Theodora Skipitares is a visual artist and theater director, who has been creating her works for more than 20 years. Born in San Francisco of Greek parents, she moved to New York in 1970. Trained as a sculptor and theater designer, she worked briefly as a designer for groups such as Richard Schechner's THE PERFORMANCE GROUP, and Omar Shapli's SECTION TEN. She began creating personal solo performances in the mid 70's. Gradually, she moved away from autobiography, and began to examine social and historical themes. Realistic, life-size puppet figures, as well as miniature ones, became the "performers" in large-scale works that included live music, film, video, and documentary texts. These works were often collaborations with prominent composers such as Virgil Moorefield, Bobby Previte, Scott Johnson, Pat Irwin, Barry Greenhut,,and David First.

Her visual work has been exhibited widely in the U.S., Europe, and South America. In 1997, she traveled to Vietnam with Ellen Stewart (La MaMa Theater), where together they developed a opera with the National Theater and the Vietnamese National Water Puppet Theater. Also, in 1997, she directed and designed a production of Charles Ludlam's THE ENCHANTED PIG for Sundance Theater.

In 1999 and 2000, Ms. Skipitares was in India as a Fulbright Fellow, where she worked with Indian puppeteers and choreographers to create two works.

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