EMMA NA-YUN DOWNS

Emma Na-yun Downs (she/her) is a mixed Korean-American Boston-based actress, singer, and songwriter based in Boston, MA. 

Emma is a New England native – growing up in Massachusetts, she stayed local to attend Tufts University, graduating in 2023 and earning her B.A. degree in Theatre & Performance (and Political Science). She has since built a theatrical career here in Boston, working with many Boston-area theatre companies on musicals and new work. Select credits include: Vera in My Home on the Moon (CHUANG Stage), Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (Central Square Theater), Bat Boy: The Musical (Umbrella Stage Co.), Covenant (Moonbox Productions). 

She is the founder of Boston Actor Auditions on Instagram, Boston’s largest resource for finding Union and Non-union theatrical audition opportunities in the Boston and New England area, with 6,000 followers and counting.

Emma is also a singer and songwriter. Emma is a songwriter for CHUANG Stage and Company One’s original musical Boston Chinatown: Stories on Our Streets, currently in development. Outside of theatre, Emma sings lead vocals for the band Cautionary Tale. 

Emma also has worked as an educator and admin. From 2023-2025, Emma was the Education Associate at Boston Playwrights Theatre under Artistic Director Megan Sandberg-Zakinan, organizing the Massachusetts Youth Playwriting Program, an annual high school playwright mentorship program and festival. 

Emma dedicates herself to work that brings forth visions of a more hopeful, vibrant, and diverse world. She believes theatre and performance is a uniquely effective avenue towards opening minds, invoking empathy, and inspiring audiences to civically engage in their communities. 

Beyond the stage, Emma has a passion for food security work. She plays soccer, weight lifts, enjoys fashion, painting, watching sitcoms, and spending lots of time with my family.

@emmanayun