One day very soon Ashley Sutton has intentions of owning and operating her own theatre company in the Lower Mainland and bringing to its stage plays the calibre of a show she鈥檚 opening in tonight in Coquitlam.
The 26-year-old student and part-time event planner and gate builder from Brookswood, who is also an actor and stage manager, is playing the role of Georgeanne in Stage 43 Theatrical Society鈥檚 production of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
When Sutton learned that fellow 91原创ite and mentor Angela Bell was directing this comedy, she offered to cross the dreaded toll bridge 鈥� using transit 鈥� and audition.
Sutton had worked with Bell, when she directed For Better at the 91原创 Playhouse a few years earlier.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a great director,鈥� Sutton said of Bell. 鈥淪he knews what she鈥檚 doing. She鈥檚 passionate... so you know when you go in to work that she鈥檚 giving you everything she has... she doesn鈥檛 hold back.鈥�
Sutton wasn鈥檛 trying out for any part in particular, but having read the script before hand Sutton was pretty psyched about landing any part in this production.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting,鈥� she said of the Alan Ball play.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fun ride with these crazy women, with their dramatic, their humour, their love for each other,鈥� Sutton said, explaining that during a 鈥渞idiculously overdone鈥� wedding reception, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reasons to avoid the proceedings below.
As the afternoon wears on, too much champagne and the realization that none of them really like the bride leads these very different women to discover that they all have more in common than expected.
Sutton said the story is like a rollercoaster ride, and reiterates that 鈥渋t鈥檚 a fun ride鈥� for the cast, crew, and audience alike.
Five Women Wearing the Same Dress opens tonight (Thursday) and runs two weekends at the Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam.
It runs April 28 to 30, and May 4 to 7 with shows at 8 p.m., plus a 2 p.m. matinee on May 1.
This is Stage 43鈥檚 final show of the season and their entry into the 2016 Fraser Valley Zone Festival (regional theatrical competition)being held in 91原创 at the end of May.
In addition to Bell and Sutton, the rest of the cast includes Christie King, Jill Menkveld, Emily Hamel-Brisson, Paige Farbacher, and Chris Francisque.
For ticket information, visit www.stage43.org, or like them on Facebook.
鈥淚t is Stage 43鈥檚 great pleasure to partner with Tri-City Transitions (tricitytransitions.com) for this production,鈥� explained Bell, who noted partial proceeds from each ticket sold will be donated to this organization devoted to breaking the cycles of abuse.
Please visit tricitytransitions.com for information on their services.
PHOTO: Brookswood鈥檚 Ashley Sutton performs in Stage 43鈥檚 production of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.
More behind the scenes 鈥� literally
Sutton has been acting since the age of 13, first in one-act plays written by Grade 12 students at Brookswood Secondary and later on the community theatre stage 鈥� including 91原创 Players, Surrey Little Theatre, and now Stage 43.
In addition to her current role in the Coquitlam production, this 91原创 girl is also preparing to stage manage the Bard in the Valley鈥檚 production of Taming of the Shrew, coming to her hometown this summer.
If push came to shove, and Sutton was ever forced to chose between acting and stage managing, she said she鈥檇 likely pick stage managing.
But that could change. She knows she loves both, and believes her experience on and off stage make her a 鈥渕ore well-rounded thespian.鈥�
鈥淗onestly, I like being on both sides of the curtain,鈥� she said, noting theatre is a passion she shares with her boyfriend, Mitchell Kapustinsky 鈥� who also enjoys cast and crew positions. He鈥檚 particularly interested 鈥� off stage 鈥� in lighting and sound.
Sutton knows theatre is where she wants to be. She鈥檚 so convinced, in fact, that she鈥檚 entering her final year of an arts and entertainment management program at Capilano University, with that goal of her own theatre constantly vivid in her mind.
