Voyage LA Magazine Interview

Ellen Thompson was interviewed by Voyage LA magazine. Click here to see the article, or read the reprint below.

Check Out Ellen Thompson's Story

September 18, 2023 | Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Thompson.

Hi Ellen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

I’ve always been a writer, but acting was my first love. I started acting in musical theater (despite not being able to sing or dance) when I was growing up in central Pennsylvania, and I studied acting at NYU. I was also a secret songwriter, but I didn’t share my songs with the world until much later. After college, I continued acting in New York and then here in L.A. for another fifteen years. Then I got sidelined by Lyme disease.

The time I spent going from doctor to doctor searching for a diagnosis allowed Lyme disease, which is a bacterial infection, to progress to the point where I was completely disabled by pain and fatigue. I quit acting, but I kept writing. In late 2015, I was diagnosed with late-stage Lyme disease and started four years of treatment. I slowly turned my story into the book and lyrics for a dark comedy, Lyme Disease: The Musical.

I’m happy to report that my Lyme disease is now in remission. I’m currently wrapping up eight years of work on Lyme Disease: The Musical (I told you it was slow), and I just started writing my next musical. I’m hoping to move a little faster with this one, lol.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

When I was in college, I studied at Playwrights Horizons Theater School, where they teach all aspects of theater and encourage students to become producers. There was a joke that the school’s motto was, “There’s no road, and you have to build one.” I never expected an easy road as an actor, and I sure didn’t get one! Before Lyme disease, I struggled with things I think most actors struggle with, like finding the right agent and getting in front of the right casting directors. I booked a few jobs here and there, but ultimately I spent more money than I made being an actor. But those struggles were nothing compared to the eight years I spent fighting for my health.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?

I guess I’m known for having Lyme disease and not shutting up about it! In 2019, I wrote a comedic hip hop song called “Pay Attention (for Lyme Disease Prevention).” Emmy-winning songwriter Hughie Stone Fish composed the music and produced the track. I produced and directed the music video, and it won four awards!

I wrote the book and lyrics for Lyme Disease: The Musical, which was a finalist in the ScreenCraft Stage Play Writing Competition. Hughie composed and produced the music, and the show premiered at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2022. A video of the production, which was nominated for two Robby Awards and five Broadway World Los Angeles Awards, including Best New Play or Musical, is coming soon. My best friend since childhood, Robert Glen Decker, directed and was nominated for a Broadway World Los Angeles Award for Best Direction of a Musical! I designed the costumes and was nominated for a Robby Award for Best Costume Design. Making the costume for my show’s narrator, who is a tick, is one of my proudest achievements.

I also produced the original cast recording of Lyme Disease: The Musical, which is available on most music streaming platforms. My friend Kev Luu recorded, mixed, and helped produce the album. He and Hughie played all of the instruments. I feel very lucky to have gotten to work with such talented people, including the amazing cast of the musical.

This past year, I met with congressional aides to tell my story and ask for more federal funding for Lyme disease. It’s something I wanted to do for years. I’m grateful to have the energy to be feisty again! I’ve also been volunteering for Writegirl since 2016. Writegirl pairs teen girls with women writers who mentor them in creative writing. I’m super proud of the girls I’ve mentored. My current mentee is 14 years old, and she won a Scholastic Award for her novel! I had nothing to do with it, but I’m still proud.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?

The most important thing I’ve learned is: Get ready to pivot! Be ready for sudden, sharp turns. Trust me, they’re coming, and they’ll lead you to unexpected (and possibly beautiful) places. Without Lyme disease, I wouldn’t have met, worked with, and become friends with several amazing people. I wouldn’t have gotten to work on a play with my best friend again. I wouldn’t be a playwright, songwriter, and music producer. I wouldn’t say I went with the flow exactly, but I rode the rapids.

Contact Info:

Website: ellen-thompson.com
Instagram: instagram.com/ellenfabulous
Facebook: facebook.com/ellenthompsonofficial
Twitter: x.com/ellenfabulous
Youtube: youtube.com/@ellenfabulous
Other: linktr.ee/ellenfabulous