Performance Updates & Press

Show Info

Dates: Wednesdays September 24, October 22nd, November 19

Time: 7:30 PM

Location:

The Shared Experience Studio

5216 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Price: $5

Follow Rumpus Improv on Instagram @rumpusimprov to stay informed about more upcoming shows!

Join us at our first show at The Yard Theater in Hollywood with Hat, Family Me and How I Met Your Sitcom at The Shared Experience weekly Sunday class show. Free Show this Sunday @ 7pm at The Yard Theatre, 4319 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, CA 90029

Ashley had the pleasure of joining Thornwillow Press' 100th Anniversary reading of James Joyce' Ulysses in honor of the Bloomsyear Centennial with a diverse cast of 300 readers – actors, writers, scholars and curators performing solo from around the world in over 30 hours, including notable performers such as Kathleen Chalfant, Stephen Frye, David Mamet and Salman Rushdie. Ford appears in Episode 15, Part 1 of Circe, with fellow Owl & Pussycat Theatre Company Artistic Director, Theo Salter, now streaming on YouTube!

The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull was highlighted as a production that drew inspiration from history rather than spectacle, reintroducing audiences to the 19th-century feminist pioneer who ran for President of the United States in 1872—48 years before women were granted the right to vote.

In the interview, Ashley discussed how the play draws directly from Woodhull’s real life, including her connection to spiritualism – a movement that, at the time, attracted abolitionists, suffragists, and social reformers. Rather than treating this history as novelty, the production uses it as a framework for examining how radical ideas are often dismissed or misunderstood in their own era.

Fernyhough situates the work within Edinburgh itself, opening the article by observing how the world’s largest theatre festival unfolds in what is often described as the world’s most haunted city. Against that backdrop, Ashley reflected on how performing the show in Edinburgh deepened her connection to the material.

For Ashley, the city’s atmosphere didn’t overshadow the story—it amplified it. The setting allowed Woodhull’s ideas, once considered outrageous, to resonate in a place where history and contemporary life visibly coexist.

Fortean Fringe by Mark Fernyhough, November 2022 issue

"The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull sees a medium summon the spirit of the eponymous feminist pioneer"

Front cover of The Fortean Times - Issue 424 November 2022

The full article is not available online, but to read the full feature audiences can buy a copy or subscription directly from the Fortean Times.

As a first-time production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, attracting attention among thousands of shows can be a challenge. It is a meaningful milestone, then, when a publication such as The Scotsman takes note.

Theatrical reviewer Susan Mansfield reflects on the scope of the production and its inventive approach to historical biography, highlighting the way the piece reimagines Victoria Woodhull’s life through theatrical storytelling.

Set within the expansive and competitive landscape of the Edinburgh Fringe, the review places The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull among works engaging thoughtfully with history, politics, and personal narrative – an environment where ambitious solo performances can resonate with wide-ranging audiences.

To learn more about the production and Ashley Ford’s portrayal of Victoria Woodhull – the first woman to publicly run for President of the United States in 1872 – visit Owl & Pussycat Theatre Company: www.optheatreco.com/victoria-woodhull-play

For additional reviews and selected critical responses to Ashley’s work in this production, visit the Reviews.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ashley Ford’s solo performance in The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull received a 4-star review from The Wee Review during the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.

The review highlights Ford’s portrayal of Victoria Woodhull, the groundbreaking 19th-century suffragette who ran for U.S. President decades before women had the right to vote, praising the clarity and focus of the performance within the intimate solo format.

— Robert Peacock, The Wee Review

Audiences and critics alike responded strongly to this production, which continued to build momentum throughout its Fringe run.

For additional reviews and critical responses to Ashley’s work, visit the Reviews page.

The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull kicks off the Edinburgh Fringe with a review from Broadway World, Fiona Scott writes:

A Modern Séance with a Forgotten Feminist Icon

The interview opens with an introduction to the show itself—a solo performance centered on Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1872, nearly 50 years before women could legally vote. Woodhull’s life was a tapestry of contradictions: a suffragette, a target of scandal, a spiritualist, an advocate of free love, and a woman both celebrated and shunned by her contemporaries. Ashley describes the show as part history, part magic, part theatrical ritual:

The result is an immersive, lightly interactive experience that blends fact, spiritualism, and theatricality to reintroduce a woman history tried hard to forget.

Performing Herstory: How the Play Came to Life

When Ashley first approached Theo about writing the piece, she gave him two words to set the tone: “modern” and “magical.” Despite its historical roots, the aim was always to create something timeless—something that speaks as urgently to the present as it does to the past.

The story’s lesser-known aspects also take center stage: Woodhull’s childhood as a clairvoyant peddled by her snake-oil-salesman father, her rise through the spiritualist movement, and her complicated relationship with the suffrage leaders of her day.

As Ashley puts it:

From New York to Scotland: The Journey to Fringe

Ashley and Theo speak with palpable excitement about bringing the show overseas. After its July run with 59E59 Theater’s East to Edinburgh program—including additional performances in Sag Harbor—the production heads to Scotland for the world’s largest arts festival.

For Ashley, performing at the Edinburgh Fringe has been a dream for years:

Theo echoes the anticipation from a writer’s perspective. The team reworked aspects of the script to ensure it resonated with an international audience, keeping its emotional core universal while staying true to Woodhull’s uniquely American story.

They’re also looking forward to the whirlwind of Fringe itself—3,000+ shows, a global artistic community, and the creative chaos that defines the festival. One highlight? Their plan to transform flyering into theatre:

Bringing Victoria Home

Interestingly, Woodhull spent the final chapter of her life in the United Kingdom, where she became an advocate for education and even ran a school. The idea of performing her story on Scottish soil feels full-circle for Ashley and Theo.

Their hope is that audiences—American, British, and international—leave inspired not just by Woodhull’s boldness, but by the larger story of forgotten women who shaped history.

See the Show / Learn More

The Ecstasy of Victoria Woodhull

New York Run: 59E59 Theaters, July 17–31, 2022

Sag Harbor Dates: July 23–24, 2022

Edinburgh Fringe Festival: August 2022

More details and ticket information are available on the show’s official website:

www.optheatreco.com

Watch the Full Episode

To hear the full discussion—including behind-the-scenes insights, the creative inspiration behind the séance structure, and Ashley and Theo’s excitement for Fringe—listen to the Ashley's full interview in this exciting episode of “Sounds from Scotland.”

"Ashley Ford is the closest to a sympathetic character (even if she must be rotten at her job); her expressive face showing a growing awareness she is getting out of her depth and comically struggling to regain control."

"the script and performances are pin-sharp"

"the play is worth watching for a fine script and performances. Besides, any play that concludes by paraphrasing Back to the Future is worth your attention."

 - David Cunningham, British Theatre Guide

Ashley Ford joins host Tish Tindal to explore the creative leaps, personal growth, and resilience that have shaped her artistic life. Speaking from Bridgehampton, Ashley reflects on her journey from Prince George in Northern British Columbia to Vancouver, New York City, and Los Angeles – each move prompting a new evolution in her craft and sense of self.

Listeners are invited into an intimate, honest look at what it really means to pursue a life in the arts, beyond the resumes, reviews, or credits.

Ashley discusses her multidisciplinary career – acting, singing, producing, writing, building theatre companies – and how none of it was ever about chasing labels. Creativity, she explains, has always been her driving force. As a child she remembers being fascinated to learn that “artist” was in fact a 'real job'! She has been following her passion ever since. “I don’t know what makes me do what I do—and I don’t care”, she says, acknowledging that creativity often comes from a place beyond logic or reason. It simply asks to be followed.

Rejection, Resilience, and Growth as a Human Being

The episode dives into the inner life of an artist: the joy of creating something from nothing, the vulnerability of starting new projects, and the challenge of trusting the process even when doubt creeps in. Ashley opens up about early rejections from drama school, the terror of improv, and the unexpected moments of encouragement that shaped her path. Over time, she learned that rejection is simply part of the actor’s daily reality, and not a measure of worth.

A pivotal influence for her was the philosophy at Stella Adler Studio, where she later trained. Their belief that growth as an actor is synonymous with growth as a human being became a guiding idea in her life. Ashley speaks about stamina, kindness, collaboration, and the importance of feeding your soul – not just your bank account. She shares how returning to writing, reading, and nurturing her inner world was just as important as technical training.

Whether she’s performing, producing, or supporting other artists, she emphasizes presence, self-kindness, and the courage to leap – even when you don’t know what comes next.

Host Tish Tindal ends by saying, "This has been a masterclass.", describing Ashley as “truly fabulous” – not just for her talent, but for her humility, insight, and warmth.

Listen to the Full Episode

This episode offers an honest, uplifting look at what it really means to create a “fabulous life” – not as something flashy or distant, but as a series of brave, imperfect steps toward the work and the life you love

You can hear the full conversation on The Fabulous Life with Tish Tindal:

"Ashley Ford keeps the mood for Front Window light and upbeat. Although many of the young woman’s observations reduce her neighbours to grotesques, with large bellies and peeling skins, Ford delivers the lines with a cheerful lightness to remove any sting."

 - David Cunningham

Watch the Trailer!

Now available for streaming on YouTube.

Wedding Band explores Childress’s timeless examination of love, race, and resilience in early-20th-century America. Presented on Sunday, March 1st, the HC LAB's play reading festival offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience this celebrated American Masterpiece in an intimate, actor-driven setting.

Directed By

Jesse Steccato

Featuring:

Jessica Dahlgren, Max Faugno, Ashley Ford, Judy Louise, Johnson, Fadhia Carmelle Marcelin, Kari Nicolle, Délé Ogundiran, Steven Olson, Chris Ramirez, Sandy K. Rather, Laura Wernette

Sunday March 1st

® 7pm

Free Tix At Tinyurl.com/Oldplayfest2020

Following this initial article Ashley received the Audience Favorite Award for her work Lynn Snyder's Mayan Mask at the Looking Glass Theatre's Writer/Director Forum.

Production Photos