About Me

My name is Eliana Joy Spitler and I am a BFA Acting alum from Illinois Wesleyan University. I was born and raised in Northern Indiana, ending up in Goshen, Indiana in late elementary school. Before moving to Goshen, I lived on a hobby farm with my parents, two dogs, a plethora of barn cats, and more sheep and chickens than countable. Growing up on the farm, I developed a love of animals of all kinds, especially the smelly and unappreciated. When my parents divorced, my mom and I moved to the Goshen area. During my time in Goshen, I made good use of the South Shore Line to Chicago. I fell in love and as soon as I could after graduating college, I moved to a cute little apartment on the Northside.

Sensory Processing Disorder

At nine, I was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), a disorder heavily associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It affects everyone differently, but for me, it mostly affects my movement. Along with having issues with my sense of balance, it causes my brain and body to work against each other. Though my brain knows what I’m supposed to do physically, my body doesn’t react properly. The example my mom always uses is that I didn’t jump properly until I was around six. I could go through the steps of a jump: bending and straightening my knees and pushing up with my feet, but my feet never actually left the ground. Because I was diagnosed so late, any kind of physical therapy has been unhelpful. This has made dancing the most difficult aspect of performing for me. In spite of this, I have been trying my hardest to dance and move my body since I was little!

My Inspiration!

Around when I finally figured out how to properly jump, my mom introduced me to something life changing: The Muppet Show. Through The Muppet Show, I fell in love with music, especially folksy pop music and that of Paul Williams. I started taking violin lessons shortly after, focusing on American Folk, Celtic, Klezmer, and fiddle tunes. The Muppet Show also introduced me to the joys of theater, and as a child, I couldn’t wait to try it out myself. When I performed in my first musical way back in sixth grade, I was hooked! More recently, I have rediscovered my love of the Muppets through puppet making. I plan to pursue puppetry further as I continue my career.

Theatrical Practice

I began my college career as a BFA in acting at Illinois Wesleyan in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. My time at IWU was filled with ups and downs, but in my time there I discovered a lot of new things about myself. I picked up a minor in theatrical design and technologies and began writing short films.

After a disappointing casting season my senior year, I took a step back from theater in the way I had practiced it before and took stock of what it was that I enjoyed about theater in the first place. I stopped practicing theater in the way that I felt expected to, and started practicing theater in the ways that excited me. Through this, I realized that I enjoy the ability theater has to educate in an entertaining and informal way, no matter the viewer’s age or background. Now, I work as a guest engagement facilitator at the Museum of Science and Industry, practicing theatrical informal education every day.

Storytelling

Through all of my interests, I have found a common thread: the love of storytelling. My favorite part of prop design is putting together a group of objects that make a story come alive. Acting and writing allow me to create a story from the ground up. Working in museums giving tours and performing science shows shares the story of the world around us.

As a queer Mennonite (an ethno-religion similar in values to the Amish. I know being a lesbian and Mennonite sounds contradictory, but it’s more common than you’d think!), telling the stories of the persecuted and voiceless are incredibly important to me. I believe in peacemaking and inclusivity, and I want every aspect of my work to reflect that.

Outside of the Industry

Outside of the theater, I am likely to be found writing, reading, making personal puppets, or volunteering with animals. In the late spring of 2020, my mom and I discovered an abandoned baby possum in our backyard. We took her to the nearest wildlife rehabilitator, who told us that aside from being hungry and dehydrated, she was completely healthy. She offered us a subpermit to rehabilitate and release possums! The first possum we released was Ophelia, but since then we’ve rehabbed and released Dipper, Grunkle, Orion, and Blossom!