Merle Karusoo

{{Short description|Estonian stage director and writer (born 1944)}}

File:Merle Karusoo, arvamusfestival 2014.jpg

Merle Karusoo (born 1 July 1944 in Rae Parish) is an Estonian stage director and writer. She is also known as a collector of Estonian biographies.{{cite web |last1=Vabar |first1=Sven |title=Merle Karusoo |url=https://sisu.ut.ee/ewod/k/karusoo |website=sisu.ut.ee |access-date=17 March 2021 |language=en}}

In 1972, she graduated from University of Tartu in Estonian philology. In 1999, she defended her master's thesis in sociology at Tallinn Pedagogical University.

She has worked as a director at the Estonian Drama Theatre and the Estonian State Youth Theater.

Karusoo has worked as a course instructor and lecturer at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre and the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy. Since 2014, she has been a Professor of Liberal Arts, teaching at the University of Tartu.

==Awards==

• 1980 {{ill|Ants Lauter Award|et|Ants Lauteri nimeline auhind}}
• 1981 Juhan Smuul literary award
• 1990 Merited Artist of the ESSR
• 2001 Order of the White Star, IV class