Adelyn Bushnell was one of the most popular leading ladies in New England's vibrant stock theatre world. Born in Thomaston, Maine in 1894, she arrived in Boston as a teenager to study at the Leland Powers School of Oratory. Among her teachers was Rachel Noah France, Edwin Booth's former leading lady. By the age of 16 she was performing leading roles for a stock company in Paterson, New Jersey. For the next fifteen years she starred in so many roles that she lost her voice, returning to Thomaston where she opened an acting school. She soon began writing one-act vaudeville plays under the pen name Nancy Bradford. She also began directing, and then in the late 1920s returned to the stage. Her last role was in "Phantom Cargo" at the Plymouth Theatre in Boston in 1932. For the next twenty years she wrote plays ("I, Myself," "Glory," "Case History"), radio scripts (The Magic Key, The Edgar Bergen Show, RCA Victor Hour), and novels ("Tide-Rode," "Rock Haven," "Pay the Piper," and "Strange Gift"). She died on September 1,1953.

She often spoke of the importance of stock theatre in the training of an actor. The following excerpts are from interviews with Boston newspapers on April 15, 1923 and November 21, 1926:

"I know that it has been said many times but I can't emphasize enough the importance of stock work of some kind for any one who wishes to go on the stage. One is sure of a good start, anyway.

"I didn't begin my stage career in stock. After graduating from the Leland Powers school in this city, I got my first part in one of the road companies of "A Pair of Sixes." It was the fourth company, but in a short while I was promoted to the first. Then came leads in "The New Code" and "The Poor Rich" at the Powers Theatre in Chicago in the original cast of "A Pair of Queens." When this production closed, I went to my farm in Thomaston, Me. for the summer.

"In the fall I joined the Somerville Players as leading lady. I have since played leads with strong companies in Malden, Toronto, Utica, Portland, and last of all, here in Boston...

"I love this Ann Harding role in "Stolen Fruit," which we do this week. It makes me perfectly furious when I hear that such and such is too high-brow for stock. The great trouble is that stock feels that it must come down to the level of some audiences when the players really should have the idea of bringing the audiences up to their standards. The average audience tires of these little lightweight pieces which so many stock companies give week after week. They want something that will appeal to their emotions, something vital. Mother love, for instance, is the theme of "Stolen Fruit." Every woman deep down in her heart has a keen appreciation of this theme. And after all, it's the women who make up the greater part of our audiences. Even though the man may equal them in numbers some evenings, it's the ladies that suggest their going in most cases."

This photograph of Adelyn Bushnell was taken at the beginning of her career some time between 1910-1915. It was made available courtesy of her grandson, Robert Bradford Manning.