Anna does a lot of things, basically.
Bio
A Lifetime of Art
Anna Bikales is a NYC-based director, actor, choreographer, composer, and harpist. Anna holds a B.A. in Dance Choreography and a B.M. in Harp Performance from Bard College, as well as an MFA in Directing from The Actors Studio Drama School at PACE University. She has also studied at The Colburn School, Interlochen Arts Academy, and has performed with the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, the Los Angeles Opera, the Colburn Orchestra da Camera, the Bard Conservatory Orchestra, Contemporaneous, and Ensemble Mise-En. Growing up in Los Angeles, CA and Nashville, TN, Anna has always been a student of multiple artistic disciplines: after majoring in Harp Performance and Music Composition at Interlochen Arts Academy, Anna became the first harpist accepted to the dual-degree program at the Conservatory at Bard College. Further study of theater, both acting and directing, at ASDS has only deepened Anna’s interest and desire to create new interdisciplinary work, exploring the overlap and compatibility of music, dance, and story-telling.
Current Projects
Anna's latest work is By Morning, a play by Matthew Gasda. Anna is co-directing the piece with the playwright at the Brooklyn Center for Theatre Research in Greenpoint. It is an emotional, humorous, intense view of three brothers, immediately following the death of their parents, as they are forced to confront each other as well as an unexpected visitor from their past.
Recent Projects
Anna is playing harp for New Place Players production of Shakespeare's Othello at Casa Clara in lower Manhattan. This intimate production gives you a front row seat to a searing, complex tragedy with live underscoring in a gorgeous space. Performances extended through March 25th, 2023.
Recent Projects
Anna played harp in Philip Glass's new "pocket opera" DROWNING, adapted from the play by María Irene Fornés, directed by Obie Award-winning director JoAnne Akalaitis. MUD/DROWNING opened on September 24th, 2022 at Mabou Mines.
Previous Work
ONSTAGE/OFFSTAGE (2020)
A devised piece created by Anna Bikales with Delaney Jane Duquesne, Jesse Garlick, Makenna Masenheimer, & Eliott Johnson
Duet For Sculptures (2014)
How does a harpist and dancer accompany herself on her instrument while dancing? Well, this is one stab at it. Presented in the round (well, the square, technically) at Bard College's LUMA Theater.
Applause Allowed Between Movements But Only if You Want (2013)
A piece in four movements choreographed by Anna Bikales, performed by Anna along with Max Green, Christian Letourneau, Savannah Lyons A., Philip Paris, & Susannah Yugler at Bard College's LUMA Theater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vAaYTWK9EE&feature=youtu.be