The Ecstasy of VICTORIA WOODHULL
The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull began as a workshop production in 2018 in Los Angeles, CA and, much like its heroine, has now traveled through both space and time. After successful runs at The Hollywood Fringe (2022), then Off-Broadway at 59E59 Theater in New York and The Church in Sag Harbor, Long Island, it finally premiered at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
Critical Reviews
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
"The spirit of a suffragette is summoned in this engaging biography"
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"Rich in biographical and rhetorical detail, it never feels dry. Ford skips along, bringing a lyrical quality to even the densest parts of the script, written by her husband and partner in Owl & Pussycat Theatre, Theo Salter."
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- Richard Peacock,
The Wee Review
"The show, directed by Sean Harris, achieves that wondrous union of imparting historical fact while being totally entertaining.
What more could you ask for."n
Hollywood Fringe Festival
"In her one-woman show based on Woodhull, Ashley Ford manages to succeed in capturing the many facets of this fascinating woman. Working from a script by Theo Salter, Ford begins by spinning about the stage tinkling a bell to cleanse the space of spirits before she sets about summoning and channeling the ghost of Woodhull with the occasional interruption from other great “dead American” figures."
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- Earnest Kearney,
The TVolution
"...this holy trinity of theater is exciting, fresh and ready to be devoured like a delicious full course meal."
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“Canadian actress Ashley Ford does an exemplary job in portraying Woodhull with pride and confidence.”
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"Mad congrats to playwright Theo Salter in writing this much needed salute for a woman who could have been a simple and forgotten footnote in history. Also, major applause to director Karen Linton for executing Salter’s vision perfectly."
- Mary Montoro,
All About the Stage
The Play
Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1872, spent her childhood supporting her family as a clairvoyant and maintained until her death that she 'consulted with the spirits'. She insisted during her life that to tell her tale without referencing the Spirit World would be "as if you were writing Hamlet and decided to leave out his father's ghost."
In this one woman show we begin in the modern era where a budding clairvoyant attempts to invoke the spirit of Victoria Woodhull, the unsung heroine of the Suffrage movement. When Victoria does appear, she tells us how she was ultimately written out of history by her peers for her overly “radical views” on free love, economic justice, and the fight for equality across America in the late 19th Century.
Join our clairvoyant as she reaches back in time and help bring the astonishing story of Victoria’s life back into the light!
CAST
ASHLEY FORD
CELESTE /VICTORIA WOODHULL / SUSAN B ANTHONY / TENNESSEE CLAFLIN
Ashley Ford is a Canadian born actress who has performed across North America. Notable productions include the Broadway National Tour of the Tony award winning, ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S THE 39 STEPS (Annabella/Margaret/Pamela, u/s); Kander & Ebb’s CABARET (Fraulein Kost/Fritzie) and LEND ME A TENOR (Maria Merelli) at Playhouse on Park for which she received two Broadway World CT nominations for Best Featured Actress; Western Canada’s longest running theatre production TONY N’ TINA’S WEDDING (Celeste); Select New York Credits: LOST IN PLACE (Marjorie Moonbeam) which received Best Production at the Planet Connections Festival and David Lindsey-Abaire’s RABBIT HOLE (Izzy) at Davenport Theatre. Ashley is a proud graduate of The Stella Adler Studio of Acting’s Conservatory Program in NYC.
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CREATIVE
THEO SALTER
PLAYWRIGHT
Theo Salter is an American writer, script consultant and veteran Fringe producer. His producing experience began while working for Richard Frankel Productions in NYC while the company maintained shows such as Hairspray, and STOMP, and launched both Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein and a revival of Gypsy. He founded two independent theater companies in NYC: Red Wheelbarrow Productions, and Lunar Energy Productions, and launched 10 shows (off-Broadway) during his tenure. He's thrilled now to be a part of LA-based Owl & the Pussycat Theatre Co. with his wife and partner, Ashley Ford. He hopes to continue to bring vibrant and meaningful shows to a wider audience.
SEAN HARRIS
DIRECTOR
This is Sean’s fourth directing project at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Past productions include ARABIAN NIGHTS by Mary Zimmerman, The World Premiere of PANDORA’S BOX by Matthew Macca, and the World Premiere of KISSED THE GIRLS AND MADE THEM CRY by Arlene Hutton which has been published by PLAYSCRIPTS, INC. and hailed as the Best New Work (Broadwayworld CT 2015.)
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New York City directing credits include TBG THEATRE, THEATER AT WESTBETH, PLAXALL GALLERY, STAGES ON THE SOUND, THE PRODUCERS CLUB, 5TH LETTER PRODUCTIONS, THE SPENCE SCHOOL.
Sean is also the Artistic Director and founder of the award-winning Connecticut Theatre Company, PLAYHOUSE ON PARK, in which he has produced over 140 productions, including many world premieres. Other recent directing credits include THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, METAMORPHOSES, PASSING STRANGE, HAIR (Broadwayworld & CT Critics Circle award nom,) IN THE HEIGHTS – (Broadwayworld & CT Critics Circle award nom) ANGELS IN AMERICA (Broadwayworld nom) UGLY LIES THE BONE and PETER AND THE STARCATCHER.
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Nina Field
SOUND DESIGNER
Nina Field is a New York based sound designer. Select Regional: OUR TOWN (Dallas Theater Center; Dallas, TX), BEYOND THE FOURTH WALL (WMPAC; Big Sky, MT), MS. BENNET, CHRISTMAS AT PEMBERLY (Playhouse On Park; West Hartford, CT). Select NYC Credits: MOTEL ANDROMEDA (Waterwell), HOUSE OF AMERICAN ACTIVITIES (The After-Image). Associate Design Credits: TWELFTH NIGHT (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Designer: Lindsay Jones), HAMLET ON THE RADIO (The Old Globe, Designer: Lindsay Jones).
RAVEN ONG
COSTUME DESIGNER
Raven Ong is Assistant Professor of Costume Design at Central Connecticut State University. Select credits include: International premieres of WAITRESS, KINKY BOOTS, MATILDA and BEAUTIFUL: CAROL KING MUSICAL (Manila, Philippines); THE PRODUCERS, JEKYLL AND HYDE, WIZARD OF OZ, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, ON GOLDEN POND, STEEL MAGNOLIAS. Raven is a recipient of the Syracuse Area Live Theatre (SALT) Award Best Costume Design of a Musical for LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.
EUNYOUNG BONA JUNG
MOVEMENT COACH
Eunyoung Bona Jung is an Artistic Director and an actor at Yesigong Project in Seoul, Korea. Her performances have been shown internationally at venues that include Brick Theatre, Dixon Place, Playwrights Rehearsal Studio in New York City, Avignon Theatre Festival in France, KOCCA, The Zoom Arts Center, Unexpected Theater in Seoul. She is a graduate of Columbia University’s MFA Acting program.
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Emma Paterson
STAGE MANAGER/MARKETING ASSOCIATE
Emma Paterson is thrilled to be a part of this production, and to be participating in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival! She is currently an undergraduate student at Sarah Lawrence College. Past credits include: British American Drama Academy (BADA): Teiresias ANTIGONE; Company Management Intern for Playhouse on Park’s 2021 Connecticut Shakespeare Festival; Sarah Lawrence College: Ensemble HEAD OVER HEELS; The Ethel Walker School: Billy Flynn CHICAGO, Chuck/Assistant Director/Fight Choreographer SHE KILLS MONSTERS, Link Larkin HAIRSPRAY. Emma is currently studying puppetry, acting, singing, and dance, as well as medieval: art history, literature, costume, and language at Sarah Lawrence. She hopes you enjoy this spiritual journey into the past!
Instagram: @empat06