Hello! My Name Is
Mikaela Hanrahan
Actor. Musician. Educator.
A little bit about me!
A southeastern Wisconsin native with a love for the arts, languages, traveling, and music.
Some of my academic background: I have spent the last eight years of my life dedicated to the performing arts. In 2021, I earned my BA in Music and Theatre with a minor in Business Management from Luther College. It was here that my love for classical theatre and voice/dialect work began through a study abroad experience in London which included seeing a plethora of theatre and discussing/writing about it with my peers. I completed my degree with a thesis on Shakespeare and politics in conversation with my work on The Winter’s Tale.
In 2024, I completed my dual MLitt/MFA in Shakespeare and Performance with a concentration in Acting from Mary Baldwin University in collaboration with the American Shakespeare Center. Revitalizing and giving new attention to classical theatrical works continues to be a great passion of mine.
I believe theatre to be a primary vehicle to experience empathy, ignite emotion, and inspire audiences. I am first and foremost a storyteller with a love for creativity, clown, and all things musical.
Recently, I have performed with Swift Creek Mill Theatre, American Shakespeare Center, and Richmond Shakespeare.
Up Next: I’m very excited to be making my NYC and Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre theatre debuts with their upcoming production of “Doctor Faustus” by Christopher Marlowe!
Resume
PERSONAL PROFILE
Actor. Musician. Educator. Based in Brooklyn, NY. A penchant for all things ridiculous and musical.
EDUCATION HISTORY
MARY BALDWIN UNIVERSITY (MAY 2024)
- Master of Fine Arts and Master of Letters in Shakespeare & Performance, Acting concentration
LUTHER COLLEGE (MAY 2021)
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and Theatre, Minor in Business Management,
- Magna Cum Laude with Honors in Theatre
- GPA: 3.800/4.000
- Recipient of 2020 Brudos Prize in Opera Performance
- Recipient of the 2021 Helen Adams Bodensteiner Scholarship for Theatre Arts
- Artistic Director/Founder of Luther College Shakespeare Society
- Vice President, Performing Arts Committee
- Soprano II Section Leader, Collegiate Chorale
- Hospitality Chair, Performing Arts Committee
- Member of SPIN Theatre Company
- Member of Nordic Choir
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Customer Service
- Costume Design and
- Construction
- Minor in Business Management Barista/Food Service/Retail Arts Administration
- Theatre Education
- Acting
- Classically Trained Soprano
OTHER SKILLS
- Sewing
- Can design websites, familiar with video and photo editing software
- Basic Accounting Skills
- Detail oriented
- Excellent problem solver
- Advanced German language
- Stage Combat Experience in Rapier and Dagger
- Sight Reading
- Conducting
- Intermediate Piano
- Intermediate Guitar and Ukulele
TEACHING INTERESTS
- Meisner Technique
- Theatre History
- Acting for Shakespeare
- Voice and Diction
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Early Modern Playhouse Culture
- Composing Music for Shakespeare
- Performing Shakespeare for the Modern Day Audience
- Adaptations of Classical Works
- Evolution of Performance Practice
- Meisner Technique
- Vocal Technique and Pedagogy
REFERENCES
Kelley McKinnon
- Position: Adjunct Faculty at Mary Baldwin University
- Relationship: Professor and Supervisor of “Voice for Actors” class which I TA’d
- Email: kfmckinnon@marybaldwin.edu
- Phone: (917) 428-7022
Aili Huber
- Position: Director of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” at Richmond Shakespeare
- Relationship: Director
- Email: artoflistening@ailihuber.com
- Phone: (540) 849-6013
Robert Vrtis
- Position: Associate Professor of Theatre
- Relationship: Professor
- Address: 700 College Dr Decorah, IA 52101 Center for the Arts 110
- Email: vrtis@luther.edu
- Phone: (563) 387-1218
ACTING RESUME
- Pride/Good Angel/2nd Scholar/Lucifer/Pope, Doctor Faustus (Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre, J. Giachetti)
- Lady Macbeth/Witch 1 (u/s), Macbeth (American Shakespeare Center, José Zayas)
- Miss Prism (u/s), The Importance of Being Earnest (American Shakespeare Center, José Zayas)
- Mistress Page/Simple/Nym (u/s), The Merry Wives of Windsor (American Shakespeare Center, Dawn Monique Williams)
- Westfeldt/Renfield/Captain (u/s), Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (American Shakespeare Center, Matt Davies)
- Hero/Don Pedro (u/s), Much Ado About Nothing (American Shakespeare Center, Actors’ Renaissance Show)
- Mariana/Elbow/M. Overdone (u/s), Measure for Measure (American Shakespeare Center, Jenny Bennett)
- *Gremio/Grumio (u/s), The Taming of the Shrew (American Shakespeare Center, José Zayas)
- Isabella, The Witch (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players, Actor’s REN show)
- Humphrey, Knight of the Burning Pestle (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players, Constance Swain)
- Ulysses/Hector/Cassandra/Music Director, Troilus & Cressida (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players, Cait Redman)
- Titania, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players, Alaina Smith/Johnny Williams III)
- + Wilhelmina/Mosel/Executioner, Prussian Blue (Silk Moth Stage, Aili Huber)
- + Prince Escalus, Romeo & Juliet (Prague Shakespeare Company, Guy Roberts)
- Janette Carter, Keep on The Sunny Side (Swift Creek Mill Theatre, Tom Width)
- Sir Hugh Evans/Pistol, Merry Wives of Windsor (Richmond Shakespeare, Aili Huber)
- Bel-Imperia, The Spanish Tragedy (Shakespeare & Performance, Cait Redman)
- Cupid/Haebe/others, Galatea (Treehouse Shakespeare Ensemble, Cole Metz)
- John Gower, Pericles (Shakespeare & Performance, Dr. Matt Davies and Doreen Bechtol)
- Lepido, Patient (Grissel Shakespeare & Performance, Kelsey Harrison)
- Camillo, The Winter’s Tale (Luther College, Dr. Robert Vrtis)
- Lysistrata, Lysistrata (SPIN Theatre Company, Clare Rolinger/Claire Twedt)
- Devising Ensemble, 100 Acts of Joy (Luther College, Dr. Robert Vrtis)
- Maureen, Rent (Luther College, Dr. Robert Vrtis)
- Matron Mama Morton, Chicago (Luther College, Dr. Robert Vrtis)
- Antoinette “Toni” Lafayette, Appropriate (Luther College, Dr. Robert Vrtis)
- Isobel, Bull (Luther College, Dr. Robert Vrtis)
- Joseph II/Marie Antoinette (U/S), Marie Antoinette (Luther College, Laila Sahir)
OPERATIC EXPERIENCE
- Mistress Alice Ford, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Luther College, Dr. Andrew Whitfield, Rachel Storlie)
- Sorceress/Spirit, Dido and Aeneas (Luther College, Dr. Andrew Whitfield, Carla Hanson)
DIRECTING EXPERIENCE
- Artistic Director/Producer, 2021 Shakespeare Scenes in the Park (Luther College Shakespeare Society)
- Director/Producer, Scrooge Macbeth (Luther College Shakespeare Society)
- Assistant Director, Mermaid (Luther College)
- Director, Matchgirl (Luther College)
COSTUME DESIGN EXPERIENCE
- Costume Designer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players)
- Costume Designer, Pericles (Shakespeare & Performance)
- Costume Assistant, Cymbeline (Polaris Shakespeare Company)
- Costume Liaison, Patient Grissel (Shakespeare & Performance)
- Costume & Prop Coordinator, Shuddersome: Tales of Poe (Children’s Theater of Madison)
- Costume Designer,Beauty and the Beast Jr. (Children’s Theater of Madison)
- Costume Designer Legally Blonde Jr. (Children’s Theater of Madison)
- Costume Designer, Grease – High School Edition (Children’s Theater of Madison)
- Costume Assistant, Seussical Jr. (Children’s Theater of Madison)
MUSIC DIRECTING EXPERIENCE
- Assistant Music Director, Macbeth (American Shakespeare Center)
- Assistant Music Director, Importance of Being Earnest (American Shakespeare Center)
- Assistant Music Director, Merry Wives of Windsor (American Shakespeare Center)
- Assistant Music Director, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (American Shakespeare Center)
- Co-Music Director, Knight of the Burning Pestle (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players)
- Music Director, Troilus & Cressida (Meadowlark Shakespeare Players)
- Music Director/Composer, Cupid and Psyche (Mary Baldwin Univ. Undergraduate Theatre Dept.)
- Co-Music Director, Galatea (Shakespeare & Performance)
- Assistant Music Director, Pericles (Shakespeare & Performance)
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Recipient of the Luther College 2020 Alan R. and Sally J. Brudos Prize in Opera Performance
- Recipient of the Luther College 2021 Helen Adams Bodensteiner Scholarship for Theatre Arts
PRINCIPAL TEACHERS
Voice
Virginia Grasso, Kelley McKinnon, Nancy K. Anderson (1 year), Dr. Deborah Gover (4 years)
Vocal Coaching
Dr. Nicholas Shaneyfelt (2 years)
Piano
Dr. Du Huang (1 semester), Dr. Miko Kominami (1 semester)
Acting
Dr. Matt Davies, Doreen Bechtol, Michael Manocchio, Aidan O’Reilly, Kate Norris, Dr. Robert Vrtis, Josiah Laubenstein, Kristen Underwood, Amelia Scheit
Costume Design/Construction
Jeff Dintaman (4 years), Dr. Lisa Lantz (1 year), Monique Anderson (1 year), Ali Filipovich (1 year)
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ADDITIONAL TRAINING
- 2023 Masterclass with Trevor Nunn
- 2023 Workshop with Hugh Wooldridge
- 2021 McDermott Visiting Artist Masterclass Series with Gregory Jon Phelps and Sara Hymes
- Workshop at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre with Dickon Tyrrell
- Musical Theatre Masterclass with Dr. Tanya Kruse
Long-Term Guest Teacher – Kokua Education – Brooklyn, NY
January 2025 – present
- Currently a long-term substitute teacher at Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School (National Heritage Academies) in Brooklyn, NY.
- Serve as a K-12 substitute teacher in private and charter schools across NYC.
Freelance Voice Teacher – Staunton, VA
January 2023 – present
- Work privately with voice students and set goals with these students for what they want to achieve through private lessons.
- Work on a variety of repertoire with students including folk, classical, and musical theatre.
- Prepare students for upcoming performances and auditions.
Mary Baldwin University – Staunton, VA
Theatre Department Graduate Teaching Fellow– Supervisor: Dr. Kerry Cooke, contract
January 4, 2024 – April 19, 2024
- Co-teaching Theatre 111: Voice, Diction, and Oral Reading this coming spring semester.
- Built a syllabus, created lesson plans, will lead classroom lectures, discussions, and exercises; the class is rooted in Linklater Voice Work
- Will coach students through a variety of different monologues and speeches.
English Department Graduate Teaching Fellow – Supervisor: Dr. Katherine Turner, contract
August 28, 2023 – December 6, 2023
- Taught English 102: Introduction to Composition, a course designed mainly for first-year students.
- Built a syllabus, created lesson plans, led classroom lectures and discussions.
- Taught students how to write a variety of different types of essays and provided feedback on writing.
Teaching Assistant – Supervisor: Kelley McKinnon, part-time
August 29, 2022 – December 14, 2022 & August 28, 2023 – December 6, 2023
- Created a semester plan based on individual student needs and goals for the class in collaboration with my supervisor.
- Printed and created classroom materials, helped lead class and provided feedback to students, and managed the online Canvas portal.
Freelance Elementary Math Tutor – Staunton, VA
June 2023 – August 2023
- Taught an incoming fifth-grade student fractions, patterns, long division and a variety of other tools in preparation for the upcoming school year.
Chesterfield County Public Schools – Chesterfield, VA
Substitute Teacher
March 2023- June 2023
- Lectured and supervised courses in a variety of subjects in elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the county.
- Provided guidance to students when they needed help with work in class.
- Honed classroom management skills with a variety of different age groups.
Children’s Theater of Madison – Madison, WI
Costume & Prop Coordinator – Supervisor: Rafael Castanera, contract
June 2021-July 2021
- I coordinated costumes and props for the Children’s Theater of Madison’s Summer Stage production of Shuddersome: Tales of Poe. This involved pulling costumes and props from storage, performing fittings with students, and facilitating a craft day with students where we painted masquerade masks.
Casting Assistant – Supervisor: Trevin Gay, contract
May 2019-August 2019
- I worked with the Artistic Director and Artist Relations Manager to cast the upcoming season of mainstage productions. Responsibilities included recruitment, auditions, callbacks, and making casting offers. I attended auditions and callbacks, communicated with actors and directors, organized and created actor databases/files, and assisted the Artistic Director with various season preparatory tasks.
Costume Designer – Supervisor: Martinique Barthel, contract
June 2019 – August 2019
- I designed the costumes for the Children’s Theater of Madison’s Summer Stage productions of Beauty and the Beast Jr., Legally Blonde Jr., Grease (High School Edition), and Seussical Jr. I pulled costumes from costume storage, performed fittings with all of the actors, and also made design drawings to establish a design concept before pulling costumes.
Teaching Assistant – Supervisor: Erica Berman, contract
June 2018- August 2018
- Worked with students grades 5th-9th on two musicals. Helped lead warmups and served as Assistant Music Director and Acting Coach. In a different camp, I worked with 3rd-5th grade students as they transformed into wizards for a week- we did wand building and wizarding house craft projects, among other theatre games and activities, which I helped to facilitate. Lastly, I also ran the aftercare program for a week, in which I led a bunch of activities with children grades 1st-7th, surrounding the theme of superheroes.
OTHER EXPERIENCES
Mary Baldwin University – Staunton, VA
Music Director/Composer
- Troilus and Cressida (2023) – Meadowlark Shakespeare Players
- Cupid and Psyche (2023) – Mary Baldwin University Undergraduate Theatre Dept.
Assistant Music Director
- Galatea (2022) – Treehouse Shakespeare Ensemble
- Pericles (2022) – Mary Baldwin University Shakespeare & Performance
Costume Designer
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2023) – Meadowlark Shakespeare Players
- Pericles (2022) – Mary Baldwin University Shakespeare & Performance
Costume Assistant
- Cymbeline (2021) – Polaris Shakespeare Company
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) & GoogleSuite (Docs, Sheets, Calendar, Slides), Proficient in IPA, Advanced German Language, Website Design, Video Editing
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts in Shakespeare & Performance, Concentration in Acting
- Mary Baldwin University, Expected Graduation May 2024
Master of Letters in Shakespeare & Performance
- Mary Baldwin University, Grad. May 2023
Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance (Soprano) and Theatre, Minor in Business Management
- Luther College, Magna Cum Laude
Teaching Assistant at Mary Baldwin University | August 2022-December 2022
I worked as Teaching Assistant for Kelley McKinnon’s Voice class. In this role, I printed and created class materials, helped lead class, and managed the online Canvas portal.
Shift Lead/Barista at Crucible Coffee Roasters | August 2021-present
I close and open the coffee shop, train new employees, recommend a variety of coffees to our customers based on their preferences, and serve customers through handcrafting a variety of drinks.
Server/Cook at Yelping Dog Wine | January 2023 -present
I serve a variety of customers, recommend wines based on customer requests, and help prepare gourmet grilled cheese and charcuterie boards in the back of house.
Costume and Prop Coordinator | June 2021-July 2021
I coordinated costumes and props for the Children’s Theater of Madison’s Summer Stage production of Shuddersome: Tales of Poe. This involved pulling costumes and props from storage, performing fittings with students, and facilitating a craft day with students where we painted masquerade masks.
Costume Construction Assistant | April 2021
I assisted in constructing and pulling costumes for the Spring Opera production of Dido and Aeneas at Luther College.
Costume Shop Assistant at Luther College Costume Shop | August 2017-May 2021
I worked in the Luther College Theatre Department building costumes for each of our productions. Responsibilities in this job included sewing and building costumes and also pulling different pieces from our costume storage. I also collected actor measurements and worked costume fittings.
Costume Designer/Coordinator at Children’s Theater of Madison | Jun 2019 – Aug 2019
I designed the costumes for the Children’s Theater of Madison’s Summer Stage productions of Beauty and the Beast Jr., Legally Blonde Jr., Grease (High School Edition), and Seussical Jr. I pulled costumes from costume storage, performed fittings with all of the actors, and also made design drawings to establish a design concept before pulling costumes.
Luther College Admissions Tour Guide | February 2018-May 2020
As a tour guide and Special Events Ambassador at Luther College Admissions, I provided campus and trolley tours to prospective students and worked special Admissions events days.
Sales Associate at Ann Taylor LOFT Outlet | June 2017-August 2021
I worked at the register checking out customers, as well as in the fitting room, where I worked with our customers to help find the outfits they are looking for. I also worked as a greeter, welcoming each customer into the store and telling them about our daily deals. My final responsibility was fulfilling online orders. I packaged and collected the orders to send out.
Casting Assistant at Children’s Theater of Madison | May 2019 – Aug 2019
I worked with the Artistic Director and Artist Relations Manager to cast the upcoming season of mainstage productions. Responsibilities included recruitment, auditions, callbacks, and making casting offers. I attended auditions and callbacks, communicated with actors and directors, organized and created actor databases/files, and assisted the Artistic Director with various season preparatory tasks.
Teaching Assistant (TA) at Children’s Theater of Madison | Jun 2018 – Aug 2018
I worked as a Summer Stage Teaching Assistant Intern. In this position, I worked with students grades 5th-9th on James and the Giant Peach Jr. and Mary Poppins Jr. for six weeks. I helped lead warmups, served as Assistant Music Director and Acting Coach in both shows, worked with the students as a teacher and resource to assist in their various needs- running lines, learning notes, helping with projects, and more. I also worked a one-week camp called Wizarding Week, which was for 3rd-5th grade students. In this camp, I worked hands-on with the students as they transformed into wizards for a week- we did wand building and wizarding house craft projects, among other theatre games and activities, which I helped to facilitate. Lastly, I also ran the aftercare program for a week, in which I led a bunch of activities with children grades 1st-7th, surrounding the theme of superheroes.
WIUM District Director of Technology at Key Club International | Apr 2014 – Mar 2017
Key Club is the high school branch of Kiwanis International. I served as the Director of Technology for the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District of Key Club International. Responsibilities included designing and maintaining the district website, editing, publishing, and recording informational and officer training videos, attending bi-monthly meetings with the district board to touch base and plan events, and connecting with all Club Webmasters throughout the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan area to offer support and advice on technology.
Sales Associate at Century Farmhouse Handcrafted Artisan Soaps | Aug 2014 – Mar 2017
I worked at the West Bend, Wisconsin Farmer’s Market with customers, organizing the studio, selling soap, and working in order to fit each type of product to the customer’s needs. We focused on providing organic and local products to our customers. Our focus was to bring in products from local artists in addition to the artisanal soap made in our store.
- + Master of Fine Arts Thesis: Speaking Identity: An Approach To Character Analysis Through Voice and Rhetoric
- + Master of Letters Thesis- Embracing Acoustic Diversity on the Classical Stage: An Investigation into Accentism and Classism in Contemporary Voice and Dialect Training Practices
- Virginity as Power: A Study into the Construction of Elizabeth I’s Identity as the Virgin Queen The Evolution of “Breeches Parts” and Gender Swapping and Their Effect on Play Interpretation and Audience Reception*
- The Winter’s Tale and the United States: Authoritarianism and Patriarchal Structures*
- The Effects of Cultural Appropriation and Stereotyping in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess
- Gender and Power Dynamics in Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew and King John
- Plague in Medieval Europe: A Metaphor for English Theatre
- The Beggar’s Opera: A Satirical Commentary on 18th Century English Society*
- Overcoming Cultural Taboos to Advance Medical Science As Seen in Ancient Greek Vivisection and Modern Day Stem Cell Research
- Angels in America: A Movement in Queer Discovery
* scheduled to present research at 2020 or 2021 Luther College Research Symposium, but presentation was cancelled due to Covid-19
+ presented at the Mary Baldwin Shakespeare & Performance Thesis Festival
Photo by Solas Photography
Email mikaela@thehanrahans.com for inquires!
Voice and piano lessons are $25 for 30 minutes or $45 for 1 hour, email for dialect coaching rates.
Available services: voice lessons (musical theatre, jazz, belting, classical), dialect coaching, beginner piano
Available in-person in Staunton, VA or on Zoom.
“Mikaela Hanrahan in full costume as Bel-Imperia shook the building’s foundations with a devastating bluesy take on ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night?’, disrupted linear time in its foregrounding of grief before actual death.” – Peter Kirwan The Bardathon
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