Elyse Knight

ELYSE KNIGHT played Lara Stayne, a psychotherapist who falls in love with a puppet, in Simius, by Stephen Bracco, (directed by Noel MacDuffie) in the 2019 Broadway Bound Festival on Theatre Row. She played Amanda in Private Lives by Noel Coward, at Theatreworks in Colorado Springs, and opposite Barry Bostwick in Because He Can by Arthur Kopit, at the William Inge Festival in Independence Kansas.

New York credits include: Off-Broadway: Secrets of a Soccer Mom, (Nancy) by Kathleen Clark, directed by Judith Ivey, and the world premiere of Obama in Naples, (Madeleine) by Claudio Angelini at the Abingdon Theatre. Recent Regional credits include: Barbara in August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts (White Plains Performing Arts Center, New York) and a site-specific production of The Seagull, (Madame Arkadina) in North Bennington, Vermont (Living Room Theatre). Additionally, she portrayed Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, in a trilogy of gender-reversed adaptations of the classic Shelley story. (Rabbit Hole Ensemble, Brooklyn, NY) Television credits include: Law and Order, Caroline’s Comedy Hour, Life With Chippy, 360º Comedy (Chicago Film Fest Winner), Too Close For Comfort.

Ms. Knight has a BFA in Drama from USC, and has taught workshops for Caymichael Patten, Writers Theatre of New Jersey, and The Depot Theatre in Garrison, N.Y. She was co-founder and former Artistic Director of Off World Theatre, in residence at the Puffin Cultural Forum from 2000-2006. For Off World, Ms. Knight directed her own adaptation of Robinson Jeffers’ poetry, Earth God; The Travelling Jekyll and Hyde Show by Russell Davis, and Count Down, by Dominique Cieri. Count Down was selected to be re-mounted at the West Bank Theatre, and received raves. “It's Knight's deft hand [and] well rehearsed ensemble that makes Count Down such a worthwhile experience.” Prior to Off World, Ms. Knight was Artistic Director of Unlimited Potential Theater Company, a project of VSA Arts, which produces plays for actors with physical challenges, for whom she produced and directed All in the Timing by David Ives, In Your Dreams, and Out of Body; original works conceived by Ms. Knight, and written and performed by members of the company, at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Recently she assisted Master teacher Michael Howard in writing his book based on 50 years of teaching professional actors in New York City. Elyse Knight grew up in Hollywood, the daughter of actor Ted Knight.