The Ash Girl
University of Alaska Fairbanks
April 2015
Direction and Scenic Design by Brian Cook
Costume Design by Bethany Marx
Lighting Design by Kade Mendelowitz
Sound Design by Chris John George
Stage Management by Ian Buoncore
CAST
Carrie Baker as Sadness
Kellie Bernstein as Gluttontoad
Melissa Buchta as Fairy
Molly Cable as Mouse 3
Elsbeth Cheyne as Slothworm
Amelia Cooper as Greedmonkey
Nicole Cowans as Ashgirl
Leilani Eames as Mouse 1
Freddy Gryder as Envysnake
Marley Horner as Prince Amir
Cynthia Jones as Angerbird
Brian Kerly as Man in the Forest
Katrina Kuharich as Ruth
Jessica MacLeod as Stepmother
Sambit Misra as Paul
Nancy Nguyen as Judith
Charlotte Phillips as Mouse 2
Paloma Polanco as Owl
Ariana Polanco as Princess Zehra
Mallory Smyth as Pridefly
Sierra Trinchet as Lust
Ethan Whitfield as Otter
In a big old house, the Ashgirl lives huddled deep in the protection of an ashy hearth. With her mother dead, and her father away, she lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters. When the invitation to the ball arrives from the prince, she finds the strength to go with the help of her friends, some of whom come from unexpected places. This retelling of the classic Cinderella fairy tale is “like a mix of C.S. Lewis and Sondheim’s Into the Woods: an eclectic fairy tale anthology.” (Guardian, London)
DIRECTING AND DESIGN APPROACH DIRECTOR'S NOTES
Production Photos
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| Ashgirl (Nicole Cowans) is taunted by her Stepsisters (Katrina Kuharich and Nancy Nguyen). |
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| She dreams of a better life. |
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| An invitation comes to the Prince's birthday. |
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| Ashgirl (Nicole Cowans) knows her family will leave her at home; Sadness (Carrie Baker) comes to her. |
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| Owl (Paloma Polanco) comes to frighten Sadness away. |
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| The Seven Deadly Sins. |
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| Elsewhere, the Seven Deadly Sins and Sadness assemble to plot the downfall of humanity. |
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| Princess Zehra (Ariana Polanco) and her son Amir (Marley Horner) listen to Paul's (Sambit Misra) plans for dancing. |
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| As Ashgirl struggles to get their dresses ready, Greedmonkey (Amelia Cooper) comes to wind them up for the riches that marriage will bring. |
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| Ashgirl's friend Otter (Ethan Whitfield) comes to cheer her up. |
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| After everyone leaves for the ball, a Fairy (Melissa Buchta) appears. |
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| The Fairy skins the Otter in order to turn him into a coachman. |
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| She summons some spiders to weave Ashgirl a dress. |
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| And turns some mice and a walnut into a coach and horses. |
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| The dress made from spiderwebs. |
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| At the ball, Paul dances with every single lady present. Lust (Sierra Trinchet) ensures that he does. |
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| Greedmonkey encourages Judith to steal a bracelet. |
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| Gluttontoad (Kellie Bernstein) gets Ruth to eat way too much food. |
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| The ball. |
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| Once Ashgirl arrives, Amir only wants to dance with her. |
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| As the clock strikes midnight, Ashgirl must flee. and her stepsisters prevent Amir from catching her. |
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| They try to win Amir all for themselves. |
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| After she flees the ball, Ashgirl is lost in the woods, where the Sins attack. The mice try to save her. |
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| Even Lust takes a turn. |
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| Slothworm (Elsbeth Cheyne) seduces Amir. |
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| Sadness nearly has Ashgirl pinned down and is ready to kill her... |
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| But Ashgirl is able to summon the Fairy and to vanquish the Sins. The Stepmother (Jessica MacLeod) reveals the reason for her meanness; her own mother forced her to wear shoes too small. |
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| The Fairy and Zehra finally put everything right, and Amir and Ashgirl decide to get to know each other. |