Meet Emily Ota: Star of Henry V at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival
We are so lucky to have access to so much theater in and around Westchester. One of our favorite places to see live theater is at Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in their open-aired tent. We recently enjoyed an incredible performance of William Shakespeare’s Henry V and was instantly struck by its lead, Emily Ota, who plays the role of Henry V. Read on to learn more about Emily, this pivotal role, and the magic of Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival below:
Westchester Family: You’ve had an incredible history with HVSF. What was it like to learn that you got the part of Henry V?
Emily Ota: I actually started my professional career at HVSF. Back in 2015, when I just got out of grad school, I moved from the UK to New York and I was only been in town for a couple of months when I got cast in the Conservatory Company for that season.
So to come back last year after those Covid quarantine years, and then to be given this opportunity to play Henry V was incredible, to say the least. To be honest, I was a bit lost for words when the initial conversation happened between Davis McCallum (the director) and myself. I’m still a little shocked, even now, but it’s a wonderful opportunity and experience that I will never forget.
Westchester Family: What is the process like to bring this iconic character to life?
Emily Ota: Davis and I started chatting about the character and the production as a whole last September/October. During that off-season time, we had many Zoom meetings to discuss what we were both interested in by telling this very old story now in 2023, and with someone like me portraying the king. I myself did a lot of research on the real King Henry V, as well as reading various literary critiques and discussions on the play.
I also watched a bunch of different versions of past productions both done here in the US and internationally. It’s a full-body experience inhabiting a Shakespearean character, let alone one that is so well-known and beloved. Not to mention there are a dozen or so monologues, most of which are incredibly famous to find your own take on.
Normally, I am pretty quick at learning my lines during the rehearsal process, but this time around I took as much time as I could to be with my script and the words. That was probably the biggest part of my process; understanding Henry’s mind and stream of thought, how he speaks, and the lightning-quick wit and intelligence he has.
Since opening the show, it’s been an absolute honor to play him every night. It’s no easy task, that’s for sure, but incredibly satisfying artistically, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Henry is definitely one of the most difficult characters I’ve taken on, but also one of the most cherished I’ve played too.
Westchester Family: What do you hope audiences will get from your portrayal of Henry V?
Emily Ota: I’m just glad people are still coming to the theatre! It’s been a rough go for American Theatre – and live performance in general – for the last few years, so to have audiences flock to us is such a heartwarming gift. I know our global landscape has changed since covid became a part of our lives, but hopefully, as we get more and more comfortable people will remember how magical theatre is and want to come back.
As for my take on Henry V this season, I hope people will see that these plays gifted to us by Shakespeare still have relevance today. Though the poetry used can be a little hard to follow, there are excellent investigations into the human experience, our relationships with each other, and how we all cope with things like war, loss, leadership, friendship, loneliness, and love.
Westchester Family: What’s it like to play such a renowned character as a woman?
Emily Ota: It’s a huge honor! However, since it’s not as common for women to play Henry V, I didn’t feel the pressure as much as if it were a famous female role. I had the wonderful opportunity to play Juliet when I was younger, and it was terrifying. As women in Shakespeare, there are only a handful of roles we get to play compared to our male counterparts. And even then, those opportunities are hard to win. So playing Juliet, while magnificent, was incredibly nerve-wracking.
Now, playing Henry is a lot of responsibility, but because I never in my wildest dreams hoped of playing him, I didn’t really have anything to compare it to. So when we started rehearsals back in April, I kind of approached it as a new piece of theatre; a character no one has seen before – because in reality, most (if not all of our audiences) haven’t seen Henry like this ever. It’s been wonderful being able to bring a completely new perspective to a well-known character, and hopefully, through my work, people will be able to see Henry in a new light and in ways men wouldn’t be able to do.
Westchester Family: What’s it like to perform in HVSF’s incredible outdoor tent?
Emily Ota: Outdoor theatre is an adventure, and not for the faint of heart! Theatre itself is a wild beast to contend with – there is never a show that is exactly the same. Then you add: heat, humidity, rain, smoke, sand, bugs (so many bugs), wildlife…every night is different. But that’s one of the things I love about theatre, and why I’ve dedicated so much of my professional career to this specific medium.
Each time we perform, we create this bond between us and our audiences that will never happen again. It is a unique and singular moment in time that we get to share for a couple of hours, and then it’s over. Especially now, when all of us have instant access to pretty much anything, and can pause, record, or whatever – to be present with 500 other people (mostly strangers) who collectively agree to listen and participate in storytelling… it’s magic. And then, doing so on the beautiful grounds of HVSF’s new land in the Hudson Valley, it can’t get much better than that.
Westchester Family: What’s next for you after this performance?
Emily Ota: Thankfully, the festival is going on until August 27th, so I have about a month left doing Henry V and Love’s Labor’s Lost. Once the season closes, I’ll be heading back to Los Angeles, where I am currently based. There are a few things potentially lined up, but nothing concrete yet. The life of an actor is always on the move! I would love to be able to split my time between LA and New York as I have been doing for the past couple of years, so hopefully whatever job I take next will land me on either coast.
Westchester Family: Anything else to add?
Emily Ota: Come and see Henry V and Love’s Labor’s Lost at HVSF! We can’t wait to see you there!
