The Wings, 42nd Street!  

What do I love more than a good tap number?  A musical completely FILLED with them!  Another musical that is pure fun, I'm so excited to bring this to life on the stage with an amazing cast and crew.  I am very proud of this talented cast who have poured their heart, souls, and feet into this production since Day One.  We run for two weekends and you don't want to miss this tap-dancing extravaganza!

March 11, 2016

Tonight we celebrated 5 years of shows with In The Wings.  I love working with this company, both onstage and off, and getting to do quality theatre on Staten Island with people who are my friends.  We've had an amazing array of shows since 2011 and we are ready for an amazing season this year as well.  Currently we're in rehearsals for 42nd Street (which I'm directing!) and tonight, our producers made the VERY exciting announcement that our summer show is Beauty and the Beast!

This year I was in charge of the entertainment and had so much fun putting together a medley that showcased our shows and our performers.  Thank you to everyone who sang with us, I really appreciate it.  The raffle baskets were also amazing (I won two of them, a headshot session and a necklace!).  It was a very successful night celebrating theatre.  Here's to another five years!

November 16, 2015

A dream role has come and gone, and the experience is one that will stay with me for the rest of my life.  In my opinion, Gypsy is one of the best musicals of all time.  The score, the book, the characters... it is on point throughout the entire show.  And being able to bring this show, and especially the role of Mama Rose, to life, is something that meant so much to me, in more ways than one.

My stepmother Joanne joined our family when I was 12 years old, right when I was starting to realize how much I loved musical theatre and wanted to do it for life.  In high school, as I was doing shows, taking voice lessons, and starting to come into my own as a performer, Joanne would say to me, "Emily, have you ever seen Gypsy?  I think you would make an excellent Mama Rose someday."  Every year she would ask me, "What's the musical this year?  Are they doing Gypsy yet?  You need to play Mama Rose."  This question continued to come up every year, lol, throughout college, and even upon graduation, the constant quest for where a production of Gypsy was happening so I could belt out Everything's Coming Up Roses.  I fell in love with the show and the music, saw the Patti Lupone revival, and listened to the soundtrack endlessly.  Even though I was on the young side, my height and my look has always been on my side so that I've been cast older... usually playing women in their 40's and 50's.  And Joanne knew that this was a role I was born to play, and couldn't wait for the day to see me in it.

Sadly, Joanne passed away in October of 2012.  I miss her terribly.  She was truly my biggest fan, believing I could play any and every role and would travel anywhere to see them.  When Gypsy was announced for this season, I hoped that this would finally be a chance to play my dream role, not only for myself, but for Joanne.  I was ecstatic when I got the phone call from our director that I got the role, and couldn't wait to work on this script.  Each rehearsal was an adventure, discovering who this woman was to me, creating amazing moments with my cast, and singing one of the best Broadway scores (with a music director that appreciated this music as much as me!).  As hard as the last few years have been for me without Joanne, doing this show was a way of having her back for a little bit... a dream come true for both me and her.

So here I am, at the end of another show, and grateful for the opportunity and fulfillment it has given me like no other.  A huge thank you to everyone who came out to see the show, and a huge thank you to the people involved in the show, from my amazing cast to Craig, Michael, Tanya and Adam.  I couldn't have done it without you, and am honored that I got to be your Mama Rose.   

August 7, 2015

I see a pattern here... I tend to post on opening nights!  But what can I say, they are so freaking exciting... especially when it's opening night for one of your FAVORITE shows in which you are playing one of your FAVORITE roles... I'm Paulette in Legally Blonde: The Musical!  We open tonight and run for two weekends in Snug Harbor, and In The Wings is here to prove that blondes really do have more fun! ;-)

Legally Blonde is like Shrek for me in a lot of ways... many people see it, as I said before about Shrek, as "fluff."  It's upbeat music and amazing dances paired up with blonde jokes and a book that was definitely not written by Shakespeare.  But again, I think it's these types of musicals that we need more of.  It's FUN.  It's a chance to laugh and be entertained by hilarious lyrics and energetic characters, and it's a chance to watch a woman discover that she can be more than what society thinks of her.  It is a ton of laughs that still brings you a message.  A very real moment happens when (SPOILERS) Callahan kisses Elle, she slaps him, and she says, "Is this the only reason you gave me the internship?"  She then sings the only truly sad song in this entire production, Legally Blonde, and it's my favorite, lol!  Elle has stayed so optimistic and positive through everything thrown at her, and this is the straw that breaks the camel's back and makes her feel like finally giving up.  It's the next scene where the Legally Blonde Remix happens (my other favorite song) and thanks to the motivation from her new friends, she goes back into the game, and of course, wins it, proving to everyone that you truly can't judge a book by its cover.  I love this show and I love that I get to play Paulette!

No quilt for this show... between rehearsals and my full time job, I didn't have the time!  But by far, this was one of the shows where I had the most possible fun on stage. 

April 16, 2015

Tonight was opening night of The Wizard of Oz, and it was a huge success.  But what has really gotten me excited about this show is that I decided to make a Wizard of Oz lap quilt for us to raffle off.  I found some amazing fabric on Amazon and put it all together in my favorite pattern (it's called "Trip Around the World", which I guess makes a lot of sense for Dorothy's adventures) AND I found this GORGEOUS fabric panel of the Wicked Witch of the West... it's so awesome my husband had me order a second one and wants me to make another one for us!

Making this quilt has reminded me how much I absolutely love to sew.  I've made about 7 quilts now, and I would like to think that they're getting good enough to sell, haha!  So I've decided to start Tree Number Two Quilting Designs (in honor of playing Tree #2!) and would like to start putting together a few more quilts and maybe sell on Etsy.  What do you think??  I hope it's something I can really put some time and effort into because I love to do it. 

Do you want to WIN this quilt?  Come see The Wizard of Oz this weekend at Snug Harbor and enter the drawing!

December 13, 2014

I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!  A project three years in the making is FINALLY coming to light… the studio recording of Michael Ching’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream Opera A Cappella is HERE and available for purchase! 

This show is extremely near and dear to my heart… when I was offered the role of Helena in this brand new opera, I knew I couldn’t turn it down (not that it ever crossed my mind, haha!).  This was one of those dream shows in so many ways… a brand new show, an iconic female character, a collaboration between musical theatre and opera, an amazing cast that I get to sing with, an amazing production team that I get to work with, and after all that, the chance to be on the original cast recording.  And now, it’s available on Amazon and iTunes.

(Check out my Multimedia page to listen to two of my favorite clips from the score!)  Click here and you can purchase the CD through Albany Records, or you can purchase through Amazon and iTunes.  (Also, please feel free to give us a review on Amazon!)  Thank you for listening, I hope you enjoy!

July 27, 2014

What a summer!  What a cast!  What an experience!  Last fall, I received a phone call from the producers of In The Wings Productions, asking if I would be interested in directing the summer show, Shrek.  I knew it was something I always wanted to do, and I couldn’t believe I was being presented with the opportunity to do a hilarious show about fairy tale creatures with an incredibly talented group of performers.  I accepted, and every single day since then, I have thought about Shrek pretty much 24/7.  Now that it’s closing night, I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my free time!  This has been an unbelievable learning experience, from the casting process to rehearsals, from production values to the final product on stage, and I never would’ve succeeded (and I think we had a HUGE success!) without a production team and cast that supported me and believed in me every step of the way.

Shrek is one of those musicals that can easily be categorized as “fluff”… with its spectacle set and special effects, a big ensemble of random fairy tale creatures, characters that could easily annoy, and a TON of fart jokes, some theatre-goers might not even give it a try.  But behind every joke and gag are moments of truth and realization… accepting who you are and that even if we are all “freaks”, we are beautiful.  I love shows like this that can actually teach us so much while making us laugh out loud, because in the end, I think that’s what we all want; to go through life with joy, learning along the way, and accepting that what makes us special, really does make us strong. 

I am so thankful to have been a part of this show.  And even though the show closes today, I hope you will all continue to Let Your Freak Flag Wave! 

March 13, 2014

We open tonight!  I am so excited to open another amazing production with In The Wings at Snug Harbor in Staten Island.  This is a phenomenal group and once again we've come together with a show that I know people will love.  Only 4 performances this weekend, so please come!
 

January 17, 2014

I am very excited to announce that the opera recording of A Sunny Morning has been released and is available for purchase!  This one-act opera is written by Ed Thomas and based on the play Manana de Sol by the Quintero Brothers.  I was honored to play the maid to one of my idols, Judy Kaye, a two-time Tony award-winning actress, known for being the original Carlotta in Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera.  I also sang with Tim Jerome, another amazing Broadway actor, and was reunited with Rob Legge, my Demetrius from A Midsummer Night's Dream (which we recorded the previous year!).  To be able to get into Kaufman Astoria studios with such an amazing group (including our director, David Green, music director Dennis Buck, record producer Thomas Shepard, and the composer himself, Ed Thomas), was a real treat and one that will not soon be forgotten!  If you would like to purchase the soundtrack, it's available for only $7.99!  Please click here and support this wonderful new work! 

November 24, 2013

Today, In The Wings Productions presented a MasterClass with Linda Eder.  Eight of us were able to sing for her, and I was first!  I sang Temporary by John Bucchino (if you don't know it, you should look it up!).  It was an amazing learning experience to work with her on a challenging song and to also watch my friends coach with her as well.  I remember hearing her for the first time on the Jekyll and Hyde CD when I was 16 years old and being blown away by her voice.  And then to work one on one with her and find out how humble she is... I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  And as you can see from the picture, she's 5'10" as well, haha!  A huge thanks to In The Wings for putting the class together, it was a dream come true to sing for her! 

August 17, 2013

Les Mis officially opened last night, and I couldn't be more honored to be a part of this phenomenal production.  Everyone sounds amazing and audiences are jumping to their feet before the show even ends.  It is a wonderful feeling to be a part of something so special, and I will never forget this show and the amazing cast and crew.  Only a few more performances and tickets are selling FAST, you don't want to miss it!  Playing at Snug Harbor in Staten Island through Sunday, August 25th!
 

July 16, 2013

Les Mis is one of the three musicals that I would endlessly perform in my living room when I was little.  Like many young people when they discover musical theatre, I fell in love with this show.  Now, almost 20 years later, I get to play the role of Fantine, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally be a part of this show outside of my living room.

However, when I was first learning the show in my youth, I didn’t totally “get” it.  Here are 10 facts about my first understandings and interactions with the musical.

1. I wanted to play Cosette.  I never wanted to play Fantine or Eponine.  Think about it… they DIE.  Cosette lives, AND gets the guy.  However, I was going to play both young Cosette and old Cosette.  I needed to sing Castle on a Cloud, but that couldn’t be all I sang.  I figured stage makeup and heels would show enough of the difference.

2. Even though I wanted to play Cosette, I would do all the female roles when performing the show; Fantine, Cosette, Madame Thenardier, and Eponine.

3. I used my Mom’s old nightgowns as my costumes.

4. I also made props.  When Valjean sings “On this page, I write my last confession… it’s the story of those who always loved you…”, I took one of my packets from school and wrote on the back of it “THE STORY.”  Then I would take it from an imaginary Valjean when he sang those words to me (while I was playing Cosette, of course).

5. The first time I heard On My Own, I thought she was in love with a blind man… “And although, I know that he is blind, still I say there’s a way for us…”

6. The first songs I heard from the show were Master of the House, Look Down, and Do You Hear the People Sing.  For some reason, I only played those three songs for a good month before I decided to listen to the rest of the show, skipping on my CD player from track 11, to 13, to 16.

7. I once made my sister perform On My Own for me while I sat in a chair like I was judging her.  Was I trying to become a casting director or something???

8. I would let the show play in its entirety, and sometimes I guess I felt like I didn’t have enough stage time, so I would write in scenes for myself.  For instance, when Javert commits suicide, I felt there was too much music at the end with nothing going on.  So I became a “narrator” of sorts, came on during the last few measures, and would say, “In realizing that he has failed in his life, and with nowhere else to turn, Javert commits suicide.”  I was so serious when I said this.

9. Another one was when Gavroche revealed to everyone who Javert really is in “Little People.”  I decided to place Cosette in the scene and react to everything Gavroche said.  And when Gavroche got to the chorus, Cosette and other women would do a dance behind him.  (Seriously, I didn’t get musical theatre at ALL).

10. When I was 11 and visiting my Gramma in Williamsburg, we were walking around the shops at Colonial Williamsburg.  Michael Maguire (the original Enjolras, and one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard) was giving a free outdoor concert.  I wish I had realized the opportunity that we stumbled into, but I didn’t, and Gramma and I bought fudge and left.

Bonus:  Whenever there was a scene between Marius and Cosette that I felt should end with a kiss, I made out with the air… tongue and all.

Come see me live a dream… I’ll be playing Fantine with In The Wing’s production of Les Miserables at Snug Harbor Music Hall, from August 16th through August 25th! 

April 25, 2013

Opening night of The Pajama Game is tomorrow night, and I'm so excited!  This show has been one of the best times I've ever had on stage.  Please come if you can!

This company and cast have been a dream to work with.  I am amazed by the talent and commitment that every single cast and crew member have dedicated to this show.  And to get the chance to play such a fiesty leading lady is a dream come true.  Many thanks to everyone involved in this production, I can't wait to perform with you this weekend and more in the future!

April 24, 2013

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I am playing Babe in In The Wings' production of The Pajama Game this weekend at Snug Harbor in Staten Island. Only four performances, April 26th through the 28th, and you don't want to miss out on this wonderful show!

Visit www.inthewingsproductionsny.com for more information and to purchase tickets!!​