Emily Tyra facts for kids

Emily Tyra (born November 9, 1987) is a talented American actress, singer, and dancer. She grew up in Minneapolis. Emily started learning dance, music, and acting at a young age.

She began her professional career in 2005 as a dancer. Emily performed with the Boston Ballet. In 2011, she made her first appearance on Broadway. She was a singer and dancer in Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway. Later, she played Dr. Noa Kean in the TV show Code Black. She also appeared as Sasha in the movie Harpoon.

Emily's Early Life and Training

Emily Tyra was born on November 9, 1987. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From 1998 to 2005, she studied many dance styles. These included tap, jazz, and classical ballet. She trained at places like Ballet Arts Minnesota. She also studied at Kaatsbaan International Dance Center and The Joffrey Ballet. Emily even received a scholarship to the American Ballet Theatre. She finished high school at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Emily's Career Journey

Starting with Ballet and Dance

In the summer of 2005, Emily was chosen from over 300 dancers. She moved to Boston to start her professional career. She joined the Boston Ballet as an apprentice dancer. Emily trained with new dancers and performed in The Nutcracker. She also spoke at media events for the company.

After one season, Emily decided not to continue with the Boston Ballet full-time. She returned to Minneapolis. There, she joined the James Sewell Ballet. For three years, she performed modern and new dance pieces. She focused on improvisation and working with other artists.

Moving to Musical Theater

After leaving the James Sewell Ballet, Emily continued her theater career. In 2009, she had roles in musicals. These included Singin’ in the Rain and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. She performed at the Ordway Center in Saint Paul. She also performed at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Emily was also part of the cast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

Performing on Broadway

Emily moved to New York City to pursue a career on Broadway. In 2011, she made her Broadway debut. She performed with Hugh Jackman in his show Back on Broadway. From 2011 to 2013, Emily appeared in other Broadway shows. These included Chaplin and Nice Work If You Can Get It. She also performed in An American in Paris.

After her TV show Code Black ended in 2018, Emily returned to musical theater. She was chosen for the main role of Cassie Ferguson. This was in a new version of A Chorus Line at the Signature Theatre.

Acting in Television and Film

Besides Broadway, Emily has been in many TV and film projects. She appeared in several episodes of HBO's Boardwalk Empire. Then, she played Mia Bialy in Flesh and Bone. This was an 8-episode miniseries on Starz in 2015. In 2016, she joined the cast of CBS’s Code Black. She played Dr. Noa Kean in 29 episodes. She was a main cast member until the show ended in 2018.

Emily also works with independent filmmakers. She played Sasha in the horror-comedy film Harpoon. The film received good reviews at its premiere. This was at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in January 2019.

Emily's Personal Life

In March 2019, Emily was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She later had surgery to remove it. After her wedding to Adam Santucci in June 2019, she recovered. Emily returned to the stage in November 2019. She played Cassie Ferguson in A Chorus Line. She is open about her health journey. Emily has become a supporter for others in the cancer community.

Emily's Performances

TV Series Appearances

Film Roles

Theater Performances

Dance Performances