JUST A BROADWAY BABY: MARY ELLEN ASHLEY Wins Best Picture At Oregon Doc Fest

The life and career of Broadway veteran Mary Ellen Ashley (An Innocent Voyage, Annie Get Your Gun - original with Ethel Merman and Yentl) was recently highlighted in a short documentary film, Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley. The film celebrated its World Premiere as part of The Oregon Documentary Film Festival on January 22nd where it won Best Picture out of over sixty selected films. The film has already received multiple laurels from film festivals around the country including a nomination for Best Documentary Short at Green Mountain International Film Festival. It is next slated to be screened at Dam Short Film Festival out of Boulder City, Nevada.

Mary Ellen made her Broadway debut (as Mary Ellen Glass) in An Innocent Voyage in 1943 and then went on to the original Broadway production of Annie Get Your Gun opposite Ethel Merman for the entire run. But Broadway was not her only success. She was on radio, early Television, films; performed in Las Vegas, her own club act and a plethora of Regional Theater playing the most beloved leading ladies numerous times to critical acclaim: Dolly Levi, Mame Dennis, Mama Rose...the list goes on. She would return to Broadway in the original production of Yentl starring Tovah Feldshuh. For eight decades she has graced the stage and screen and is preparing to co-star in a new play with music, Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary at Theatre for the New City.

Watch the trailer below!

The film was directed and produced by multi-hyphenate Patrick Riviere. While Riviere has found a great deal of success as an actor, arts administrator and arts educator this marks his debut as a film director. The film was edited by Laird Ogden with Cinematography and Sound by Shane Adams.

For more information: justabroadwaybabymea.com