APSU hosting Q&A with award-winning, Atlanta-based director Freddie Ashley

Clarksville, TN – On Saturday, October 26th, 2019 the Austin Peay State University Department (APSU) of Theatre and Dance and the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts (CECA) will host a public question and answer session with Tony-winning director and Acuff chair Freddie Ashley. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be at 2:00pm in the Trahern Theatre.

Ashley was appointed artistic director of Actor’s Express in Atlanta in July 2007. At Actors Express he has directed such hits as “Rent,” “The Rocky Horror Show,” “End of the Rainbow,” “Six Degrees of Separation,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and “Grey Gardens.” He also directed “Cabaret” for the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, “The Last Schwartz” for the Jewish Theatre of the South and “Camelot” for the Aurora Theatre.

Prior to joining Actors Express, Ashley served as literary manager of the Alliance Theatre, where he was dramaturg for 30 productions. Play development activities include work with Jewish Theatre of the South, the Kennedy Center, the New Group and Page 73 Productions.

He has received the Elliot Hayes Award for Dramaturgy from the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas and in 2007 was awarded an Arts Encouragement Award from the Charles Loridans Foundation. He serves on the faculty of Kennesaw State University and holds degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and the former Shorter College.

Ashley is coming to APSU to direct the world premiere of world-renowned playwright John Patrick Shanley’s new collection of one-act plays, “Five Savory Dishes.” This collection of plays is being produced by the APSU Department of Theatre and Dance as part of the 2019-2020 Acuff season, which also features a Drama Desk-nominated director/choreographer, a Jeff-nominated actor and the top flying effects company in the U.S. for the spring musical “Addams Family.”

“Five Savory Dishes” runs from November 21st-24th. Ticketing and more information is available on the theatre and dance website at theatredance.apsu.edu. For information, call the Trahern Theatre Box Office at 931.221.7379 or email boxoffice@apsu.edu.

For more information about Shanley, “Five Savory Dishes” and the rest of Austin Peay State University Theatre and Dance’s Acuff season, go to www.apsu.edu/theatre-dance/acuff