Actress & Dramaturg
About Shinji Elspeth
A graduate of the VCUarts Theatre Performance Program at Virginia Commonwealth University, Shinji split her time between her involvement in the program's mainstage productions, her role as an Event Coordinator for VCU's student-run production organization, SALT (Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre), and her work with local theatres such as The Conciliation Lab and Richmond Triangle Players. Though musical theatre started her acting journey, her focus shifted to Shakespeare, Greek theatre, and other classics, an interest that began when she studied theatre history in Athens during her Freshman year.
Shinji pursued this interest as a Teaching Assistant for David Emmerson Toney's acting classes at VCU, where she developed her skills and love of teaching others, all while deepening her understanding of acting and Shakespeare.
For the past two years, Shinji has worked all over the South Eastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, acting and dramaturging with companies such as the Folger Theatre in DC, The New Theatre in Virginia, and the National Women's Theatre Festival Fringe in North Carolina. She has developed a love for Shakespearean adaptations and new works and relishes the chance to bring a new perspective to an old idea.
When she's not in the theatre, Shinji is at home with her two cats, Pancho and Lefty, or advocating for economic freedom in Virginia in her job as a Session Aide. When she can, she focuses on her second love: travel. In the past, she's taken trips to Berlin and Dresden, as well as Prague to work with the Prague Shakespeare Company. This year, she traveled the South of France and Munich for Oktoberfest.