Emma Pasko, 19, is a 2022 graduate of Dunmore High School, and now a sophomore at Ithaca College majoring in Television and Digital Media Production and minoring in Live Event Design and Management. This summer she is acting as Assistant Stage Manager during the summer season of the Scranton Shakespeare Festival.
Emma is working on the mainstage production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, as well as two productions for SSF’s Youth Ensemble, Twelfth Night and The Lightning Thief. The Youth Ensemble, composed of high school students from throughout Northeast Pennsylvania, also presents a cabaret style Player’s Piece each season.
Although it is her first year working with ScrantonShakes, Emma is no stranger to the organization. Her father, Jason Pasco of Dunmore, introduced her to the local theater organization when she was younger, and she vividly recalls favorite SSF productions such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Winter’s Tale, and Hood: The Musical.
“I grew up with this,” Emma points out. In addition, her sister, Julia Pasco, a recent graduate of New York University who is now looking to begin her theater career in NYC, appeared in SSF productions of Troilus and Cressida and Footloose, and played the clarinet in its presentation of Cabaret.
Emma has also been involved in band, chorus, and theater at Dunmore High School where she worked on Beehive: The 70s Musical and The Wizard of Oz.
Working on You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown this season feels like a “full circle moment” to Emma. During her sophomore year at Dunmore High, the student company was just days away from presenting the popular musical when it had to be shut down because of COVID.
Inspired by her early experience growing up exposed to the arts–both as an audience member and as a participant in theater camps including Arts Alive!–Emma has been drawn to focus on television and movie production at Ithaca, with an ultimate goal of becoming a director for television or film. She enjoys camera work, audio and lighting.
“My freshman year I felt nervous, wondering if this was a good fit for me” Emma explains. But my first year professors have been wonderful and it’s a great environment.”
Emma draws support from her family. Her father, who also loves music and concerts, is supportive of her goals. Her family also includes her mother, Pamela Pasco, and her grandparents, Paul and Eugenia Pasco of Dunmore and Joseph and Francine Kalinowski of Olyphant. In addition to Julia, she has two more siblings, Luke and Olivia Perez.
As far as her summer job, Emma says it is dream to work with the professionals at ScrantonShakes, and she is learning a lot of skills and how to work in a fast-paced environment where the company is doing multiple shows simultaneously.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn in a professional setting, but also to be part of providing free theater to our area!” Emma says.
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NOTE: For listings of show dates and times go to ScrantonShakes.com. Tickets are free, but seats must be reserved in advance at the website.