Elizabeth Bailey
From participating in theatrical productions to being nicknamed “The Professor” at his job with WTRE, North Decatur senior C.J. Adams keeps his days full of activity.
He is currently assisting North teacher John Pratt with the spring Chautauqua Day and has been conducting interviews with celebrities. He corresponds with playwrite and actor Walter Williamson as well as Ian McNeice, who is the reason he wanted to work in radio.
“I like hearing about what they’re working on,” he said.
Williamson has sent chapters from his upcoming book to Adams, who has also sent his work back for his pair of famous pen-pals to peruse.
“It’s good to get tips from them,” he said, “but it’s funny because I sort of expected a single response when I contacted them, not a long-term correspondance.”
In October, Adams said, he went to see Sammy Terry, and when he returned, he had the opportunity to interview Terry over the phone. From there, he has also interviewed two Haulocost survivors as well as Doris “Granny D” Haddock, star of the HBO documentary Run Granny Run.
“I’ve had so many great opportunities,” he said. “I’ve always loved reading about Winston Churchill, and I actually got to talk to someone who had met him.”
Adams was also involved in the phone interview that led to Rosemarie Von Trapp agreeing to do a program in the evening of Chautauqua day at North Decatur.
“She’s a charming woman,” he said. “I’m excited to meet her in person.”
Aside from Von Trapp’s program, Adams is also anticipating the student finals, a presentation of the best of the best of student projects. Each class votes on the best from their group and those compete in front of judges during the finals during the morning of the May 5 Chautauqua Day.
In addition to his work on Chautauqua, Adams has been in the cast of The Music Man, Godspell, Guys and Dolls, Loving Lives, Oklahoma, Crazy for You, A Murder Most Fouled Up, Our Town and All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. He has also directed Oklahoma and written or co-written a variety of shows, including Not Another Christmas Story, Can I Serve You, The Date Who Stole Christmas (in which he performed), Murder at the Opera House (in which he performed), as well as radio dramas such as The Orchard.
He has also participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program since his freshman year, spending lunch hours with elementary students.
“I liked the idea of being there for a younger kid and maybe inspiring them,” he said.
He has been on the academic team and spell bowl and won an award for a particular project done for speech. He also sings in the choir at a variety of school and community functions.
He is currently working with Pratt on a play for the Sesquicentennial centering on all of the famous people who were either born in Decatur County or visited the area. The cast of Our Town will also be coming back together to perform an act of the play during Sesquicentennial week.
Meanwhile, Autograph Magazine has taken an interest in North’s interviews of celebrities. Sometime this summer, there will be a feature article about Adams, Pratt and the project in general. Adams even noted the magazine has plans of creating a website with blogs and other accoutrements to keep track of the project.
When he isn’t busily travelling from one activity to the next, Adams enjoys riding his bike all over the county from his home in Sandusky to Clarksburg and beyond. Each evening, he also makes time to take a walk.
“You have to make time for hobbies,” he said.
He also enjoys reading biographies, works of Truman Capote, Charles Dickens and Alan Bennet as well as watching movies.
“I only realy like older movies,” he said.
With a wide variety of activities and accolades, as well as being named Prom King, under his belt, Adams looks forward to attending IUPU-Fort Wayne to major in theater, intending to come home each summer to continue his work in radio.
