ABOUT US

Gloria Emmerich was the Rocky Hock Playhouse resident musical director, playwright, lyricist, composer and arranger from 2000 - 2019. She and her husband Jeffrey founded the Playhouse which was located in Edenton, North Carolina. In 2020 they retired and relocated to the West Coast. However, they continue to operate Emmerich Publications full time. Gloria was born and raised in Newport, Oregon. She has written over 85 musicals that were premiered at their Playhouse and are now being performed in many countries around the world. Major works include: King David (Sweet Psalmist of Israel), Simon Peter (Fisher of Men), Noah’s Incredible Cruise, Paul (Fearless Lion of God), Out of the Darkness, Heaven Came Down, Born This Day, For God So Loved…, Joy Unspeakable, Jacob, Prince of God and Blessed Assurance. 

Gloria earned both a Bachelor of Music degree and a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from San Diego State University. In addition to starring in dozens of musicals she is also a professional pianist and in the early 1990s served as accompanist and musical director for several young artists’ theatre companies in San Diego, California. Gloria was a professor of music at North Central University in Minneapolis for seven years before moving to Edenton in May of 2000 to cofound the Rocky Hock Playhouse with her husband. She also served as the musical director for the College of The Albemarle COAST Players in Elizabeth City, NC from 2011 - 2019. 

Gloria and Jeffrey were married in 1971.Their daughter, Holly has served as a missionary in Cameroon, Africa and Suriname, South America. Son Ben, and his wife Angie, have two children, Alex and Olivia. Gloria and Jeffrey once again had the pleasure of  working with composer/playwright, Mike Herron on his new musical, The Gearhart Hotel which they directed and played roles in July 2019 in Astoria, Oregon. They now make their home in Henderson, NV.

Jeffrey Emmerich was co-owner and artistic director of the Rocky Hock Playhouse in Edenton, NC where they entertained over 300,000 patrons between 2000 - 2019. He was born in Bend, Oregon and grew up on a cattle ranch in the high desert near the beautiful Cascade Mountains. Jeffrey earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from San Diego State University. He also earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from Moriah Institute of Biblical Studies. 

Jeffrey has had leading roles in dozens of musicals and has directed nearly 200 major works including one Canadian premiere and over 100 American premiere productions. He was a full professor and head of the theatre department at North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1993 to 2000. Jeffrey was also the drama director at College of The Albemarle in Elizabeth City, NC from 2011 - 2019. 

Over the past 45 years he and his wife Gloria have worked as evangelists, staff pastors, professors, and have ministered through music and drama in nearly every state in the US (including Hawaii and Alaska). They have also performed many times in Canada, Australia, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Israel, Great Britain, New Zealand, Fiji, Suriname and throughout the Caribbean. Jeffrey is an ordained minister and a tribal member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. He began his professional career as an actor and singer while performing in the classical opera Pagliacci with famed American tenor Richard Tucker at the World’s Fair and Expo in Spokane, Washington in 1974.