Originally from the East Coast, NJ and NYC, I started acting at a young age, theater lives deep in my roots. My father was a professor of both Shakespeare and Film, my mother was an actor in NYC for many years before becoming a professor as well. All of my sisters are a teacher, stand up performer, TV producer, and all are artists. It was an interesting upbringing to say the least, we lived theater. Since art is also a passion, I focused on both in school. I spent some of my time making money selling paintings, doing illustration and design, and making jewelry for many years. Moving to the West Coast was a big shift and after some time off to have kids, I returned to the stage here and have been performing all over the Bay for the last 3 years.
The wonderful, amazing, inspiring teachers and coaches I have worked with in the Bay Area include Patrick Russell, Mia Tagano, Kari Prindl, Lauren English, Laura Wayth, Richard Seyd, Frances Epsen-Devlin, and Meryl Shaw. I have also worked with Faye Simpson at Lucid Body and Jim Calder, both from the NYU graduate program. See resume below.
Contact: emily@devildoll.com
Represented by the NYLO agency.
More info/filmography/photos: https://www.backstage.com/u/emilykeyishian/
"One poignant moment happens between Brooke (Emily Keyishian) and Trip (Micah Watterson) as they discuss the likely outcome of publishing, their own personal setbacks, and the pain surrounding the death of their brother. It can be hard to capture sibling chemistry, but Keyishian and Watterson are quite good. Aided by Jon Robin Baitz’s script, the two actors bring an almost wholesome and childlike essence to the moment. It’s an exchange of two confidants that foreshadows the finale."
-Sahar Yousefi Spinning Platters (Other Desert Cities)
Audience comments from Hamlet:
"I never understood Ophelia until I saw this production"
"I usually don't like Ophelia- but I loved yours!"
"You were my favorite Ophelia"
"We’re transplanted to a futuristic, hipster London. Here the cool kids are buying slaves from places like Bulgaria and Moldavia, using them for sexual gratification, and showing them off to friends at night clubs. When the women aren’t needed, they’re chained to fences. Remember that thing I mentioned about the unexpected, and it potentially stomping all over your comfort zone? Well, here you go. Provocative, indeed. 20 minutes of squirmish theater never felt so odd and well executed. Same too with the superb performances." Stark Insider (Turning Tricks, ReOrient festival)
“...Would the all-male team be able to cope with the exotic presence of Female Engineer (Emily Keyishian, in a quirky, understated performance that elevates her character from type to human being)?.." Lily Janiak, SF Chronicle (Adventures in Tech)
"Emily Keyishian, my favorite face to watch on stage, so funny and so tender" Stuart Bousel (Adventures in Tech)
"That’s for the audience to determine as the plot thickens, so to speak. And that’s when the only other person in this play shows up: the alluring, guarded Abby (beautifully understated performance by Emily Keyishian) who runs Drake Colony, a retreat where writers and would-be writers go to have the solitude and time to write." Mercury News (Fiction)
The wonderful, amazing, inspiring teachers and coaches I have worked with in the Bay Area include Patrick Russell, Mia Tagano, Kari Prindl, Lauren English, Laura Wayth, Richard Seyd, Frances Epsen-Devlin, and Meryl Shaw. I have also worked with Faye Simpson at Lucid Body and Jim Calder, both from the NYU graduate program. See resume below.
Contact: emily@devildoll.com
Represented by the NYLO agency.
More info/filmography/photos: https://www.backstage.com/u/emilykeyishian/
"One poignant moment happens between Brooke (Emily Keyishian) and Trip (Micah Watterson) as they discuss the likely outcome of publishing, their own personal setbacks, and the pain surrounding the death of their brother. It can be hard to capture sibling chemistry, but Keyishian and Watterson are quite good. Aided by Jon Robin Baitz’s script, the two actors bring an almost wholesome and childlike essence to the moment. It’s an exchange of two confidants that foreshadows the finale."
-Sahar Yousefi Spinning Platters (Other Desert Cities)
Audience comments from Hamlet:
"I never understood Ophelia until I saw this production"
"I usually don't like Ophelia- but I loved yours!"
"You were my favorite Ophelia"
"We’re transplanted to a futuristic, hipster London. Here the cool kids are buying slaves from places like Bulgaria and Moldavia, using them for sexual gratification, and showing them off to friends at night clubs. When the women aren’t needed, they’re chained to fences. Remember that thing I mentioned about the unexpected, and it potentially stomping all over your comfort zone? Well, here you go. Provocative, indeed. 20 minutes of squirmish theater never felt so odd and well executed. Same too with the superb performances." Stark Insider (Turning Tricks, ReOrient festival)
“...Would the all-male team be able to cope with the exotic presence of Female Engineer (Emily Keyishian, in a quirky, understated performance that elevates her character from type to human being)?.." Lily Janiak, SF Chronicle (Adventures in Tech)
"Emily Keyishian, my favorite face to watch on stage, so funny and so tender" Stuart Bousel (Adventures in Tech)
"That’s for the audience to determine as the plot thickens, so to speak. And that’s when the only other person in this play shows up: the alluring, guarded Abby (beautifully understated performance by Emily Keyishian) who runs Drake Colony, a retreat where writers and would-be writers go to have the solitude and time to write." Mercury News (Fiction)
