Anna
Bridgforth

ACTOR. WRITER. EMCEE. BOO BESS. 

My name is Anna Elizabeth Bridgforth

I'm a Virginia native who has lived and worked in New York City since 2004. After high school I briefly attended The University of Georgia, followed by a performing arts conservatory in NYC, only to leave higher education behind in search of a working education. This included many indie horror films as well as a lot of time on the off-off Broadway stage. I worked with JMTC on several productions including some with the Fringe and Frigid Festivals in NYC, London and Orlando. Other New York Theater includes some Shakespeare, some Oscar Wilde and some 'happenings' with TripNYC.

In November 2015 I premiered a one woman show called "The Good Adoptee" written and directed by Suzanne Bachner at The United Solo Theater Festival for which I won the award for Best Actress. TGA performed at The London International Fringe Festival in 2016 as well as all over the US, from Austin to Cleveland to Indianapolis to Boston as part of an awareness campaign for adoptee rights.

Recently I 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 my creative partner Kirra Cheers. Adventures in content production continue...

After appearing in a burlesque comedy at Broadway Comedy Club in 2008, I began performing and hosting burlesque and cabaret shows under the stage name Boo Bess. As Boo I've 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 and The Bell House to name just a few.  Boo has performed all over the country from Vegas to Detroit to Dallas to Jacksonville to Des Moine with Burlesque Bonanza by Front Row Paul and as a member of the nationally touring classic burlesque troupe Twirly Whirly Burly Q. She was 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. Adventures in burlesque continue...