The Drake University Department of Theatre Arts had the opportunity to work directly with Drake Theatre alum, Michael Emerson. Emerson is an Emmy Award-winning actor best known for his roles as serial killer William Hinks on The Practice, Benjamin Linus on Lost, Dr. Leland Townsend in the thriller series Evil, and Harold Finch in the CBS series Person of Interest.
Emerson first began working with Drake students during an Auditioning J-term course in New York City in January 2022. Each student in the class had the opportunity to audition for him and work individually on their pieces, receiving valuable feedback from a professional actor in the industry. He enjoyed working with the students so much that he reached out to make himself available for two Zoom workshops this semester. Students received feedback on their work and participated in a Q&A. Emerson plans to continue to make himself available for the J-term Auditioning course in NYC.