Interview: Theatre Life with Avery Harris

Today’s subject Avery Harris is currently living her theatre life onstage at Round House Theatre in Rules for Living playing the role of Emma for certain performances. Avery shares the role with Maisie Posner who will be featured in a separate column soon. The show runs through January 4th.

In just a little over two years, this 14 year old freshman from Fairfax County has amassed an already impressive resume. You might remember Avery as the Little Girl in Ragtime at Signature Theatre (Helen Hayes Nomination for Best Ensemble), or as Laura in The Bedwetter at Arena Stage. Her other stage credits include Arie in The Little Mermaid, and the title character in Matilda.

One of the biggest things that young performers have to deal with is life balance. Imagine rehearsing a show at one of our main DMV theatres while keeping a full high school class schedule. Read on to see how Avery makes it all work.

For something a little different this holiday season, please consider grabbing some tickets to Rules for Living at Round House Theatre. Avery Harris is a young talent with a career that is definitely going in the right direction. She is the next generation of performer and let's face it, that is definitely something to be excited about to be sure.

Avery Harris is truly living her theatre life to the fullest.

How did you get interested in performing?

When I got cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid Junior at my elementary school as a sixth grader, I realized this is what I wanted to do.  It was my favorite story as a child and when I got to be Ariel on stage, I felt such a connection to performing and realized this is what I want to do.

What was your first professional job as a performer? 

Playing the Little Girl in Ragtime at Signature Theatre! I was 12 years old and couldn’t believe I was getting paid to do something I loved so much!

You are sharing the role of Emma in Rules for Living with another young performer. Is this the first time you have split a role with another actress?

This is the second time I have split a role. In Ragtime, I was double cast with the fantastic Emerson Holt Lacayo who is still a friend!  It’s so much fun to have a partner to share a role with. Being with the talented Maisie Posner in this show has been awesome.

You were part of the casts of Ragtime at Signature Theatre and The Bedwetter at Arena Stage. Both of those shows were good size musicals. Rules for Living is a straight play. What would you say is the biggest difference in rehearsing a musical over a play?

The rehearsal process seems to go faster without music to learn!

Can you please tell us how you balance going to school with rehearsals and performances?

It’s definitely not easy but I found a way to fit my homework and studying into the rotation of rehearsals.  Sometimes I will study in the car or in the dressing room when I am not on stage.  Sometimes I am up late when I get home finishing it all!  So, figuring out how to fit that in has become part of my routine.

What do you like to do when you are not performing? Do you have any hobbies?

I was actually a dancer before I found my love for theater, and dance is still a huge part of my life.  I take six hours of classes a week at Metropolitan School of the Arts (including jazz, tap, contemporary, ballet, and hip hop) and have been dancing since I was two years old!

After Rules for Living closes, do you have any shows coming up in 2026 that you can tell us about?

Yes, I will be in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying early next year!  I go to school in Fairfax County, and FCPS offers a magnet program for musical theater called Fairfax Academy.  Kids from all over the county apply and 25 are accepted for each class year.  I take a bus from my regular high school to the Academy every other day for musical theater class, and we are in rehearsal for this show (Yes, I am squeezing that in, in between my Rules for Living work!). 

Special thanks to Round House Theatre's royal PR and Partnerships Manager Her Royal Highness Amy "Queenie" Killion for her assistance in coordinating this interview.