Kerry Ashton
Actor / Solo Performer / Voice-Over Specialist
Produced & Published Playwright & Author
Director / Theatrical Producer / Songwriter & Singer
  • Home
  • Bio
    • Overview
    • Singer/Songwriter
    • Director, Producer, Master Class Teacher
  • One-Man Play
    • Kerry Ashton's History with "The Wilde Spirit"
    • Show History & Reviews >
      • Reviews & Press from Long-Runs >
        • Resume of Long Runs
        • Press from LA 1977-1978
        • Press from Off-Off B'way 1982
        • Press from Las Vegas 1983
        • Press from P'town 1990-1992 >
          • P'Town 1990 Press
          • P'Town 1991 Press
          • P'Town 1992 Press
          • P'Town 1995 Editorial
        • Press from Key West, FL 1995
        • Press from Off-Broadway 1996
        • Since 2000
      • Reviews & Press from Road Engagements 1977-2000 >
        • Resume of Road Engagements
        • Sponsor Testimonials 1977-2000
      • Poster Art 1997-2013
      • Brochures 1977-2013
    • Performance DVDs >
      • DVD 1996 Off-Broadway
      • DVD 1992 Musical Version: Live from Provincetown
      • DVD 1990 Provincetown
    • Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording on CD and MP3 Download >
      • Selections from the Off-Broadway Cast Recording
    • Musical Version: Live from Provincetown: Kerry Ashton Sings Wilde (1992)
    • MP3 Download of Digital Soundtrack Recording
    • Digital Soundtrack Recording
    • Audio Books
    • Published Musical Score & Songs >
      • Vocal Selections from THE WILDE SPIRIT
    • Other Audio & Video >
      • YouTube Video Clips of Play Performances
      • Digital Video Clips of TV Interviews
      • Audio Clips of Radio Interviews
    • Author's Notes on Oscar Wilde
    • Oscar Wilde in Photographs
    • Engaging a Performance
    • Licensing "The Wilde Spirit"
  • Writing
    • Published Works Overview >
      • Saint Unshamed:A Gay Mormon's Life
      • Red Hot Mama
      • The Wilde Spirit
      • My Life as Oscar Wilde
      • Buffalo Head Nickels
    • Published Musical Score & Songs >
      • CD of Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording >
        • Selections from the Off-Broadway Cast Recording
      • CD of Musical Version: Live from Provincetown
      • DVD of Musical Version: Live from Provincetown
      • Vocal Selections from "The Wilde Spirit"
      • Digital Soundtrack Recording
    • Published Audio Books
    • My Life as Oscar Wilde (The Screenplay)
    • Licensing Rights
  • Acting
    • Acting Reviews >
      • Letters of Recommendation as an Actor
    • Head Shots as a Professional Actor
    • Photos of Roles Played
    • Audio & Video
    • Voice-Overs
  • Contact
    • Mailing List
  • Blog
  • Store
    • Books >
      • SAINT UNSHAMED: A GAY MORMON'S LIFE Hardcover
      • SAINT UNSHAMED: A GA|Y MORMON'S LIFE Audio Book
      • SAINT UNSHAMED: A GAY MORMON'S LIFE Paperback
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Published Play)
    • Audio Books >
      • SAINT UNSHAMED: A GAY MORMON'S LIFE Audio Book
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Audio Book) (Off-Broadway, 1996)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Audio Book MP3) (The Musical 1992) Kerry Ashton Sings Wilde
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Audio Book MP3) Live From Provincetown, 1990
    • Audio & Video Products >
      • SAINT UNSHAMED: A GAY MORMON'S LIFE Audio Book
      • THE WILDE SPRIIT (DVD) (Off-Broadway 1996)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (DVD) (The Musical, 1992)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (DVD) (Live From Provincetown, 1990)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Audio Book MP3) Off-Broadway 1996
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Audio Book MP3) (The Musical, 1992) Kerry Ashton Sings Wilde
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (Audio Book MP3) Live From Provincetown, 1990
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Original Off-Broadway Cast Recoding CD
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording 1996 (MP3 & PDF Download)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (MUSICAL VERSION, 1992) ON CD
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (MUSICAL VERSION 1992) MP3 Download
    • Plays & Musical Plays >
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT
      • RED HOT MAMA The New Sophie Tucker Musical
      • MY LIFE AS OSCAR WILDE (Play)
      • BUFFALO HEAD NICKELS
    • Sheet Music & Scores >
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Vocal Selections
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording CD
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording (MP3 & PDF Download)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT CD (THE MUSICAL) (1992) Kerry Ashton Sings Wilde
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT (THE MUSICAL) CD 1992 (MP3 & PDF Download)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Digital Soundtrack Recording (MP3 Audio File Download)
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT Original Off-Broadway Soundtrack Recording (MP3 Download)
    • Poetry & Song Lyrics >
      • THE WILDE SPIRIT VOCAL SELECTIONS

PRESTIGIOUS BLUEINK REVIEWS GIVES SAINT UNSHAMED CRITICAL ACCLAIM!

1/2/2019

0 Comments

 
Below is a reprint of the fully published review of my soon-to-be published book from BlueInk Reviews:

Saint Unshamed: A Gay Mormon’s Life
by Kerry Ashton
Publisher: Lynn Wolf Enterprises 
Pages: 339Price: (hardcover) $28.95 
ISBN: 9780692170519
Reviewed: December, 2018 

This powerful, extensively detailed memoir tells the life story of Kerry Ashton, who grew up gay and Mormon in a small Idaho town.

An actor and playwright, Ashton dramatically tells his tale, first detailing his abusive childhood and struggles at college and later discussing his efforts to become a famous actor while learning to overcome his childhood shame.

Ashton’s parents argued constantly. His mother, he writes, was “the only source of love I knew,” while his father was frequently enraged at his youngest child’s “sissy” behavior, such as when he performed the Cowardly Lion’s song from The Wizard of Oz or cried during his parents’ shouting matches.

At Brigham Young University, Ashton discovers sex in a restroom and deals with a crush on his friend Harlan, who slowly reveals his own troubled past. It’s fascinating to watch this friendship—and the handsome former Marine’s complex feelings towards Ashton—unfold.

Ashton is viciously raped during a hookup, and under threat of expulsion when university authorities learn of his cruising, undergoes electroshock therapy to “correct” his sexuality. (The Mormon church believes gay members can be changed and threatens excommunication for any who refuse treatment.) The procedure leaves his hands “constantly shaking.”

Eventually, the author, with the help of his therapist and loving partner, works through the past trauma and begins to reconcile with his family.

Ashton is a passionate, unfailingly candid narrator. Using vivid detail, he crafts absorbing scenes. Sometimes, however, this drama can seem overblown—such as his breathless recounting of the time he fielded a phone call from his idol Barbra Streisand while working for a prominent agent. Additionally, some readers may be uncomfortable with Ashton’s graphically described sexual encounters.

Overall, though, this is a compelling look at the repercussions of being gay in a community that sees this as a source of shame—a detailed record of one man’s hurt and healing, while many more with similar stories have yet to speak of their pain.

Also available as an ebook.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Kerry Ashton

    Author, Playwright, Actor, Director, Producer, Composer & Lyricist

    Visit Kerry Ashton's Author Page at Amazon Author Central by clicking on the link below:​

    Kerry Ashton @ AMAZON

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018

    RSS Feed


    To comment, you must first send your name, address & email to the publisher at LynnWolfEnterprises@
    gmail.com. Then, your comment must be approved before it will be posted.
Official PayPal Seal

This Website, and all of its contents, including all text, photographs, art and graphics are fully protected under copyright laws of the United States. Any unauthorized use of any material content from this site without written permission will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

Copyright © 2018 by  Kerry Ashton. All Rights Reserved.