THE SILVER PLATES

HIS picture of a wistful, teenaged Maude Adams, was taken Henry Kiskadden, and Asenath Ann Adams, a leading lady for the sometime around 1886, about the time she left Salt Lake resident stock company founded by Brigham Young. Maudekfather TCollegiate lnstitute and embarked on one of the most suc- died when she was seven, after which "Little Maudie" became one of cessful acting careers in the history of American theatre. At the time the leading child actresses of western America, appearing in the- of this photo, Maude had played child roles in Utah and San atres between Salt Lake City and San Francisco. When she became Francisco and was now ready to play roles as a leading lady. She is too tall and gangly for child roles, her mother sent her back to Salt portraying an unknown role in this image, but it was taken near the Lake City to live with her grandmother and attend school. She left beginning of her professional career Adams became a star on the school at agefourteen and began her adult acting careel: Broadway stage, eventually teaming up with playwright James M. Between 1892 and her 1918 retirement from acting, Adams Barrie, who wrote "Peter Pan" especiallyfor the Utah actress; it be- was the most acclaimed and popular actress on the New York came her best-known role. stage. The beautifully-toned albumen print hangs on the walls of the After retiringfrom the stage, she accepted a teaching position at Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Memorial Museum in Salt Lake Stephens College in 1918 and became head of its dramatics pro- City. The photographer is not named, but it likely was Charles Ellis gram in 1937. Johnson, the official photographer for Brigham Young's Pioneer Miss Adams continued working at Stephens College through the Memorial Theatre in Salt Lake City. 1940s and died 17July 1953, in her small home in Tannersville, Maude Adams was born 11 November 1872, as Maude Ewing New York. She was eighty years old. Adam Kiskadden, the daughter of Salt Lake City banker James -NELSON B. WADSWORTH

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