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As Author, Playwright, Composer/Lyricist, Writer/Editor
Kerry Ashton's memoir, SAINT UNSHAMED: A Gay Mormon's Life, will be published and released to the general public on April 27, 2019, but it can be pre-ordered on this website in four different formats, as a Hardcover Book, as an E-Book, as an Audio Book, as a Paperback. Raised Mormon in Pocatello, Idaho, Kerry graduated from Brigham Young University in the 1970s where many of the most dramatic events detailed in his memoir took place. Originally written as fiction under the title of A STRANGER AMONG SAINTS in the 1980s, the new memoir is entirely true.
Kerry began writing at an early age for which he won some early acclaim. Having written and performed a speech, THE VOICE OF AMERICA for the VFW Voice of Democracy competition while still in high school, he ended up winning State Honors for the speech. He wrote his first play, BUFFALO HEAD NICKELS, at 17 while still a h ugh school student, which was produced at his high school starring Ashton in the role of the Judge. The play went on to win top prize at the State of Idaho One-Act Play Festival, was televised on the local PBS affiliate, and toured that summer with ON STAGE EUROPE. The play was then published by Pioneer Drama Service when Ashton was 18 while he was a freshman at BYU. Later that year he directed his first published play on the University level.
Kerry began writing at an early age for which he won some early acclaim. Having written and performed a speech, THE VOICE OF AMERICA for the VFW Voice of Democracy competition while still in high school, he ended up winning State Honors for the speech. He wrote his first play, BUFFALO HEAD NICKELS, at 17 while still a h ugh school student, which was produced at his high school starring Ashton in the role of the Judge. The play went on to win top prize at the State of Idaho One-Act Play Festival, was televised on the local PBS affiliate, and toured that summer with ON STAGE EUROPE. The play was then published by Pioneer Drama Service when Ashton was 18 while he was a freshman at BYU. Later that year he directed his first published play on the University level.
As the creator of the book, music and lyrics for the critically-acclaimed and award-winning one-man play, THE WILDE SPIRIT, Kerry received several awards and honors including an Award of Merit from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and an Los Angeles Civic Star Award for Best Play, an honor which he shared with David Rabe for his plays, STREAMERS and IN THE BOOM BOOM ROOM.
In addition to the THE WILDE SPIRIT, Kerry has written and published several plays including the full-character play, MY LIFE AS OSCAR WILDE, and a screenplay of the same name. RED HOT MAMA, The New Sophie Tucker Musical, based on the life of Sophie Tucke and the songs she made famous during her long and storied career, was published in 2016, and like most of Ashton's works, is available for purchase on this website or can be purchased thru Amazon.com.
In addition to writing all of the music and lyrics as well as the entire original musical score for his one-man play, THE WILDE SPIRIT, Kerry has also written and recorded several songs. The original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of THE WILDE SPIRIT on CD , as well as several of Kerry's other original songs, are available to listen to on this site or to purchase at the website's Store as recordings and/or as published vocal selections. Kerry has also garnered acclaim as a poet, winning the Gwedolen Thornley Prize for Poetry a few years back. Also, his performance of his poem, OVERTURE, at the National Reader's Theatre Festival, won him an award as "Best in Show".
Kerry was also a contributing writer and editor for several published works, including PBS' acclaimed retrospective GREAT PERFORMANCES 25th ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE, for which he interviewed many of the stars who appeared on the PBS series during its first 25 years. Additionally, he has served as a freelance writer/editor for many notable publications over the last two decades.
In addition to the THE WILDE SPIRIT, Kerry has written and published several plays including the full-character play, MY LIFE AS OSCAR WILDE, and a screenplay of the same name. RED HOT MAMA, The New Sophie Tucker Musical, based on the life of Sophie Tucke and the songs she made famous during her long and storied career, was published in 2016, and like most of Ashton's works, is available for purchase on this website or can be purchased thru Amazon.com.
In addition to writing all of the music and lyrics as well as the entire original musical score for his one-man play, THE WILDE SPIRIT, Kerry has also written and recorded several songs. The original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of THE WILDE SPIRIT on CD , as well as several of Kerry's other original songs, are available to listen to on this site or to purchase at the website's Store as recordings and/or as published vocal selections. Kerry has also garnered acclaim as a poet, winning the Gwedolen Thornley Prize for Poetry a few years back. Also, his performance of his poem, OVERTURE, at the National Reader's Theatre Festival, won him an award as "Best in Show".
Kerry was also a contributing writer and editor for several published works, including PBS' acclaimed retrospective GREAT PERFORMANCES 25th ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE, for which he interviewed many of the stars who appeared on the PBS series during its first 25 years. Additionally, he has served as a freelance writer/editor for many notable publications over the last two decades.
