Hey there! I'm
Elise
Soeder
Actor / Theatre Maker / Voiceover Artist

ABOUT ME
I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina in an old purple house on a small farm. Feeding goats, collecting eggs, and picking veggies were all normal tasks for me in between the sleepovers, parks and rec soccer, and rehearsal for school plays. My kindergarten class did a performance of the Little Rascals and I was so hoping to be cast as Darla. In a heartbreaking turn, they gave the role to a different five year old instead. Can you even believe? I question that casting choice to this day, but the love of performance stuck with me through the years and I graduated summa cum laude from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Performing Arts. I also spent a life-changing summer as an acting apprentice at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, refining craft and friendship, and falling in love with literary and classical work.
Ultimately, I moved to Chicago, where I continue to train and work consistently in theatre and on independent films and webseries. For steady income, I have the delightful job of pet sitting and walking dogs. (You can take the girl out of the farm...) In 2017, I co-founded Theatre Evolve to provide a professional environment and a stepping stone for Chicago theatre makers as they develop their skills and up their game in this competitive field.
To check out my day-to-day shenanigans, visit me on Instagram at @episoeder
WHAT'S NEW
*I'm fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and received my second booster on 10/17/2022.*
You can now find me as a voice actor on Cast Voices!
I am joining Avalanche Theatre for their Next Draft play development series. I'm lending my voice to the role of Tilda in Melanie Coffey's Time Is A Color and the Color Is Blue with a public staged reading in late June. Exact dates TBA!