Chapter I. 

Little 'Ellie' was a precocious, sensitive, language-loving child. Due in no small part to being raised by my two artist-educator parents in Chicago, who never missed an opportunity to instill my siblings and I with a creative zest for life and love of art.​

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I wouldn't be who I am without my beautifully bizarre parents and the unconventional bringing-up they gave me. My mother Kymberly Mellen was playing Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Chicago Shakes while she was pregnant with me, and I was aptly named "Elyna" in homage to the character. I was the cutest baby at every cast party, and the most well-behaved toddler in any rehearsals room. Not to brag ;)

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My father Vance Mellen is a jack-of-all-trades artist in his own right, and my childhood was filled with homemade feature films, self-directed backyard musicals, garage art lessons, and sidewalk chalk contests with my siblings. My younger brothers Jack, Vance & Trenton are the artsy-fartsiest, silly-goofiest, smarty-pantsiest people I know, and still my best friends and biggest motivators. ​​