Karina Bes Director | Performer | Coach

Biography

Karina Bes is a passionate Director, Performer and Coach in Musical Theatre. She is currently working as the Director of Performing Arts at iStage Academy, Shanghai.

After graduating in Psychology and Criminology (Leiden University; MSc & BLaw), Karina decided to pursue a career in Musical Theatre. She graduated as Musical Theatre Performer at De Kunsthumaniora (Antwerp). Shortly after, she was accepted at the Professional School of the Arts (Utrecht) and obtained a MFA in Creative Development, specialising in Musical Theatre. She also graduated in Theatre and Education at Utrecht School of Performing Arts (BFA in Theatre, with Honours). Karina is currently studying for her Masters Degree in Vocal Pedagogy. She was selected, as one of the upcoming directors, for the 2007 Directors Lab (Lincoln Center Theater, New York), for which she received a stipendium from the VandenEnde foundation.

She is the co-founder of F*K Theater, with successful performances in The Netherlands, New York and Sydney. She is also a co-founder of The Internationalists, a worldwide director’s collective, where she directed “Lucky” (LPAC) and “Wrath” (Public Theatre). Besides directing and performing in many successful national and international performances, she is a passionate Musical Theatre coach with over 15 years of experience. Many of her students have found their ways into the professional world of (Musical) Theatre.

Director

As a passionate director, I always try to find a balance between challenging the audience and providing them with a fun night out. I want my shows to have an emotional impact on the audience. I have directed a broad range of shows with both professionals and amateurs. My work is often interdisciplinary, with an emphasis on musical theater and physical based theater.

Performer

I love to perform. Singing and acting are my biggest passions. The energy I get from being onstage gives an incredible feeling. I am physically trained at Utrecht School of Performing Arts and received a degree in Musical Theatre at De Kunsthumaniora Antwerp.

Coach

As a singing, acting and dancing coach, I give workshops and lessons to children and adults, both private and in groups. I believe that everyone is different, and that it is important to emphasize the strong points and uniqueness of each individual. Being a good performer not only means having lots of talent, but it also means doing a lot of hard work.