STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Ellen Mitchell, a devoted nurse and longtime member of Staten Island\u2019s performing arts community, died on Oct. 5. She was 67. <\/p>\n
Born in Brooklyn on Aug. 16, 1958, Ellen moved with her family to Staten Island at age 11, where she built a life defined by compassion, creativity, and connection. <\/p>\n
She devoted her professional career to caring for others, working as a registered nurse and later as a nurse practitioner at several New York City hospitals, including St. Vincent\u2019s NYC, NY Presbyterian, and Lutheran Medical Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was fiercely a patient advocate,\u201d said Al Lambert, a longtime friend and fellow performer. \u201cFrom what I heard, she cared deeply about every person under her care.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Ellen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GRECCRYG5RHJLMAGDL5YURDU6Q.jpg\"\/)
In this 2005 photo, from left to right, Ellen Mitchell, Joseph Loffredo and Joanne Maragni in a scene from the Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre Company’s production of “California Suite.”(Advance\/SILive.com | Hilton Flores)A life on stage <\/p>\n
Outside her medical work, Ellen was a vibrant presence in Staten Island\u2019s community theater scene. For years, she graced the stage in various productions, showcasing her talent for acting and singing. <\/p>\n
Lambert, who had known Ellen for over 40 years after meeting at the Hidden Talent Show in the early 1980s at the College of Staten Island in Willowbrook, shared admiration for her talent and professionalism. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe was as good as many people on Broadway,\u201d said Lambert. \u201cIt was her choice to do what she did locally. She had a voice from God, and she had the comic ability and even dramatic ability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ellen was involved in Lambert\u2019s South Shore Rotary Shows<\/a>, appearing in 19 of the 21 productions he directed. <\/p>\n \u201cMy standard line was I hated to do the show if Ellen wasn\u2019t in it, because she added so much to it,\u201d said Lambert.<\/p>\n Even in the final months of her life, Ellen continued performing. During the summer, she took the stage in the College of Staten Island\u2019s \u201cFiddler on the Roof,\u201d<\/a> delivering what Lambert called \u201can amazing performance.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cShe performed till the very end \u2014 she was the Tony Bennett of Staten Island theater,” added Lambert. <\/p>\n Ellen\u2019s impact extended to the Staten Island Shakespearean Theatre Company<\/a>, which remembered her on Facebook<\/a> as \u201ca true local icon\u201d whose energy lit up the stage for decades. <\/p>\n The company shared admiration for Ellen\u2019s humor and generous spirit through good and challenging times. She directed several plays for them, including \u201cThe Weir,\u201d \u201cThe Heidi Chronicles,\u201d and \u201cSisters Rosensweig.\u201d <\/p>\n She also delivered memorable performances in productions such as \u201cDancing at Lughnasa,\u201d \u201cPlaza Suite,\u201d \u201cAnd The World Goes Round,\u201d \u201cSweeney Todd,\u201d \u201cThe Prisoner of Second Avenue,\u201d and \u201cThe Nerd.\u201d<\/p>\n The theater company praised Ellen for her willingness to share herself fully with audiences, both on and off stage, leaving a lasting mark on all who experienced her work. This same generosity and passion carried through every aspect of her life.<\/p>\n Ellen, who lived in Richmond, was a passionate traveler, enjoying exploring new destinations or cruising the open seas. As a lifelong Disney fan, she was particularly drawn to the studio\u2019s female villains for their theatrical flair and bold personalities. At home, she expressed her creativity through scrapbooking, meticulously preserving memories and moments for herself and her family, according to her obituary.<\/a> <\/p>\n She is survived by her sister, Catherine Mitchell, and her brothers, Deacon Richard Mitchell and John Mitchell and his wife, Bonnie. <\/p>\n Beyond her professional accomplishments and stage performances, friends and family remember Ellen for her warmth, generosity, and humor. <\/p>\n \u201cShe was a genuine human being, also attentive to the people who she knew and always interested in their lives,\u201d said Lambert. \u201cShe never put herself up before anyone else. She was an amazing individual.\u201d <\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Ellen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/L7AU3W4DFBFMVPL76DJDXDU5XQ.jpg\"\/)
Featured in the Staten Island Shakespearean Theater Company’s production of “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” are, from left, Jean Callahan, Deborah Starr Knapp, and Ellen Mitchell. (Advance\/SILive.com | Michael McWeeney)<\/p>\n