In 2005, Ellen originated the lead role of Jemima Potts in the Broadway production of the Tony-nominated musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (directed by Adrian Noble and co-starring Raul Esparza and Philip Bosco). In dream-come-true fashion, she was chosen for the coveted role from among 3000 young hopefuls at an open casting call and, at the age of ten, moved to New York City, where she would also appear as Katarina in director Des McAnuff’s NY staged reading of the musical Dr. Zhivago.
In addition to making numerous public singing appearances in support of Chitty (including The Today Show), Ellen has performed the National Anthem at various sporting events in Texas, California, and New York.
Ellen played the leading role of Claire Lyons in the Warner Premiere movie The Clique based on the New York Time’s best selling book by Lisi Harrison that was released in fall of 2008. Also on film, she played the role of young Fiona in Quid Pro Quo (directed by Carlos Brooks, starring Vera Farmigia, Nick Stahl and Kate Burton), which debuted to critical acclaim at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
She has also appeared on network television in The Forgotten with Christian Slater, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, and CSI: Las Vegas.
Ellen was a Swing in support of five character roles, including the lead roles of Lauren and Nicola, in the First National Tour of the 6-time Tony Award winning musical Kinky Boots written by Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein, and directed by Jerry Mitchell. In 2020, Ellen was in the Broadway cast of Frozen where she understudied Anna.
Ellen's first love is music and she enjoys a wide range of styles and genres from pop and rock to Broadway show tunes. Ellen and her brother J.R. enjoy collaborating on an array of projects.
On this episode I talked with Ellen about what her first introduction to acting was and when she fell in love with acting and performing, the first theatre show she remembers seeing, the first theatre show she was ever in, …