Ashley Chodat | Small Curiosity Artist
“If people see my plays and leave believing that tomorrow might be okay, that’s all I want.”
Ashley Chodat (she/her) is a playwright, dramaturg, director, and teaching artist. In these roles, she has been fortunate to work for companies like Bard on the Beach, Arts Club, The Cultch, PTC, Green Thumb, Arts Umbrella, Little Mountain Lion, Carousel Theatre for Young People (Vancouver) Theatre SKAM, Kaleidoscope (Victoria) She is passionate about stories that explore girlhood, speculative futures and intergenerational relationships. Recent playwright credits include: June Bug (Vancouver Fringe winner of TYP Family Forward Award, UpintheAir’s rEvolver Festival, Victoria Fringe), FRANK (Impulse Theatre Peek Show 14/Intrepid Incoming Fest), & Mother Pin (OR Festival/Fabulist).
Ashley holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Applied Theatre from University of Victoria and a diploma in Theatre Performance from Douglas College. She is currently working on an adaptation of Frankenstein exploring robots/teenage girlhood and a TYA campfire jamboree about summer camp, sea monsters and eco-anxiety.
Favourite film and why?
“Little Miss Sunshine or Napoleon Dynamite. I’ve always been drawn to films that are character driven and explore dysfunctional families. There’s a gentle warmth to both. They make me feel human.”
Favourite writer/director and why?
“Yorgos Lanthimos and Sofia Coppola. I think Sofia does an excellent job at encapsulating loneliness. Watching Lost in Translation, The Virgin Suicides, and Marie Atoinette were transformative to me as a teenage girl. She uses music to set mood and tone incredibly well. Like Air’s score for The Virgin Suicides? Ugh. Amazing. For Yorgos, his work is unpredictable and absurd. I love being surprised. I watched Dogtooth for the first time almost six years ago and that changed me. I’m glad that in the last few years, especially with Poor Things, he’s rising in popularity and finally getting his flowers.”
Favourite place to create and why?
“In a studio. Creating with an ensemble and/or dramaturg. I feel more accountable and work best in collaboration with others.”
What motivates you to create?
“Sunshine! I’m most creative in the summertime.”
How do you feel creative when you’re feeling stuck?
“Going for long walks.”
What do you hope to accomplish with your art?
“A sense of hope. If people see my plays and leave believing that tomorrow might be okay, that’s all I want.”
Who in your life inspires you?
“My friends.”
Has your style changed over time?
“During the pandemic, I binge watched The Twilight Zone. I was shocked at how well it held up. It was interesting how in the 60’s, a lot of the themes and concerns about the future are still questions that humans have in 2024. I think I’ve become a lot more interested in science fiction as a genre since then. Using speculative futures to explore possible worlds and social issues. Particularly with children and youth.”
