Human Rights

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Biography of Ellen Sebastian Chang

Creative Director of The World As It Could Be – A Declaration of Human Rights

Ellen Sebastian Chang is a director, writer, performer, and creative consultant. She began her career as a lighting designer and served as the technical director/designer for The Blake Street Hawkeyes from 1979-1983. Her directorial work is highly influenced by her love of and affinity with the movement, color, and temperature of light and shadow.  Ms. Chang was the co-founder and artistic director of Life on the Water, a nationally and internationally known presenting and producing organization at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center from 1986 through 1995.  She has had successful working relationships with many solo performers, including Awela Makeba, Anne Galjour, Whoopi Goldberg, Holly Hughes, Leonard Pitt, Bill Talen, and Charlie Varon. She recently has directed critically-acclaimed productions of Philip Glass’ opera Akhnaten at the Oakand Opera Theater, Gamelan Sekar Jaya’s Kawit Legong: Prince Karna’s Dream at CalPerformances, and Stagebridge’s Being Something at the Oakland Metro Theater.

Ms.  Sebastian Chang has worked as an Artist in Residence and teacher, developing original stage productions at the following high schools in the Bay Area:

• "The Last Word", Skyline High

• "ICU: the children’s ward", Mt. Tamalpais

• "The Hunger Artist", Redwood

• "Hot Soup", The Urban School of San Francisco

She worked at The Urban School of San Francisco teaching technical theater and managing Gumption Theater from 1982-1986 and taught dramatic writing and an acting workshop at Richmond High School. 

Ms. Sebastian Chang is a recipient of funding from the NEA, Ford, Rockefeller and LEF Foundations, Arts Matter of New York, Zellerbach Family Fund and the California Arts Council.