

Anna Bridgforth by Nadia Quinn


Anna
Bridgforth
ACTOR. WRITER. EMCEE. BOO BESS.
Meet Anna Elizabeth Bridgforth
Anna is a Virginia native who has lived and worked in New York City since 2004. Her early film work includes a splattering of independent horror as well as plenty of time on downtown off-off Broadway stages. She worked with JMTC on several productions including "Bite" and "We Call Her Benny" in collaboration with HorseTrade Theater Company, The NYC Frigid Festival and The Orlando Fringe. Other early New York theater includes some Shakespeare, some Oscar Wilde and some plays in bars.
In November 2015 Anna premiered the one woman show "The Good Adoptee" written and directed by Suzanne Bachner at The United Solo Theater Festival for which she won the award for Best Actress. TGA performed at The London International Fringe Festival in 2016 and toured all over the US as part of an awareness campaign for adoptee rights.
In 2017 Anna executive produced, directed and starred in an excessively personal trailer about artists living with duality in New York called "By Night". You can watch the trailer here. "By Night" led to new collaborators and other television writing projects including a series that was born during the lockdown of 2020 with her writing and creative partner Kirra Cheers. She is currently in development on a series titled "Skin Hungry" with MadGene Media.
After appearing in a burlesque comedy at Broadway Comedy Club in 2008, Anna began performing and hosting burlesque and cabaret shows under the stage name Boo Bess. As Boo she has hosted the speakeasy style burlesque show at Chelsea's Bathtub Gin since 2013 as well as appearing regularly at The Slipper Room, Soho House, City Winery, The Bell House and House of Yes among others including The New York Burlesque Festival in 2021. Boo has performed nationally with Burlesque Bonanza by Front Row Paul and as a member of the classic burlesque troupe Twirly Whirly Burly Q. She is proud to have been a member of the long retired Storybook Burlesque. She won the award for "Most Innovative" at The Burlesque Hall of Fame in 2018 for her duet with Jenny C'est Quoi.