Additional information
by Kerry Ashton (Author)
Sophie Tucker was a star for nearly seven decades, from 1903 until her death in 1966, rising to the heights of stardom in Tin Pan Alley, Burlesque, Ragtime, and Vaudeville. By the early 1920s, she was internationally known as 'The Queen of Jazz, ' and toured England and Europe extensively. Eventually conquering Broadway, Radio and much later TV, her longevity as a star is nearly unprecedented in show business history. This new musical tells the true story of Sophie Tucker's life and remarkable career, exploring the highs and lows of her life in the theatre, as well as her relationships with three husbands, and with her son and family, as well as with her longtime piano player Teddy Shapiro. Written for three people to perform, the musical incorporates into its score all of the songs that Sophie Tucker made most famous during her long and legendary career. As much an historian as playwright, Ashton wrote the first and original draft of RED HOT MAMA and its subsequent screenplay adaptation in 1987. However, as his research continued, he rewrote these scripts countless times. He is delighted that this definitive version of his musical play is finally ready for publication.
Author Biography
KERRY ASHTON wrote and published his first play, BUFFALO HEAD NICKELS, at the age of seventeen, and has since published many works. In addition to THE WILDE SPIRIT, he has written and published several plays including the full-character play, MY LIFE AS OSCAR WILDE, and a screenplay of the same name. His auto-biographical novel, A STRANGER AMONG SAINTS, about coming to terms with growing up Mormon and being gay, is scheduled for publication next year. Of all of Ashton's written material, it is his one-man musical play, THE WILDE SPIRIT, which he performed and directed, and for which he wrote the script, music and lyrics, that has enjoyed the most enduring success. The play ran for over two years in its original 1977 LA production, earning Ashton three LA Civic Star Critic's Awards for Best Actor, Best Direction and Best Play. Later, his play and performance ran for three record-breaking years, 1990-1992, in Provincetown, MA, becoming the longest running play in Cape Cod's history. In 1996, the Off-Broadway production at New York City's Theatre-Off-Park, earned Kerry an ASCAP Award of Merit, and brought him to the attention of most of the New York critics, and to the American public at large. During the intervening 38 years since THE WILDE SPIRIT first premiered in 1977, Ashton has performed his play as a Guest Artist in professional engagements at many of America's most prestigious colleges and universities, among them UCLA, George Washington University, Cornell, and hundreds of others, as well as in several regional theaters. Obviously, Ashton enjoys writing plays and screenplays based upon historical figures. With RED HOT MAMA, as was the case with THE WILDE SPIRIT, Kerry spent decades meticulously researching the subject of his play, and rewrote the musical countless times, making changes based on further research. The original version of RED HOT MAMA and its subsequent screenplay adaptation were first written in 1987. Kerry is delighted that the definitive version of his 'new' Sophie Tucker Musical, RED HOT MAMA, is finally ready for publication, along with its screenplay adaptation, to be published later this year. For more information about all of Kerry's written and published works, and his professional career in the performing arts, please visit: www.KerryAshton.com
