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.^[1]

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.^[1]

She has worked as a director at the Estonian Drama Theatre and the Estonian State Youth Theater.^[1]

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.^[1]

• 1980 Ants Lauter Award [et]^[1]
• 1981 Juhan Smuul literary award^[1]
• 1990 Merited Artist of the ESSR^[1]
• 2001 Order of the White Star, IV class^[1]

• 1981: play "Ma olen 13-aastane" ('I Am 13')
• 1982: play "Meie elulood" ('Our Life Stories')
• 1997: play "Kured läinud, kurjad ilmad" ('The Cranes Are Gone, the Weather's Bad')