Emma Rosa Went is a theatre director who makes new and classic-text plays. Her work is heartfelt, intimate, collaborative, and sexy. She is currently on staff at the Public Theater as the inaugural Directing Fellow, where she will direct the world premiere of Else Went's INITIATIVE in Fall 2025. 

Emma and Else are a collaborative duo (and married couple) who develop work together. Other ongoing projects include DEGENERATES (Public Theater Judith Champion Series, Fall ‘24; Ars Nova Workshop, Spring '23; NYTW Reading, Fall '22;) AN OXFORD MAN (Blackburn Prize Special Commendation ‘25, Pacific Playwrights Festival @ South Coast Rep, Spring ‘24; MTC Ted Snowden Reading Series, Spring '23;) and I AM THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BIRD (BTB workshop at Playwrights Horizons, Spring ‘24; Mercury Store, Fall '22.)

Emma's recent work with Shakespeare and other heightened texts includes: Hudson Valley Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet, Tour '23) Opera House Arts (Much Ado About Nothing;) workshops of Two Noble Kinsmen (residency with Public Shakespeare Initiative, Commission from HVS;) & ongoing workshop of Hamlet (co-directing with Will Frears) at Mercury Store and Coffey St. Studio.

Emma is an alum of the Drama League Directors Project, the SDCF Observership Program, and the FAIR Program at OSF. She was a 2023 Finalist for the Barbara Whitman Award. Emma currently teaches Shakespeare at Marymount Manhattan College. She went to Sarah Lawrence. SDC Member.