Miah Bickley

Miah “MJ” Bickley was born in Watertown, NY in June 1993. Ever since then, her spirit housed a love of the fine arts. When she was signed up for ballet, tap, and vocal lessons at age 4 by her mother, she has never looked back. In middle school, she had performed in several musicals, including “A Christmas Carol”, as well as singing the national anthem for student functions. Going from school plays and church youth choir, Miah honed her craft, having then moved on to community theatre. Her first production on a community stage was “Aida” in the role of Nehebka with The River Tree Players, directed by Jonathan Tisevich at the Lions Palace Theatre in Massillon, OH in 2007. After the first experience with a true stage, she felt completely at home. After working with The River Tree Players, Miah began to explore and research stage opportunities, as well as find her own unique voice.

By high school, she had made her debut as youth choir director and youth president for the Varrick Christian Youth Council of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church: Ohio/Pennsylvania Region. Then, with the mentorship and guidance of many talented and gifted people through Community Arts Experience, Inc. (C.A.E), Miah went on to star in “C.A.E.’s Adaptation of The Wiz” in the role of Dorothy in 2010. Working with over 40 children in the Canton, OH community, “The Wiz” was a show unlike any other seen in the area. Moving from “mentored to mentoring”, she continued on with C.A.E in producing an original musical, “Phat Albert” with completely original music and script written and performed by the students of C.A.E.

After graduating from Glen Oak High School in 2011, Miah went on to attend Kent State University with a major in English and minor in Theatre/Performing Arts. Since then, she has been a part of more than 5 productions, including “Les Miserables” in which she was cast as Eponine (one of the roles she has been vying for for several years). Miah recently finished a run of “A Christmas Carol” at The Player’s Guild in Canton, OH for the holiday season, and her latest production is a return to the show that started it all for her: “Aida”, with Miah being cast as the lead role of Aida at Rubber City Shakespeare Company in Akron, OH. To her, this is only just the beginning. God willing, there will be much more to come.