Gracia “is an old soul possessed of much imagination, temperament, curiosity, humor, passion, and intellect.” -Trudy Steibl, HB Studios
Gracia Hope Minnette Imboden is an acting artist (Stage, Film, and Television) and writer based in New York City.
As an actor she is drawn to the villains, the bastards, and the fools; to taboos; to themes of mortality, the in-between, and rebirth; to liberated movement and sovereignty; to myths and ancestral storytelling; to grandeur, massiveness, and scale.
In every role she embodies, there is an enigmatic quality present that lures the audience in. She dares to reveal the corners of ourselves that we would rather not make eye contact with and in the process, dares us to confront and liberate our own humanity. You can view samples of her acting work as Edmond from Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of King Lear here and as Hermione from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale here.
As a writer she is interested in taking an unflinching look at the corporeal and psychic impact of the stories and propaganda that shape our present paradigm. She often employs surrealism and elements of dance theatre within her stage and film work.
Most recently she wrote, directed, and starred in the one-woman show, Girl at Mirror which premiered at HB Playwrights Theatre in NYC. The play explores the link between gender and fascism through a young girl’s demonic transformation into twisted womanhood.
Currently she is writing a character-driven short film and is adapting Girl at Mirror into a short film. For the summer of 2026, she was invited to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art’s Shakespeare Acting Intensive. She is most excited to participate in this rigorous training and further develop her vocal and physical presence as a performer.
Gracia’s development as an artist has been shaped through her training in classical dance, the acting techniques of Uta Hagen, Fitzmaurice Voicework, Alexander Technique, and the world of clowning. From the age of eight, she studied classical ballet and eventually was a company member with Tacoma City Ballet where she thrived in character roles. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in Creative Studies in Dance and Comparative History of Ideas while also acting in productions of As You Like It (Shakespeare), Fucking A (Suzan-Lori Parks), The Secretaries (The Five Lesbian Brothers), and Sweet Charity (Neil Simon). After moving to NYC, she became devoted to acting and studied under the tutelage of Trudy Steibl at HB Studios in NYC, working on leading roles in plays such as The Country Girl (Clifford Odets), The Queen and The Rebels (Ugo Betti), Scenes from a Marriage (Ingmar Bergman), and Prima Facie (Suzie Miller). Seeking greater freedom in her artistry, she most recently studied clowning with Christopher Bayes at Pandemonium Studios in Brooklyn.
To get in touch with Gracia, please email contact@graciaimboden.com.