“Melissa is a dream to work with. Whether she was performing for an audience of 200 or 4,000, she won hearts with her spunky charm. Her poise, quiet dignity, humility, and wisdom makes it easy to forget that she is still at the beginning of her career.”
Melissa Mahoney is an actor, singer, musician, teacher, and clown based in NYC.
Her work spans classical and contemporary theater, with credits including Hudson Valley Shakespeare (notably Octet by Dave Malloy), title roles with Atlantic Theater Company ("with spunk to spare", says The New York Times of her performance The Pirate La Dee Da), and an ongoing collaboration with director Dan Hasse (notably playing both Dromio twins in Smith Street Stage’s The Comedy of Errors). Her work also extends across New York’s downtown theater scene (Ars Nova, Dixon Place, The Bushwick Starr), the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and in theaters nationwide. She is also a solo performer (Melissa Mahoney is a Robot), a voice actor (featured in the musical fiction podcast It Makes a Sound), and a hospital clown (with the Healthy Humor Red Nose Docs).
Melissa is currently an adjunct instructor at NYU Tisch and a faculty member of the Atlantic Acting School, teaching classes that focus on radical presence, clowning, and play. She also works as a private coach for students of all ages and experience levels.
When she’s not performing or teaching, Melissa can be found meditating, thrift shopping, overanalyzing Stanley Kubrick Ari Aster films, or expanding her (eclectic) musical horizons.
““Melissa is a talent and a force to be reckoned with. Any artist will have to decide whether to be intimidated or inspired by her.””