Em Whitworth on Ava, Betrayal and 'Different Words for Happiness'

Em Whitworth is back at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre, playing Ava in the world premiere of "Different Words for Happiness" by Resident Company Member Katie Kleiger. The play runs through November 15, 2026, and audiences are gasping, cheering and crying their way through it.

What is the play about?

A late-night call from an ex pulls Ava back into a past she thought she'd left behind. That call leads her to Eleanor, an accomplished gynecologist quietly navigating a midlife crisis of her own. The two women work through blame and forgiveness, moving between taut psychological drama and laugh-out-loud comedy, and claim the right to define happiness on their own terms — even if they have to invent the words for it.

Whitworth keeps the plot details purposefully vague. "The show takes a lot of unexpected turns, and I'd love the audience to find out for themselves," she said.

Who is Ava?

"Ava is a lonely, patched-together person who is grieving the loss of a pretty important relationship in her life," Whitworth explained. "Throughout the course of the show, she confronts betrayal on a lot of levels... by a former lover and by her own body."

She works her way through to forgiveness and accountability. Whitworth identifies with the character's coping style: "She uses humor as a defense mechanism. She's very funny, she's very smart and grounded in a way that I like to think that I am."

The biggest challenge? Breathing. Ava covers a life-changing 100 minutes onstage, and Whitworth credits director Laura Kepley with keeping her centered and present rather than ahead of herself.

What's it like building a world premiere?

"It's a dream — it's an utter dream!" Whitworth said of working alongside Kleiger, who joined rehearsals via Zoom and gave gut reactions in the room. "Katie's script is so funny and fresh — it's ferocious, unflinching work." Very little changed during rehearsal, because the script arrived feeling complete.

The company includes Everyman company member Megan Anderson and Maboud Ebrahimzadeh, with intimacy direction (a specialist who stages sensitive physical scenes safely) from Sierra Young. "This show was made by a dream team, and I feel like the audience can sense that we trust each other and the text to deliver the most impactful story possible."

Why Baltimore?

Whitworth made her Everyman debut in 2025 as Nancy in "Deceived," after DC-area actor Zack Powell connected her with the company. She grew up doing theater in the DMV and moved to New York in 2022, but "the DMV always calls me back, and I'm happy to answer."

She's now a convert to Baltimore's theater scene: "There really seems to be an integration between the community and the art makers in a way that feels very exciting and relevant. It's a great place to do new work."

Her DC-area credits include work at Shakespeare Theatre Company (where "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is upcoming), Folger Theatre, Synetic Theater and Constellation Theatre; New York credits span Bridge Street Theater and American Theater of Actors. She trained at the Stella Adler ECO Summer Conservatory and Synetic Theater.

Why should audiences go?

Whitworth frames the show against isolated, screen-bound times. "This story is one about overcoming loneliness through unconventional and surprising means," she said. She hopes audiences — "especially women and those that have gone through a betrayal" — feel their experience articulated and leave knowing "there are new waves of happiness that they might not even imagine just waiting on the other side of forgiveness."

Her closing pitch: "If you feel lonely or disconnected, come to the theater, see this story, and know that you're less alone than you think you are and that maybe we can be alone together in this big room."

The production runs one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. It carries an advisory for profanity, references to infidelity, cancer and miscarriage, discussions about reproductive systems, a simulated breast and gynecological exam, and physical violence. Performances are Wednesdays at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. at Everyman Theatre, 315 West Fayette Street, Baltimore.