Today we’d like to introduce you to Emilia Bjork-Perkins.
Hi Emilia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always been very interested in the arts, ever since I was a small child. My father was a musician and my mother is a painter, so growing up it was always a part of my life. The first time I performed was together with my father as a guest artist at one of his concerts. I was only 8 years old at that point. I didn’t find theatre until a bit later, but it became my main focus as a teenager and as an adult. I think I have both my parents to thank for the path I am on. They have always been very supportive and inspired me to be brave enough to follow my dreams. I was born in Sweden, and moved to the US when I was 22 years old to attend Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre in California. During my second year of school, I met my husband Chase and my friends Jacob, Gaby and Eric who I now work with, and together we moved to the Twin Cities and started Cahoot?! Physical Theatre.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been some challenges getting to the point where I am today, and looking ahead, I’m sure there will many more bumps in the road. I think every challenge you face is a learning experience, and every failure is in a way a gift, if you take a step back and look at it from a different point of view. It’s no secret it can be a challenge for artists to pursue their passion and make a living at the same time. It has taken me some trial and error to find a balance in that for sure. I have realized it is incredibly important for me as an individual to make sure I can keep my schedule flexible enough so that I can jump on an opportunity when it presents itself. It’s not always easy to figure that out, but it is possible.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a performer, model, theatre creator and teaching artist. When people ask me what I do, it gets complicated because I do lots of different things. Some days I model for a portrait or do a photo shoot in the morning, and then go run a game show experience for a company team building in the evening. Sometimes I’m a clown and I run away on tour with the circus for two months, and sometimes I work as a princess in a castle. I’ve been cast in classic musical theatre productions like “Annie” or “Chicago”, and I have also taught a lot of summer camps. I love all my work most of the time. I thrive when every day is different. What I enjoy most is working together with my ensemble in Cahoot?! Physical Theatre.
Our mission is something I feel so strongly about, and that is that theatre should be accessible to everyone. It’s something that can make a real impact in people’s lives no matter how old you are or where you come from. We strive to create new exciting work and give it to our community with the hope of bringing people together and starting conversations. Right now, we are in the middle of the process of creating and producing our next show called “A Red Herring”, and it will premiere in the Twin Cities in the spring of 2023.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I spent a lot of my time growing up around horses. It was the biggest part of my life for many years. I think it taught me a lot about listening and gave me lots of confidence in myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cahootphysicaltheatre.org
- Instagram: @emiliabperkins | @cahootphysicaltheatre
Image Credits
Camellia Neih
Chase Perkins
Eric Jones
Ruth Page Jones
John O’Hara
Katie Stivers
