Christopher Ashley (born July 6, 1964) is an American stage director. He is the Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company and was previously the Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse"Christopher Ashley Named Artistic Director of La Jolla Playhouse" broadway.com, April 10, 2007 from 2007 to 2025.
Career Ashley graduated from Yale University in 1986, with a Bachelor of Art in Theatre. American Repertory Theater, accessed January 29, 2022 In 1987, he completed The Drama League program for directors.Drama League, accessed January 29, 2022
He directed many Off-Broadway stage productions, including at Manhattan Theatre Club. He directed Jeffrey by Paul Rudnick Off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre in 1993,Holden, Stephen. "Review/Theater; Laughs That Mask the Fears of Gay Manhattan" The New York Times, January 21, 1993 for which he received the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Director. He also directed the film version, which was released in 1995.James, Caryn. "Film Review; Comic Side of Sex in Age of AIDS" The New York Times, August 4, 1995
He directed the Sondheim Kennedy Center Celebration productions of Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along in 2002."The Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration" sondheimguide.com, retrieved May 18, 2010
In 2007, he was appointed artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse, California.Boehm, Mike. "La Jolla Playhouse names artistic director" Los Angeles Times, April 11, 2007 He directed the musical version of the 1980 cult film Xanadu on Broadway, receiving a Drama Desk Award nomination for direction.
Ashley directed the musical Memphis, which opened on Broadway in October 2009, receiving the Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding DirectorGans, Andrew."Memphis, La Cage, Zeta-Jones, Finneran and More Are Outer Critics Circle Award Winners" playbill.com, May 17, 2010 and Tony Award nomination, Best Direction of a Musical."Nominations, 2009-10" tonyawards.com, retrieved May 18, 2010
He directed the new musical Come from Away, which premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in June 2015,McNulty, Charles. "Generosity overcomes terrorism in unpretentious 'Come From Away'" Los Angeles Times, June 15, 2015 and opened on Broadway in February 2017 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, receiving a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical." Come from Away Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed October 9, 2016Viagas, Robert. 9/11 Musical 'Come From Away' Books a Broadway Theatre" Playbill, September 15, 2016"Tony Awards 2017: Complete Winners List" Variety, June 11, 2017, retrieved June 15, 2017 He was originally set to direct a film adaptation of the musical, which was canceled on February 2, 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, he directed a live stage film recording of the show at the Schoenfeld Theatre in front of an invited audience including survivors and first responders from the 9/11 attacks, which was released on Apple TV+ on September 10, 2021, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the attacks.
He directed the musical version of Freaky Friday, which premiered at the Signature Theatre, Arlington, Virginia in October 2016.Rothstein, Mervyn. "What To Expect from 'Freaky Friday 'the Musical" Playbill, October 4, 2016
The 2021 film musical Diana, directed by Ashley, was released on Netflix on October 1, 2021.
In September 2024, Ashley was hired by the Roundabout Theatre Company as its artistic director. He will begin his tenure in July 2026.
In 2025, he directed the world premiere of The Heart at the La Jolla Playhouse, which he will again direct Off-Broadway in the Fall of 2026.
Personal life Ashley is openly gay. He is married to Ranjit Bahadur.
Work Broadway Diana (2021) Escape to Margaritaville (2018) Come from Away (2017) Tony Award, Best Direction of a Musical Leap of Faith (2012) Memphis (2009) Xanadu (2007) The 24 Hour Plays (2005) (Special Benefit): That Other Person" All Shook Up (2005) The Smell of the Kill (2002) The Rocky Horror Show (2000) (Revival) Tony Award nomination, Direction of a Musical"List of 2001 Tony Award Winners" The New York Times, May 15, 2001 Voices in the Dark (1999) Jackie (1997) (Production consultant)
Off-Broadway (select) Blown Sideways Through Life written by Claudia Shear (1993 and 1994), also TV film (1995)" 'Blown Sideways Through Life' Film Overview" tcm.com, accessed October 9, 2016 Jeffrey (1992 and 1993), also the film version (1995)" 'Jeffrey' Film, 1995" tcm.com, accessed October 9, 2016 Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities, written by Anna Deavere Smith (1992) Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Director The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told (1998) Communicating Doors, written by Alan Ayckbourn (1998) Valhalla (2004), written by Paul Rudnick;Sommer, Elyse. "A CurtainUp Review 'Valhalla'" CurtainUp, February 4, 2004 Lucille Lortel Award nomination, Outstanding Director
Regional
Babbitt, La Jolla Playhouse (2023) The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, La Jolla Playhouse (2023) Escape to Margaritaville, La Jolla Playhouse (2017) Freaky Friday, Signature Theatre (2016) Come from Away, La Jolla Playhouse (2015)
References
External links
Internet Off-Broadway Database