Acting Bio

Karissa Barber's acting resume includes iconic leading roles in theatre, featured roles in independent films & other performance opportunities like opera & emceeing throughout her 20+ year career. While she focuses her energy on directing and educating the next generation of performers now, she is always up for performing again in the right role with the right team. Her passion is telling stories that matter and spark conversation in the greater community. She performs regularly as a member of her church worship team.

To inquire for a full resume, fill out the contact form below.

---

“Karissa Barber is haunting as Fantine. Take a handkerchief to this performance — if Barber's gut-wrenching "I Dreamed a Dream" doesn't start tears welling, Fantine's death scene will.”
​-Time Out magazine

"She has a beautiful speaking and singing voice, good presence and physical movement, understands how to find the character from the text and translate that into action and she understands storytelling and her place in the story as an actress.”
-Mark Harfield, Theatre Program Director at Polk State

​​"Struck by the subtlety of the performance." 
-Richard Stephens, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (MFA performance)

---

"Karissa Barber impressed mightily in her award-winning performance in "Silent Sky" at Tampa Rep." 
-Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

​"She is an extraordinarily gifted person whose heart comes out on the stage with her." 
-Katrina Ploof, Director
​
​"Karissa is a consummate professional, always early, prepared, and ready to work. She is a wonderfully attentive listener onstage, giving her fellow actors all she has." 
-Emilia Sargent, Producing Artistic Director/CEO of Tampa Rep

---

Acting Production Photos

---

Theatre Credits
​(select list)

• Fantine in Les Misérables *
• Guenevere in Camelot
• Laurie in Oklahoma!
• Maria in Sound of Music *
• Heather in Hands on a Hardbody
• Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins

• Doris Walker in Miracle on 34th Street *
• Margaret Leavitt in Silent Sky *
• Marvlyn/Hope in Almost Maine
• Mary Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life *
• Kate Keller in The Miracle Worker

* indicates award won for best actress

---

Film/Commercial/TV Stills & Behind the Scenes

---

Film/Commercial/TV Credits
(select list)

• Supporting role, Gale in ​The Lost Digit
• ​Feature role, Mom in At the End of the Day
• ​Lead role, Gomar in Romance of the Ages

• Dancer in Publix music video commercial
• Banker in Center State Bank commercials
• Lead in The Table promo video

---

Live Performance Photos

---

Live Performance Credits
(select list)

• Emcee for WOW Summit Conference
• Alto in La Boheme with Opera Tampa

• Merry Maker with RWS
• Feature Dancer & Presenter for Pierrot Awards

---