TELEVISION
2013 Power Rangers: season 20, 'Comic One'
Power Ranger Productions Ltd, Various directors
2004 Talent (pilot), 'Cynthia' (lead)
Dir. Peter Cox
2003 Big Comedy Gala, 'Herself' (comedian)
TV2 Comedy Gala
2003 Billy T James Showcase, 'Herself' (comedian)
TV2 Comedy Gala
2003 Pulp Comedy, 'Herself' (comedian)
Phoenix Television
2000 This Goes With That, 'Susan'
Communicado Limited
2000 Shortland Street, 'Margaret Cole'
South Pacific Pictures, Various directors
PRESENTING
2015 Heartland Top Ten, 'Presenter'
TVNZ
12-14 Kiwi Gold, 'Presenter / Host'
TVNZ
12-13 Kiwi Gossip, 'Presenter / Host'
TVNZ / Good Morning TV
2012 North & South: My Space, 'Presenter / Host'
TVNZ / ACP, Various directors
THEATRE
2014 Promise & Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austin, 'Various' (solo show)NZ International Comedy Festival
2013 Promise & Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austin, 'Various' (solo show)
TAPAC / Auckland Fringe Festival / Canadian tour
05-13 World Buskers Festival, 'Performer'
Christchurch
2011 Enid Untold: Five Go Mad for Improv, 'Ensemble'
NZ International Comedy Festival / Hamilton Fuel Festival
08-11 Austen Found: The Undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen, 'MC'
Adelaide Fringe / Hamilton Garden Summer Festival / Whakatane Festival
06-10 Poetry Idol, 'MC'
Auckland Readers & Writers Festival / Christchurch Writers Festival
2010 Performance Poetry, 'Performer'
Glastonbury Festival / UK tour
2009 The SEXY RECESSION Show, 'Guest Performer'
TAPAC, Dir. Eve Gordon
2006 World Cup Theatre Sports, 'NZ Team Member Improv Artist'
World Cup Theatre Sports Germany
2006 Four Continents Slam, 'Performer'
UK tour
2006 Hammer & Tongue Poetry Slam, 'Poet'
Oxford UK
04-06 Speakeasy, 'MC'
Alternative Open Mic Night
2005 Christchurch Busker's Festival, 'Guest Performer'
Buskers Festival
2003 Improvaganza Master of the Universe, 'Improv Artist'
International Theatresports Competition
2003 Big Day Out, 'Poet'
Lilypad Tent
STAND-UP COMEDY
07-13 Hot Pink Bits, 'Comedian'
NZ tours / Canadian Fringe tour / Australian tour
2011 Hot Pink Teeth 'n' Tits, 'Comedian'
NZ International Comedy Festival
05-08 Busty Rhymes, 'MC Hot Pink' (comic character)
Canadian Fringe Festivals tour / Edinburgh Festival
2006 Hot Pink, 'Comedian'
Gisbourne Festival of Arts
2006 Hot Pink Bits, 'Comedian'
Adelaide Fringe Festival
2005 Hot Pink, 'Comedian'
Rotorua Festival of Arts
2005 Busty Rhymes, 'MC Hot Pink' (comic character)
What's My Line Productions Singapore
2005 Busty Rhymes, 'MC Hot Pink' (comic character)
NZ tour
2004 Hot Pink with Penny Ashton, 'Comedian'
Edinburgh Fringe Festival / Gilded Ballroom
2004 Hot Pink, 'Comedian'
Taupo Festival of the Arts
2004 Hot Pink, 'Comedian'
Wanganui Festival of the Arts
2004 Hot Pink Does Vegas, 'Comedian'
NZ tour
2003 Hot Pink, 'Comedian'
Nelson Festival of the Arts
2003 Dirty Pink, 'Comedian'
Auckland & Wellington tour
2002 Hot Pink: A Poetic Cabaret, 'Comedian'
Solo Poetry Cabaret
SHORT FILM
Dir. Angela Bloomfield
Media Design School, Dir. James Cunningham
2002 Drop Dead Gorgeous, 'Marianne' (lead)
Dir. Irene Malone
2002 Goose Down, 'Mother'
Dir. Annalise Patterson
2001 Tick, 'Patient'
Working Bee Productions, Dir. Rebecca Hobbs
RADIO / VOICE WORK
99-11 Loop Groups
includes Legend of the Seeker / Spartacus
2004 Power Rangers, 'Frigia' (voice only)
Ranger Productions, Various directors
00-04 Corporate Voice
The Edge Radio Station
2003 Power Rangers, 'Fragra' (voice only)
Ranger Productions, Various directors
2003 Radio NZ Drama
Radio NZ, Dir. Emma Willis
AWARDS
2013 Best Animated Short for 'Shelved'New York International Short Film Festival
2013 Best Animated Film for 'Shelved'
Los Angeles Movie Awards
2013 Best Animated Characters for 'Shelved'
Los Angeles Movie Awards
2013 Best Solo Show - Female for 'Promise & Promiscuity'
Victoria Fringe Awards (Canada)
2013 Best of Fest for 'Promise & Promiscuity'
Winnipeg Fringe Awards
2013 Best Performance - Comedy for 'Promise & Promiscuity'
Auckland Fringe Festival Awards
2013 Best Production - Comedy Runner Up for 'Promise & Promiscuity'
Auckland Fringe Festival Awards
2011 Best International Performance
Farrago Poetry Awards
2010 Best International Performance Nomination
Farrago Poetry Awards
05-08 Best Female Comedienne Nomination
NZ Comedy Guild Awards
2008 People's Choice Award Nomination
Adelaide Fringe Awards
2006 People's Choice Award Nomination
Adelaide Fringe Awards
2003 First Place New Zealand Team
International Theatresports Awards
03-04 Billy T James Nomination
NZ Comedy Guild Awards
2002 Best Female Comedienne Nomination
NZ Comedy Guild Awards
2001 Best Short Film for 'Tick'
Italian & New York Festival Awards
Biography
Penny Ashton is NZ’s own globe-trotting comedienne, MC, wedding celebrant, social commentator, voice over artist, poet and improviser. She has performed at the Glastonbury Festival, reported from Miss Universe in Las Vegas, rocked a New York poetry club and sold out the Tokoroa Little Theatre. She has won numerous awards from Best Theatre in the Adelaide Fringe with her global smash hit Promise and Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austen and Penny Ashton to Best Performance by an International Poet at the London Farrago Awards. She has also been nominated for two Billy T James Awards and 4 Best NZ Comediennes Awards.
Penny has been a corporate entertainer with ConArtists for the past 16 years and has entertained tens of thousands at conferences, awards, quiz nights, staff functions and many other corporate events.
She MC’s as herself, and also performs as anything from a blushing bride to a pirate queen to a Mafia Moll. She is also a wedding celebrant and in constant demand over the busy wedding season.
She has presented current affairs on Breakfast, gossip on Good Morning, and been the sole presenter on Kiwi Gold and North and South Heartland for Heartland TV. She is also a social commentator on both Radio NZ National and Newstalk ZB and a contributor to The Spinoff. She has also appeared on 7 Days and Would I Lie to You.
Penny has performed over 700 solo shows in 7 countries around the world soundly entertaining thousands with her distinctive Kiwi brand of humour. From the Edinburgh Fringe to a Singapore Bar to the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, Penny has been flying the flag for New Zealand comedy and achieving great success on a global scale.
Testimonials
Penny is absolutely incredible to work with. While I hadn't had the chance to see how she MCs prior to our event, I was relieved to be cackling within ten seconds of her getting up on the mic. Keeping the attention of our team of young adults can be difficult to manage at times, however Penny was great at shutting the chit chat down in a fun and engaging way. Really looking forward to working with her again in the future!Funlab, Auckland, March 2023
…Ten minutes into Promise and Promiscuity I knew I had to see it again. It was just that good — brilliantly performed, absolutely hilarious, and by far the best one-person show I’ve ever seen..”Mooney on Theatre, Toronto, July 2016
The critics were unanimously impressed. The audience wowed! Thank you for your show, every aspect of dealing with… yourself Penny was a pleasureHibsicus Radiology
Skills
- Actor
- After Dinner Speaker
- Blogger
- Broadcaster
- Celebrant
- Comedian
- Entertainer
- Host
- Improvisor
- Journalist
- Key Note Speaker
- Live Commentator
- Live Performance Host
- MC
- Panelist
- Satirist
- TV Presenter
- Writer
Skills
- Aerobics
- Choreographer
- Comedian (Stand-Up)
- Dancer
- Ballet Dancer
- Contemporary Dancer
- Country Dancing
- Folk Dancing
- Jazz Dancing
- Line Dancing
- Director
- Full Licence
- MC
- Ukulele
- Netball
- Physical Theatre
- Presenter
- Singer
- Alto
- Theatre Sports
- Voice Artist
- Writer
Notes:
Long form Improviser. Poet (performance).