Karina Bes

Karina Bes is a passionate director, performer and coach in Musical Theatre. She is currently working as the Director of Performing Arts at the 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 a Musical Theatre Performer at De Kunsthumaniora (Antwerp). Shortly after, she was accepted at the Professional School of the Arts (Utrecht) and obtained an MA in Creative Development, specialising in Musical Theatre. She also graduated in Theatre and Education at the Utrecht School of Performing Arts (BFA in Theatre, with Honours). She received her PGCert in Voice Pedagogy with distinction from Voice Study Centre (accredited by the University of Wales Trinity St. David).

Karina was selected as one of the 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, and also the co-founder of The Internationalists, a worldwide directors’ collective with which she directed Lucky (LPAC) and Wrath (Public Theatre).

Besides directing and performing in many successful national and international performances, Karina is a passionate vocal and theatre teacher with over 15 years’ experience. Many of her students have found their ways into the professional world of Musical Theatre.