Ellen Schaaf
Director. Actress. Behavioral Economist. ​
Trying to figure out what it means to be human one script at a time.


I am a director, actress, and economist currently based out of St. Louis, Missouri. This May, I will earn my Master's in Theater and Performance Studies from Washington University in St. Louis. I hope to pursue a professional career as a director, actress, and arts administrator after graduation.
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As a director, I am most inspired by works that explore the meaning to be found in the full emotional spectrum of the human condition--those that invite audiences to experience, together, the greatest joys and toughest challenges that life has to offer. I am also drawn to nonlinear narratives and experimental uses of space.
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Aesthetically, I am inspired by the work of the Théâtre du Soleil and plan to combine cultural forms and aesthetics from different traditions around the world as I progress in my professional career. The beginnings of this endeavor can be seen in my draft of Waiting for Komachi, the beginning of a kabuki play written for my Japanese Theater class at WashU. My most recent directing credits include I And You at the Diamond Theater and an upcoming project as part of my Directing II showcase at WashU this spring. My assistant directing credits include The Winter's Tale at the Edison Theater, Dr. Ride's American Beach House at St. Louis Actor's Studio, and Spring Awakening at the Diamond Theater. My recent acting credits include Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice at the Edison Theater, ensemble roles and as a choreographer in The Winter's Tale, Lydia in Big Love, Lady M and Caliban as part of WashU at The Globe, and Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
As a scholar, my academic interests mainly lie in audience studies and the digital humanities. I am interested in how data can illuminate the ways spectators approach a performance event, regardless of whether that event is live or mediated. I am particularly interested in how the internet and fandom culture influences this process. My MA thesis sits at the intersection of scholarly analysis and praxis, considering how emerging technologies can be utilized by regional playhouses to attract postdigital audiences and assist their financial recoveries in the post-pandemic landscape.