Ellen's bio

Ellen Koivisto is an award-winning playwright, co-founder of Theatre Artist’s Conspiracy and Same Boat Theater Collective, director of the TAC Limelight Playwriting workshop, associate program director of Scene Shop, co-producer of the Bay Area Shakespeare Marathon, and a Directors’ Lab West alumna. She is a UC Fellow, and studied Theatre of the Oppressed/Playback Theatre with Jiwon Chung, as well as studying with Ping Chong, Dueling Arts International, Jim Edmondson, Lee Blessing, Eric Ehn, Dan Milne, Arthur Kopit, Octavio Solis, Theatre of Yugen, and Teatro Campesino. In SFUSD, she taught science (chemistry, astronomy, physics, biology, marine biology, and environmental science) for 30 years in addition to playwriting, acting, directing, dramatic literature, scene study, producing, and stage combat. She has been an environmental activist since elementary school. Ellen Koivisto is a member of Dramatists Guild of America, Inc., Playground, and the New Play Exchange.