BIO
Alba Albanese is an American actress, multidisciplinary artist, and creator from Brooklyn, New York. Known for meticulous attention to detail and the ability to craft unforgettable characters, she merges classical performance with emerging technologies in film, television, theater, and immersive storytelling.
Alba’s rigorous training forms the foundation of her distinctive artistry. A graduate of esteemed Sanford Meisner conservatories in New York City, she studied under renowned mentors William Esper, Maggie Flanigan, and Terry Knickerbocker. Further enriching her classical theater foundation, she trained with Alec Baldwin at Southampton College, studied Shakespeare at The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Los Angeles, and pursued additional studies at The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute and The New School in New York.
Her theatrical performances are characterized by bold choices and deeply nuanced portrayals. Alba performed for seven years in the acclaimed immersive Off-Broadway production Sleep No More, developing and refining an original role that captivated audiences nightly. Her self-created immersive musical, Serenade, praised by The New York Times, showcased her writing and performing talents Off-Broadway. Alba’s innovative one-woman show, The Raven, blended classical theater with cutting-edge technology in collaboration with Microsoft, earning official selection honors at the New York Film Festival and a celebrated performance at the American Irish Historical Society.
Beyond the traditional stage, Alba consistently pioneers new frontiers of immersive experiences. In Annabellee: As Above So Below, a groundbreaking interactive theater and virtual reality event, she collaborated with Microsoft to create her avatar, performing live for global audiences at prominent venues including the Future of Storytelling Summit and the North Bend Film Festival in Twin Peaks. As one of the earliest actors in Warner Bros. and Amazon Prime’s interactive virtual premieres, and with sold-out performances of Home of Enchantments at The Overlook Film Festival, Alba solidified her role at the forefront of immersive narrative innovation.
Alba’s on-screen career is equally notable, featuring collaborations with legendary filmmakers and acclaimed performers. Her credits include stunt acting under the direction of Tony Scott in The Taking of Pelham 123 and Joss Whedon in The Avengers, as well as performing opposite Paul Giamatti in Showtime’s hit series Billions.
Her groundbreaking projects have been showcased at prestigious festivals such as Tribeca, Lincoln Center’s New York Film Festival, and the Future of Storytelling Summit. Alba's innovative performances have earned critical recognition, notably from The New York Times, who described her theater debut as a “slithering siren” portrayal of the Red Queen, as well as coverage in The Wall Street Journal and The Hollywood Reporter, emphasizing her pioneering approach.
As a creator dedicated to innovation, Alba co-founded the nonprofit theater company ATNYC and the multimedia studio NYCXR, seamlessly integrating live performance, new media, and emerging technologies. Through NYCXR, she wrote, directed, and performed in Emily Was Here, a groundbreaking live experience currently featured on the Brooklyn Bridge.
Committed to amplifying diverse narratives, Alba's contributions to the arts have garnered numerous accolades, including grants from the New York City Artists Corps, New York Council on the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, and the New York City Cultural Affairs Artist Grant.
With an unwavering passion for artistic exploration, Alba Albanese continues to inspire audiences and shape the future of storytelling.
The New York Times interview
After the show, I spoke with Alba Albanese, its writer-director, about the appeal of this fluid and interactive 19th-century performance style. “It comes down to a longing for human contact,” she said. “Today, everything is dehumanized by technology. We miss the intimacy of the Gilded Age — a handwritten letter, flowers at the door, giving a lock of hair, looking into someone’s eyes, feeling a human touch. There is a void today, and people want connections. We want storytelling and poetry in our lives.”