ELLEN SCHULZE

FAMILY: I’m married and live in Long Beach, CA. We have 4 dogs (yeah, I got a thing for dogs) and will be picking up yet another one in Vegas when I come for the reunion. (It’s ok, I’ve plenty of room as we own a triplex)

OCCUPATION: I have an unusual occupation. I play with dolls. Professionally, even. OK, not actual dolls, but rather puppets (who saw that coming?). I am a Teaching Artist, teaching puppetry and producing shows in the schools here in Southern California. I’ve been doing it near full-time for over 30 years. I’m on the Artist Roster at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and The Music Center. With all their bookings and my private ones, this Puppet Lady is really too busy to get into any trouble. Darn.

FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIES: Ah, so many…loved my German classes with Mrs. Gerber. And another shoutout to Mrs. Kelly and her art class! This is where I was encouraged to take my art a bit more seriously for the first time. Thank you, Mrs. Kelly, look what you started!

HOW I LIKE TO SPEND MY TIME: I spend a lot of my time in my puppet studio designing, building and doing prep for hundreds of students. Other than that, I enjoy cooking (and eating!), gardening, and playing Hide-N-Seek with the pups. My terrier always finds me. The Golden is still looking.

HIGHLIGHTS OF MY LIFE SINCE HIGH SCHOOL: I attended UNLV for a few years, with a Special Education major and started thinking premed (!). Then the Theater Bug bit me, hard. I spent the following years taking various private theater classes (mime, clowning, etc.). My parents weren’t thrilled (they really wanted a neurologist in the family) but hey, I was chasing the dream.

I performed as a mime artist for many years, even performing at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco (when that was a thing).

Then puppets! I worked as a main puppeteer for the Great Arizona Puppet Theater in Phoenix, AZ. Then I got the call from Los Angeles to teach in the schools. And I’m still here, living my dream.

I’ll go back to my dolls now.