Ashley Becher, Mainstage Artistic Director

ASHLEY BECHER is a professional actor, director, choreographer, and creator who truly loves the transformative magic of theatre and the way it can bring us together! Ashley spent more than a decade as an NYC based actor, creating in professional theatres around the country, and 3 years in South Korea (where she met her husband, Bobby). In 2020 they relocated to the Quad Cities and you may have seen Ashley's direction and/or choreography at Circa '21 in Seussical, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Rocky Horror Show, or Rapunzel in the Wild West, and can currently catch her work there in Just Desserts and Grace for President. Earlier this year she guest directed Frozen Jr. for North Scott High School, choreographed Annie for Moline High School, and is currently choreographing Legally Blonde for Double Threat Studios. Previous QC area productions include Director/Choreographer for last summer's Newsies! at Countryside Community Theatre, and Director for Davenport Junior Theatre's 2019 production of Aesop’s Falables. Most recently Ashley directed the 70th Anniversary Production of Imagine That in June of 2022.

Although Ashley has been busy working on QC creative teams, she still works as an actor, having last appeared as Jan in Circa 21’s holiday production, Winter Wonderland. Recently she performed as Babette in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (the contract that originally brought her to the area in 2020)!

Ashley may be a familiar face to you around DJT, having taught at various camps and classes for both Dance and Theatre on and off since 2018. Believing whole-heartedly in the value of theatre education, Ashley and Bobby also run Rising Stars, the education program at Circa '21. Additionally they teach workshops for various groups across the Quad Cities and this past year for the Iowa State Thespian Festival.