Ellipsis Theatre seeks to embody the eons-old art of communal storytelling to bring compelling theatre to our audiences. We bring the old stories alive in new ways, and tell new stories that draw on timeless themes. We create intimate atmospheres and a sense of connection between audience and performers, highlighting the strength and power of live theatre. We are particularly interested in actor-driven work, focusing on performance with minimal, flexible sets, dynamic lighting, and primarily live sound.

Ellipsis originated in the 1990s when Joanna Hastings and Scott Screws collaborated to bring classics such as Genet’s The Maids and Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle to life, along with more modern work like The Silent Princess (an opera by Ben Cohen and Joanna Hastings), a new take on Shakespeare entitled Under a Rhyming Planet, Chaffee’s Why We Have a Body, and Mamet’s The Woods. Later Ellipsis became also known for its remarkable summertime Commedia in the Courtyard shows, when we annually created new Commedia dell’Arte scenarios, developed them in the traditional way through collaborative improvisation, and performed them outdoors in downtown Ann Arbor.

Ellipsis took a nine year break starting in 2007 when other responsibilities claimed the group’s key members. It reformed in 2016, kicking into gear with Hastings’ new play, A Leaning Tower.