ASU Mainstage Theatre entertains the whole family with its re-telling of the classic Cinderella story in “The Ash Girl”
Toussaint Jeanlouis, Andrew Miller, Miriam Grill, Chris Marley. Photo by Tim Trumble.
Photo courtesy of Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.
Tempe, Ariz. – ASU invites audiences of all ages to “Ash Girl” – a thoughtful adaptation of one of the most recognized fairytales in the world. Playing from Nov 4-20, “The Ash Girl” re-tells the tale of Cinderella, but portrays familiar characters like Stepmother, Stepsisters and the Prince with unique depth and emotion.
In “The Ash Girl,” writer Timberlake Wertenbaker returns to the Central European roots of the fairy tale and its 1812 Grimm Brothers interpretation to explore the conflicting emotions a teenage girl feels about parents, sisters, boys and growing up to be a responsible and self-aware adult. Director Pamela Sterling takes the audience on a journey of both fun and self-discovery with the help of a forest inhabited by emotions, puppets, actors and music.
Sterling not only sees “The Ash Girl” as a poignant “coming of age” story for young people, but also finds it relatable to an adult’s struggle and challenge to cope with life’s trials.
“When I first read ‘The Ash Girl’, I was struck by the power and beauty of it’s message,” Sterling says. “The world can be a scary place at times, and the monsters we confront are often the ones that live inside our own minds. There is something about fairytales that reaches down and touches the core of our being where many of these fearsome monsters live.”
In addition to a cast of both new and seasoned ASU students, the production features the work of visiting artist Scott Ripley and two children from the community, Andrew Miller and Amanda Chatupron-Lacayo, in the roles of the boy mouse and the girl mouse.
The play runs Nov. 4-20 at the Lyceum Theatre on the ASU Tempe campus, 901 S. Forest Mall on the ASU campus in Tempe. Many of the shows are matinee performances. Tickets are $5-$20 and are available at 480-965-6447 or http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/mainstage/.
Theatre is part of the ASU Herberger Mainstage Season featuring operas, musicals, dance and music performances. For a complete Mainstage schedule go to http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/calendar/mainstage.html
Media Contact:
Mica Matsoff
(480) 965-0478
Mica.Matsoff@asu.edu