Anna Skidis Vargas

Anna Skidis Vargas is a subverter of stereotypes through myth, spirituality, and humor. She works primarily in devising and developing new work, with a focus on the stories of underrepresented groups. She is the founding artistic director of Theatre Nuevo in Saint Louis, and has produced and directed This is Not Funny, Orgullo, Acronyms, and HELL, all with Theatre Nuevo, and Luchadora! with Mustard Seed Theatre in collaboration with Theatre Nuevo. As an actor and singer, Skidis has received two Saint Louis Theatre Circle Awards for outstanding performances in Lizzie (Lizzie Borden) with New Line Theatre and Spring Awakening (Ilse) with Stray Dog Theatre, and was nominated for her work in New Line’s Heathers (Veronica) and Stray Dog’s Psycho Beach Party (Berdine). Some other favorite credits include Whammy! with HotCity Theatre at NYC Fringe, The Dispute with YoungLiars, Hedwig with Stray Dog, and Hands on a Hardbody with New Line. She was also named Saint Louis’ Best Female Vocalist by the Riverfront Times in 2014, and is a member of TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color Cohort. Skidis is an MFA directing candidate at the University of Texas at Austin, and holds a BA in Performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.