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CEDAR CITY -- Fred Adams has retired, but dust is not gathering on the founder of the Utah Shakespearean Festival. He has picked up a new line of work--playwright--and his show is getting some attention.
Adams wrote his play under another name in order to keep his work a secret. He has been working on this for a few years. It wasn't until this weekend that his latest dream took to the stage.
Nell Gwynn was a 17th century star. Her accomplishments have come to light in Adams' play, which is in the early reading stages at the Utah Shakespearean Festival.
Melinda Pfundstein, who plays Nell Gwynn, said, "Nell, I believe, was the first one to play some major roles and also to play a pants role, which is a major part of the story."
Adams entered it into the playwrights' competition. Though he is the festival's founder, he wrote under a pseudonym.
"I submitted it under the name Ashley Crookshank. Ashley because I was reading 'Gone with the Wind;' Crookshank because it's my middle name -- Fred C. Adams," he said.
The third time was the charm for Adams. The New American Playwrights Committee rejected his play the first time and told him it still needed some work the second time. It came in first on the third try.
One of the ironies is that Adams' best friend heads the committee. Adams played another trick on him.
Charles Metten, Ph.D., with the New American Playwrights' Project, said, "[They told me,]'Ashley Crookshank is here, wants to meet you.' I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, now we're gonna know if it's a man or a woman.' Then he gestured down the hallway just like this, and then he walked into my office and said, ‘Here I am.' What!!"
Fred Adams says he has already had several offers from theatre managers in Minneapolis, Denver and Las Vegas who are interested in producing his play.
E-mail: cmikita@ksl.com
