Bob Jones to present ‘The Ash Girl,’ a Cinderella parody, this weekend
Devyn Guilleabeaux, standing left, as Ash Girl gets a leer from the Stepmother, portrayed by Lindsey Solomon, in “The Ash Girl” at Bob Jones High School. The naughty stepsisters are Kayla Thompson, seated from left, and Caroline Jackson. (CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON – A beloved fairy tale takes a gritty twist in “The Ash Girl,” this weekend’s production by advanced production students at Bob Jones High School.
Faculty director Mary Davis and students chose “The Ash Girl,” loosely based on “Cinderella,” for the script’s potential to expand the cast’s stage skills.
The entire cast “has offered great opinions,” Jesse Tollison said. Tollison and Nathan Daniel are student directors.
“This show has a completely different style than what the advanced production cast was used to performing,” student producer Olivia Skillern said. “It presented a challenge.”
Like “Cinderella,” this play has Ash Girl feverishly working on her stepsister’s dresses for the ball held by Prince Amir. With assistance from friends, Ash Girl musters the courage to attend the palace event.
However, “representations of the seven deadly sins linger in the forest between the palace and Ash Girl’s home,” Tollison said. The sins force characters to betray one another. Returning home, Ash Girl deals with her own demons for the self-confidence to cling to the moments of happiness she felt with the prince.
Devyn Guilleabeaux has the title role. Marcus Mack portrays Prince Amir. Other cast members are Lindsey Solomon (Stepmother), Kayla Thompson, (stepsister Ruth), Caroline Jackson (stepsister Judith) and Megan McDowell (Princess Zehra).
Drama teacher Dwayne Craft is lead artistic and technical director. “We’re using complex sets and lighting to achieve a parallel dimension effect throughout the show,” Tollison said. “The set frequently changes between the step-family’s home, palace and forest.”
“Shari Kingsford is once again displaying her immense talent with costuming,” Davis said. “Sarah Robertson and Cassidy MacFarlane are head student costumers.”
Show times are May 9-10 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5. If this play were a movie, it would be rated PG, Tollison said. The show is recommended for 10-year-olds and older.
