The Ash Girl stars, from left to right, Nicole Cowans as Ashgirl, Jessica MacLeod as Mother, Katrina Kuharich as Ruth, and Nancy Nguyen as Judith as they read an invitation to the Prince’s Ball. Photo Courtesy of Kade Mendelowitz, UAF Theatre.
Theatre UAF’s main stage spring production is “The Ash Girl” by Timberlake Wertenbaker and is what the department calls a contemporary retelling of a classic Cinderella fairytale with a mix of “The Seven Deadly Sins.”
Ashgirl is a character, similar to Cinderella, who lives in a big and old house under an ashy hearth, with her stepsisters and stepmother while her father is away. When an invitation to the ball arrives for the women in her house from the prince, Ashgirl finds help from an unexpected group of friends to make it to the ball.
The production of “The Ash Girl” is larger for the department and required 22 actors to fill the places of the cast.
“This is one of the largest casts I have worked with,” Marley Horner said, who plays Prince Amir in “Ash Girl.” “There were five people in the last production I was in.”
Marley also helps make the production possible by helping to build and put the set together.
“All the plays I’ve played in, I also helped to build,” Marley said. He is one of the many seniors in the production, participating in their last couple productions of college theatre. The production also allowed for more children and adult roles, so faculty and local kids will be part of the “Ash Girl” cast.
The UAF Theatre Department Chair, Carrie Baker, plays one of the Seven Deadly Sins in the production.
“This production pulled in most theatre major students and some local third and fourth graders,” Baker said. “This is a community play for our department.” The cast is also performing a lightened version of the play at local schools.
The play is scheduled to take place the weekend of April 17 and 18 and also the 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. There is an additional showing Sunday the 26 at 2:00 p.m. at the Lee H. Salisbury Theatre. Tickets are available online and at the door for $8-$16 depending on the age of the viewer.
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 Kerley 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
- Ariana Polanco as Princess Zehra
- Paloma Polanco as Owl
- Mallory Smyth as Pridefly
- Sierra Trinchet as Lust
- Ethan Whitfield as Otter
Production Team
- Director and Scenic Designer: Brian Cook
- Costume Designer: Bethany Marx
- Lighting Designer: Kade Mendelowitz
- Sound Designer: Chris John George
- Stage Manager: Ian Buoncore
Performances:
Friday, April 17 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, April 18 @ 7:30pm
Friday, April 24 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, April 25 @ 7:30pm
Sunday, April 26 @ 2:00pm
For more information, to schedule an interview, or to request complimentary tickets for listeners/viewers please contact Kim Eames, 474-6590, kkeames@alaska.edu.