The Christmas Play Alumnae Telegrams

Photos: Erin Stevens ’01 shares telegram greetings with the cast of The Christmas Play while Brooks Harken ’06 and Dr. Anne Weston ’73, Head of School, look on. (2025)

Each year, as the cast of The Christmas Play gathers before the performance, warm greetings and well wishes are shared through “telegrams”—special notes sent by Ashley Hall alumnae to the current cast. Dating back decades, this cherished telegram tradition is one of the many ways The Christmas Play, a time-honored Ashley Hall production, continues to connect generations and touch the entire Ashley Hall community. Thank you to everyone who submitted telegrams!

2025 Christmas Play Alumnae Telegrams

Emmie Hay Alexander Hancock ’52 | To the Third Shepherd, I played your role three times in 1949-1951 and still remember the lines! Such a memorable experience. Break a leg! To all the cast and crew: You are part of an amazing tradition that hundreds of alumnae have shared. The spirits of all your predecessors will be with you, watching, listening, and rejoicing as you carry on the tradition for future generations. Miss McBee would be so proud and happy.

Pluma Chucknow Bridgers ’59 | This is a Christmas gift to the community, but it will become one of your best memories of Ashley Hall. Enjoy!

Mandy Welsh Geils ’60 | Best wishes to everyone in the Red Choir, especially the soloists who sing O Holy Night.

Duchess Fitch Crowley ’61 | Hope that you will treasure your memories of the Christmas Play as much as I have, all these decades later.

Gaby Lewis Brown ’62 | Happiest Christmas wishes and love to each and every one in the cast and especially to our beautiful granddaughter, Eliza.

DeeDee Geraty Squires ’66 | Have a wonderful time! Cherish the gifts that come with the beautiful music!

Nancy J. Muller ’71 | One of my happiest memories at Ashley Hall was training for, rehearsing, and performing the solo O Holy Night. Having a role in our Christmas Play and this gift to the City of Charleston solidified my sense of place within the school community. Not only did I personally feel proud to be on that stage, but I also sensed great pride for every one of us – from the smallest angel to the tallest, and each of us in between. Go, enjoy this evening, and know in your heart that you have a unique memory unfolding before you that will last a lifetime.

Heather Garris Pope ’91| Wishing you all a wonderful performance!

Gabriella Brown Andrews ’97 |Eliza Brown… your grandmother, mom, and aunt are so very proud of you and your fellow cast and choir members. You are all amazing and are carrying on such a special tradition. Thank you! Cherish this time with incredible friends, mentors, and community. You’ll be talking about this play with your classmates at your 30th reunion. Enjoy it all!!

Sally Sheppard ’11 | Wishing a great show to Joseph and the Jesters! Mama Angel, embrace tonight- I know this year is a special one. And to all the baby angels, I know you will do so well tonight.

Ruby Sloan ’21 | I wish everyone an incredible play. I know how much work goes into it all, so enjoy seeing it all come together! But most importantly, I want to say good luck to my little sister, Lily Sloan. Lily, I love you so much, and I am so proud of you every day. You are going to be the most beautiful angel to ever cross that stage. I can’t believe you’re a senior when in my head you’re still 10 years old. You are growing up to be the most amazing young woman, and I am so proud to call you my sister. It has been an honour to watch
you grow up, and I cannot wait to see everything you accomplish in your next steps. I wish I could be there to watch you, but know I’m there in spirit and heart. Go kill it rockstar! And to Diana Street and Charlotte Strickland, I love you both and it has also been an honour to watch you two grow up. I know you all look absolutely stunning. I am sending you all my love and best wishes from London, and can not wait to hug you when I get home for the holidays! Happy Christmas every one, good luck! xx

Anna Strickland ’24| Dear Seniors, I know it’s cliché, but cherish these moments; they might truly be the best years of your life. Take a moment to look around as you walk the aisles of the church (now you get to do it twice). You are part of something truly unique and special, and you get to share it with the best of friends. Good luck tonight, ladies! Dear Charlotte,
You made it! I am so incredibly proud of you and all that you have accomplished. You are, and always have been, my biggest blessing and inspiration, and I am forever grateful to be your older sister. It’s hard to believe that you are already a senior and participating in your final Christmas Play, but throughout these years, it has been the most rewarding experience of my life to watch you grow into the incredible young woman you are today. I am so excited to see you take part in one of the biggest Ashley Hall traditions, and I look forward to witnessing the culmination of all your hard work (Surprise! I moved my exam and should be on my way here from the airport as you are listening to this). You’re going to do absolutely amazing, my sweet, sweet Mary, and don’t forget to crush those ANTs before you head on stage. I love, love, love you!

Gracie Horger ’25 | To the class of 2026: As you walk down the aisle, take every second of it in. Walk proudly in your beautiful angel costumes, holding your head up high. It is an honor to get to be an angel, and remember, this isn’t a goodbye or the end of the story, it’s just the end of a chapter. It’s okay to be sad– trust me, I was sobbing the whole time I was up on stage and on my way out. Hold on to each other and hold on to every milli-second because in a year, you’re going to miss it. I know all of you look so beautiful tonight, and I wish I could be there to see y’all. Congrats ladies! To Kate, Isla, Ella, Savvy, Izzy, Rylee, Carys, Lanxin, and Giselle: I am so proud of each and every one of you. I wish I could be there to cheer y’all on like y’all did for me during my senior year. Continue to shine like you always do, and remember to have so much fun! To my sweet junior, who’s technically older than me, Penny Rose: From walking together as monks to Panther Party, and all of the laughter in between, I am so grateful for all of the memories we’ve made, and I’m proud to be able to call you one of my best friends. I seriously wouldn’t have made it through high school without you. I am so proud of you that I could literally cry. I know Addy is so proud of you, too. I can’t wait to watch you shine! To Jaalah Brown: You made it!!! JJ, I’m so proud of you, and I’m so crazy grateful for you and all the support you’ve given me. Some of my fondest memories are of us sitting around on a slow day in the shop, talking about the Christmas Play and how excited you were to finally be an angel. You have been KILLING it in the Christmas Play over the last few years as a jester and a member of the orchestra, and you finally get the honor of being an angel this year. Go continue to kill it, and don’t get hit in the face while playing the violin!!!  I love you! To the entire cast and crew: I hope you’ve all enjoyed experiencing the magic of the Christmas Play. I am so sad that I’m unable to attend this year, but I know that I’m sending all my love from Texas. Whether this is your first time in the play or your last, take every single moment in. Before you know it, you will be looking back later as an alumnus with fond memories of getting to be a part of such a magical, long-running tradition. Remember to take deep breaths, smile, and remember how special it
is that you get to be involved in such an amazing tradition. Break so many legs and have so much fun! Thank you for all the time and hard work you have put into this performance. Your gift to the community is truly appreciated.

Elliana Thacker ’25| I want to wish my sister Giselle Thacker a great performance in the play. I’m so excited for you to experience being an angel in the play as it is one of my fondest AH memories. Wishing you and the rest of the senior class great memories as y’all are angels.

Garland Mulvey ’25| Ashley, I know you look so stunning tonight! I am so proud of you and can’t wait to watch you thrive in college! Take in these special moments! There is truly nothing I miss more than Ashley Hall and my last semester there. I love you so much and am cheering you on forever! Garland

Cissy O’Donnell ’25 | Hi senior class! Good luck to everyone tonight you all are going to kill it! Make sure you have fun and perform well! And to my Maclane! I love you so much and I am so beyond proud of you! I’m sure you look beautiful in your dress. Keep being you and keep smiling! Good luck tonight you are going to do amazing!

Garnet Tobin ’25 and Callie Sanders ’25 | Dear Annie, We hope you have the best night ever. Make sure to soak in these last moments with your class. You will never forget seeing everyone in their angel costumes and candles lighting up their faces. This is one of the first of many lasts, it is truly something so unique to Ashley Hall. Enjoy every moment, from
getting ready with your friends to kneeling on the stage looking out at your family. We love you so much and you are absolutely our angel inside and out. With much love, Garnet and Callie

Dagny Mauro ’25 | My lovely cousin Carys, (did you guys know that we are cousins?) I want you to know that going to the same school as you has been such a joy. Walking into you in the hallway to talk about literally anything and everything genuinely lit up my day. I can’t wait to see you soon if I’m not already in the crowd watching. I love you so much and need you to know that while I may not be on campus I am always holding your hand rooting for you and all your accomplishments. It’s funny that we are the same people ten years ago who would play with American girl dolls and run around your house, making funny videos on my boomer Samsung flip phone. As we get older, the memories will only get
sweeter and thinking about our childhood will only make me smile more. I love you and couldn’t be more proud to be your cousin. Helen: Some of the funniest things I have ever heard have come from your mouth. You are so incredibly intelligent and unbelievably courageous. You never hesitate to take on a challenge and your passion and curiosity is genuinely so inspiring. I can’t believe you put up with me in your freshman year when I was always leaning over my desk whispering in your ear; I don’t know what Dr. D is talking about can you help me? in literally every single Classics class. Seeing Wicked Part Two with you was everything I dreamed for it to be, but I’m getting concerned that Jonathan Bailey is third
wheeling our dates. Every experience I have had with you has taught me that your generosity lifts everyone up and your love for others has built you a beautiful community. A skill that will follow you out of high school to college into the world outside of college. As you walk down the aisle tonight, I hope you can feel the gravity of all the love you send out to others and can look around the room and recognize all your accomplishments. I love you, Pookie. Good luck!

Perrin O’Kelley ’25 | To Elizabeth – Good luck out there! Go make me proud as King #2, just like you did last year. Getting to share the same role with you is so special and means so much to me. You’re like a little sister, and I’m so proud of you. I’m so sad to miss it this year, but I love you so much and I’ll see you soon. I can’t believe this is your last year before you become an angel. ❤️

Gates McCants ’25| Sending my very best wishes and good luck to our incredible seniors-Maclane, Annie, Faye, and Celia-and to my amazing juniors, Mary, Molly, Sally, Liza, and Elizabeth Brisson. I truly can’t express how grateful I am for Ashley Hall and all of the memories I have made with y’all from Panther Party to Mr. Simpson’s Computer Science class. I miss you all so much and am beyond excited to see your performance. I know you’ll all be amazing, can’t wait to see y’all after! Love, Gates McCants

Cece Dicker ’25| I wish to the current cast that they just soak in their time as seniors and enjoy this event because it really is fun and something you’ll remember forever! Just have so much fun and I am wishing y’all the best luck! I love this class and can’t wait to see the amazing things y’all will accomplish!! Xoxo Cece

Kate Coker ’25| Good luck to all the senior angels and EXTRA SHOUTOUT to Annie Davis!!! Take it all in because it’s about to fly by and I love y’all!