Ellen Dunphy

1986 - 2022

Ellen Dunphy
October 1, 1986 - July 4, 2022
Bay Area theatre actor Ellen Dunphy (35) died as the fireworks were going off on the night of July 4th at her home in Redwood City. Ellen was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and studied Theatre at Ripon College. She spent time in the Milwaukee and Chicago theatre communities before settling into the San Francisco scene for the past seven years, putting her signature arched eyebrows to use as a company member of the Left Coast Theatre Company.
Some favorite roles included Lysander in the Silicon Valley Shakespeare performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Émilie in the Chicago Hilton | Asmus Contemporary's production of Urania: The Life of Émilie du Châtelet, and Miss Cutts in the Milwaukee Pink Banana production of Pinter's The Hothouse. Her most meaningful stage role was in Dragon Theatre's production of The Baltimore Waltz, playing the lead Anna who tries to live her life to the fullest while grappling with a terminal diagnosis; the show wrapped shortly before her own diagnosis of gastric cancer in 2020.
She continued to perform as well as advocate for gastric cancer research during the pandemic and her illness. She played the twin lead roles of Viola and Sebastian for Silicon Valley Shakespeare's fundraiser performance for the Gastric Cancer Foundation, and wrote and performed her solo show, Imaginary Endings, about the intersection of her disease and her role as a Standardized Patient with Stanford Healthcare which raised over $10,000 for the same charity.
Ellen was also an avid traveler, visiting ten different countries and spending as much time as possible in national parks. She is remembered for being one of the most open, kind, and funny people in our lives and for the crackling energy she brought to every room she was in. Ellen is survived by her husband Andrew Clinnin, her parents Ruthann and Donald Dunphy of Merrill, WI, her brother Jack Dunphy of Gleason, her sister Bridget (Casey) Dunphy of Milwaukee, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is desperately missed by her friends, family, and artistic community. For those she has inspired, please consider a donation to the Gastric Cancer Foundation in lieu of flowers: https://gastriccancer.org/ways-to-give/