Abigail (Abbey) Adams

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, Abigail Adams has been associated with People’s Light for 50 years as an actor, playwright, and director. As an Associate Artistic Director to the company’s co-founder Danny Fruchter, she established the New Voices Ensemble at People’s Light in 1990. She was Co-Artistic Director of the company (with Stephen Novelli) in the years 1993-1997, became Artistic Director in 1997, and was named Executive Artistic Director from 2013-2022.

Over this entire period Abbey has directed more than sixty plays at People’s Light, including Our Town, The Matchmaker, The Cherry Orchard, The Rainmaker, The Trip to Bountiful, Nathan the Wise - plus Morning’s at Seven and In the Blood (both of which wond Barrymore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play). Abbey served for ten years on the faculty of Swarthmore College and has also taught Alexander Technique at New York University, Bryn Mawr College, Carnegie Mellon University, and The Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario. More recently at People's Light she has directed such plays as Birthday Candles, Off By One, The Children, Lettie and The Vinegar Tree.