Asherella
Asherella is a take on Cinderella where the heroines are African-American females and the person rescued is a young white male. Asher lives at home with his cruel stepmother and cruel stepbrothers. With the help of The One, an African-American magical being who is the source of all Black Girl Magic, Asher is able to escape his cruel stepmother and stepbrothers and live in the castle with the ruler of the queendom.
Asherella is written by Lori Taylor and directed by Tuesdai B. Perry.
Biographies
Lori Taylor
Lori Taylor [she, her] (Playwright) is honored to return to Ghostlight for the third year in a row with her play, Asherella, which was also part of the first Make/Believe festival. Her new chat fiction, Best Friends, will be featured on the upcoming Ttom App. Former productions include: Splash of Magic (Ghostlight) and Grand’s Great Plan (University of Missouri-Columbia). Lori holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Lori would like to thank her family and friends for all of their love and continued support.
Tuesdai B. Perry
Tuesdai B. Perry [she/they/any] (Director) actively works as a director, choreographer, performer, educator and teaching artist teaching dance, voice, theatre and more for ages two and up. Tuesdai B. particularly delights in demolishing all notions of types and typecasting because all "types" of people are capable of all types of things. She proudly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Directing and Creative Writing from Western Illinois University; she has also studied jokering Theatre of the Oppressed with TONYC and Unrehearsed Shakespeare. Selected credits. Performance: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - [Chicago premiere, Jeff-awarded] (Pride Films and Plays); The Wiz (Emerald City Theatre); You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown; Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Play! (Citadel Theatre); Home; Crowns (Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre). Direction/Choreography: Knuffle Bunny (Young People's Theatre of Chicago), A Christmas Carol (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre), Come When I Call (Theatre L'Acadie); The Ridiculous Darkness (Sideshow Theatre Company); "Nothing At All" music video (Cardboard People); Peabody: A Science Affair - [World Premiere] (YPTC). “To all: love, light, and solidarity.” #RepresentationMatters
Jean E. Mueller-Burr
Jean E. Mueller-Burr [she/her] (Stepmother) is so thrilled to be participating in this adorable, wonderful, fun festival! She moved up to Chicago during the Polar Vortex of 2014 after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with degrees in Film Studies and Japanese. Some of her favorite roles include Laney (Anniversary), Winifred (Once Upon a Mattress), Sally Brown (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown), Cassie Hack (Hack/Slash: Strange and Unbalanced), Margalo (Stuart Little: The Musical), and Linda (Blood Brothers). She is so excited for you to see these incredible short plays, and she sends love to her family, friends, Ghostlight Ensemble, her cat Cassie and Chris.
NICK CONRAD
Nick Conrad (Jordan) is elated to return for another Make/Believe Festival with Ghostlight Ensemble. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Nick moved to Chicago to study improv at The IO Theater, The Annoyance and The Second City. Nick has also performed, stand-up and sketch comedy at various Chicago locations. In addition to comedy, Nick has been in numerous live readings with Ghostlight Ensemble including: Don’t Move or the Bunny Gets it, Don’t Call Me Junior, You Me and Five Bucks and Must Eat TV. Nick would like to thank his family for their never ending support and inspiration. Believe in yourself and anything is possible.
Courtney Gardner
Courtney Gardner (Queen B) is an artist, dreamer, student and sometimes paralegal from the greatest city on Earth — Chicago, Illinois. Courtney spends her days trying to find a way around working in corporate America and her evenings on or behind someone’s stage. Recent Chicago credits include Ruined by Lynn Nottage, directed by the incomparable Ebby Offord; ‘Night, Mother by Marsha Norman and Raisin in the Sun, all with Invictus Theatre Company. In addition, Courtney is proud to have made her directorial debut with Footholds Vol. 3, produced by the most lovely Imposters Theatre Company. During the school year, Courtney volunteers as assistant coach of the University of Illinois at Chicago Mock Trial team and runs a full-service wedding and event coordination company. Although she clearly never sleeps, she can only imagine a better life in her dreams, as the last few years have brought her some of the happiest moments ever. Humongous thank you to the team at Ghostlight for the opportunity. Love always to her unbelievable fiancé Jonas and their menagerie of animals. Thanks for seeing the show! Next time, bring your best friend!
ADEERA HARRIS
Adeera Harris [she/her] (The One) is honored and excited to be working with Ghostlight Ensemble for the first time. Adeera has just finished her first year at Syracuse University as a Bachelor of Fine Arts Musical Theater major and is extremely excited to continue her learning experience over the summer working within this amazing project. Adeera is very proud of her credits that range from theater performances and short film appearances, as well as her involvement and creation of a web series called Black Girl Chronicles that uplifts young black women. Adeera would like to thank her family, friends and mentors for supporting her always without fail.
REID HENRY
Reid Henry (Asher) is a Chicago-based actor, incredibly glad to be making his return to the stage after a nearly two year hiatus. His most recent credits include The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Abridged, Titus Andronicus, Leipzig, All’s Well that Ends Well and Romeo and Juliet. He hopes everyone stays safe, so we can all keep enjoying the theatre together in person.
ANDI MURIEL
Andi Muriel [she/they] (Scottie) is a Chicago-based artist, actress and arts educator who is absolutely thrilled to be working with Ghostlight Ensemble for her very first time. Andi is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago's School of Theatre and Music, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting. University credits include Three Sisters, Glengarry Glenn Ross, and the Q Brothers' rap opera adaptation of the Julius Caesar story: Rome Sweet Rome. Since graduating, Andi has performed in Theatre of The Beyond's new play Circles, Forest Park Theatre's production of As You Like It and understudied in Tasters (Rivendell Theatre Ensemble) and Richard III (Promethean Theatre Ensemble).
LEXY HOPE WEIXEL
Lexy Hope Weixel [they, them] (Michael) is honored to be working with Ghostlight for the first time. Favorite recent Chicago credits include: I Build Giants (The Plagiarists), Twelfth Night (Midsommer Flight), The Giver (Greatworks Theatre) and The Miscellany (The Passage Theatre). Lexy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in arts administration - theatre from Butler University. They also studied at the Moscow Art Theatre School. Lexy wants to thank everyone they've been able to connect with since moving to this awesome city 3 years ago. They're excited to keep making cool, weird, queer theatre.