Stevens got her first training with Mrs. Fiske's company after she (Stevens) left St. Mary's Hall School (now
Doane Academy) in Burlington, New Jersey. Stevens remained with the Fiske company for eight years.
The Eyes of the World is another production she participated in with her cousin's acting troupe. She played minor roles with Arliss and
Bertha Kalich before her first true New York success. This was in
Septimus (1909) at the Halleck Theatre, which became Walleck's Theatre. Her achievement was followed by a performance as leading lady in
The Boss for
Holbrook Blinn. In 1911, she appeared as Victoria Fairchild in the farce
Modern Marriage by Harrison Rhodes ("In the role of the shrewish young person who needs enlightenment, and tampering, Miss Emily Stevens plays with delightful variety in an excellent vain of humor" -
The New York Times. In 1912, Stevens portrayed Myra Dimsley in
The Point of View, by
Jules Eckert Goodman. According to
The New York Times review, "Miss Emily Steven's performance was exceptionally brilliant and revealed the power to compose a role and to deliver it. It is gratifying, too, to discover that the actress has taken the pains to overcome mannerisms which in previous performances have marred her work. She no longer bites her lips, at every opportunity to express complexity of thought. And though she rustles overmuch in places, she has gained largely in repose. In fact, she is, on the whole, a young actress of fine gifts and beautiful power." At the end of 1912, Stevens appeared in
Tornadot, by German playwright
Karl Volmoeller (English version by Jethor Bethell.) Stevens depicted the character of
Mary Turner in
Within The Law in Chicago, Illinois, also in 1912. This was several months before
Jane Cowl made the character famous with a run of the play in New York. After
Within The Law Stevens' noteworthy roles included the leading female role in
The Child by Elizabeth Apthorp, produced by Harrison Grey Fiske, in 1913;
To-Day by
George Howells Broadhurst; the leading role in
The Garden of Paradise by
Edward Sheldon;
The Unchastened Woman (1915–1916); the title character of
Alan Dale's
Madonna of the Future; and the title role in
Hedda Gabler (1926). She received very positive reviews for her acting as the title character in
The Fugitive (1916) by
John Galsworthy. After the Galsworthy tragedy of the
hunted woman was performed in London, England, there had been speculation regarding an American actress playing the same role.
The Times wrote that ''last night's performance only deepened a conviction that the first choice could be Emily Stevens. She plays with a power, a penetration, and an unerring precision that are an unfailing delight. Her performance is one of the finest achievements of the season.
She scored a marked success in March 1924 with Fata Morgana'', a
Theatre Guild production, presented at the
Garrick Theatre. Stevens' final role was that of the
widow in a Theatre Guild production of
The Second Man. She succeeded
Lynn Fontanne in this part in July 1927. Stevens played the character until the production closed in October. ==Relationships==