FHS stages darker version of ‘Cinderella’
Ashgirl (Kadence Johnson) (foreground) and Sadness (Ella McGuffie) appear in Flathead High School Theatre Department's production of "The Ash Girl."
The Flathead High School Theatre Department presents a contemporary twist to Cinderella with “The Ash Girl” today, April 29; April 30 and May 1 at 6:27 p.m. in the David M. Hashley Theatre at FHS.
The audience will be capped at 30% capacity. Advanced ticket sales are limited to two tickets per participating student for each performance. If any tickets are still available performance nights, they will be sold at the door. All audience members are required to wear a mask.
With her mother dead and her father away, the Ash Girl lives deep in the protection of the ashes in a manor house with her stepmother and two stepsisters. When an invitation to the royal ball arrives, Ash Girl begins a journey of self-discovery that leads her deep into the forest at midnight where she fights her own demons in the form of the seven deadly sins.
“I would recommend this show for an older audience … teenagers and adults. The show broaches some more mature topics like depression, mental illness and suicidal intentions,” director Patty Hodges said. “It is also much darker and eerie, which could make younger audience members uneasy.
“This play isn't a sugar-coated textbook fairy tale,” Hodges said. “This version acknowledges the more ruthless origins of most folk tales.”