From Fan to Filmmaker

Ashley’s parents shared an interest in Broadway and had already seen 10 shows together before Ashley was born. So, in many ways, Ashley was predestined to be a theater lover.  

Ashley was unfortunately born with cystic fibrosis. Luckily, she was born in Colorado—the first state in the nation to include cystic fibrosis in newborn screenings. Cystic fibrosis is a condition that affects the lungs and digestive system. By diagnosing at an early age, doctors can help stabilize the condition with treatment and prevent further digestive issues, infections, and possible organ damage.   

The location also brought a challenge. "Due to the high elevation, it was even more difficult for me to breathe,” says Ashley. “I had to eat a bunch of calories and enzymes while growing up. I wasn't able to maintain my weight because all the calories I ate went into helping me breath, so I was really skinny, like a skeleton."

Her illness imposed overall negative effects on her mental health, and she struggled with depression and anxiety. Her parents suggested she join theater classes in school as a low-impact hobby and uplifting extracurricular activity.

Singing and acting served as a great exercise for Ashley’s lungs and helped her breathing immensely. It was also therapeutic, and theater quickly morphed into Ashley’s biggest passion. 

When she was seven, Ashley’s parents brought her to her first Broadway show, The Lion King, at the Buell Theater in Denver.    

“It just blew me away,” says Ashley, “it was so beautiful. The whole performance just transports you to this amazing world of everything.” 

With her first glimpse of Broadway, Ashley knew she wanted to be a part of that amazing world.  

“I was like, 'Oh my gosh, that's what I want to do,'” says Ashley, “And it really had that impact.”

When she was nine, the family moved to California to be closer to relatives and live at an elevation that would be better for Ashley’s breathing. Although the move was beneficial to Ashley’s health, she still faced several more challenges along the way.  

In 2011, Ashley was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, resulting in impaired pancreatic function and requiring insulin for treatment. Four years later, Ashley was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis liver disease and hospitalized for a month. She had to get an invasive procedure connecting small tubes from her liver to her heart to improve blood flow, thankfully stabilizing her condition.

Although her medical journey was difficult, there was a beacon of hope as Ashley  learned that she was referred to Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area. When choosing her wish, Ashley thought back to how inspired she was by watching The Lion King at age seven. She wanted to not only revisit that moment but go behind the scenes and meet the cast to fully immerse herself in the Broadway world. 

“I chose The Lion King because having cystic fibrosis, you're constantly told, 'No,' or asked, 'Are you sure you can do that with your health?’” says Ashley. "I was advised not to go into Broadway and to have a backup plan. But I love performing, and when I saw The Lion King for the first time, I was like, 'No, I can do this. This is my passion. I don't need a backup plan.'"

In 2015, Ashley and her parents flew to New York, where they were picked up in style with a limousine ride to the big stage.   

There, Ashley was brought behind the scenes and met ensemble member, Pia Hamilton, and cast members, including the actors who played Timon and Pumba. They even let her try on one of the hyena's costume headpieces and feet!   

"I had never been on a Broadway stage before," says Ashley, "and I was just speechless. It gave me an understanding of how much it takes for production. And seeing the show reminded me of the impact it had when I was younger and inspired me again. It reminded me that I have all these dreams and goals, and even though I have cystic fibrosis, I'm not going to let it limit me.” 

Ashley's wish also connected her with a community of people who share her same passion. 

“To this day, I'm still friends with Pia and other ensemble members from the show,” says Ashley, “having lasting friendships and a connection to the Broadway world like that is very special to me.” 

Soon after her wish experience, Ashley left to attend Biola University, near Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the smog took a toll on her health; she was getting treatments multiple times a day and struggling to get enough sleep. She drew on the inspiration of her wish to make a brave decision. 

“I switched majors because I realized I loved film, and then went home and transferred to a different university,” says Ashley. “And since then my health has stabilized.” 

Ashley has been able to take TRIKAFTA®, a triple combination therapy released in 2019 that treats the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis. It’s, stabilizing  Ashley’s lungs and allowed her to get mostly off breathing treatments.  

“It’s a weird process to go through,” she says. “When you've been so sick your whole life, and you're just used to that, but then used to a normal-ish life or whatever normal is. It's weird to have that change.” 

As her senior project, Ashley produced and directed a short film, I choose you, which has been released at the university’s film festival. The plot has elements of cystic fibrosis woven through it and the music, choreography, and logo for the film were all created by three separate talented friends of Ashley's who are also battling cystic fibrosis. After graduating in May of 2023 from California State University, Monterey Bay, Ashley began an internship in Los Angeles to pursue her dreams as a film director and producer. 

"It's been a journey,” says Ashley, “I thought I wanted to still go onto Broadway and do musicals, but over time I found my passion was actually in film, although, film Broadway still impacts me. I see how the magic of film works with the magic of Broadway. Broadway was my dream, and I pursued it until I fell in love with film. It's a reminder that if I could do theater, I can do film, and it still keeps that spark alive. I'm like, 'Oh, yeah, I can do this.'" 

As she looks toward her future in filmmaking, Ashley’s wish continues to motivate her. "I still talk about my wish with other friends with cystic fibrosis who also had wishes,” she says. “All of us agree that our wishes gave us that continued motivation to follow our dreams at a time when we were looking for hope or inspiration. That’s what our wishes gave us, and it continues to push us even more since then.” 

Since her first Broadway experience at age - seven, Ashley has seen over 30 shows, but The Lion King is still her favorite. She says, “Every time I listen to the music of the show, it brings me back to when I'm like, 'I want to do that one day,' and it continues to inspire me to this day.”