Emily Tyra facts for kids

Emily Tyra (born November 9, 1987) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she learned dance, music, and acting.

Emily started her professional career as a dancer in 2005 with the Boston Ballet. Later, in 2011, she made her first appearance on Broadway in a show with Hugh Jackman. She has also starred in TV shows like Code Black on CBS and the movie Harpoon.

Emily's Early Life and Training

Emily Tyra was born on November 9, 1987, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From 1998 to 2005, she studied many types of dance, including tap, jazz, and classical ballet. She attended special dance programs at places like Ballet Arts Minnesota and American Ballet Theatre. Emily finished high school at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Emily's Career Journey

Dancing on Stage

In 2005, Emily was chosen from over 300 dancers to join the Boston Ballet. She moved to Boston and began her professional dance career. As an apprentice dancer, she trained with other young dancers and performed in their holiday show, The Nutcracker.

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

Musical Theater Roles

After her time with the James Sewell Ballet, Emily continued her career in theater. In 2009, she had roles in musicals like Singin’ in the Rain and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. She performed at the Ordway Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. She also appeared in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Ordway.

Starring on Broadway

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

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

Television and Film Appearances

Besides Broadway, Emily has been in several TV and film projects. She had co-starring roles in a few episodes of HBO's Boardwalk Empire. She then played Mia Bialy in Flesh and Bone, an 8-episode miniseries that aired in November 2015.

In 2016, Emily joined the cast of CBS’s TV series Code Black. She played Dr. Noa Kean in 29 episodes during Seasons 2 and 3. She was a main cast member until the series ended in 2018.

Emily also works with independent filmmakers. She played Sasha in the horror-comedy film Harpoon. The movie received good reviews when it premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in January 2019.

Emily's Personal Life

In March 2019, Emily faced a serious health challenge and later had surgery. After her wedding to Adam Santucci in June 2019, and a short time to recover, Emily returned to the stage in November 2019. She played Cassie Ferguson in A Chorus Line. Emily has been open about her health journey and has become an advocate for people facing similar challenges.

Performances

TV Series Roles

Film Roles

Theater Roles

Dance Performances