Taking Leave takes place in the White House, May 23, 1865…Mary is readying herself to finally vacate her home of the past four years. The memories, good and bad, overwhelm her. She takes the time to share the ‘special’ memories with the last visitors to the White House…the audience. It is happy, sometimes giddy, but it is also very sad. It is a complete journey, of sorts, of her life with the man she called, Mr. Lincoln.
Mrs. Pam Brown gives Ken Bradbury the credit for being the scriptwriter for her Mary Todd Lincoln enactments. He is an author of the Associated Press award-winning The Coonridge Digest, a newspaper column appearing in 14 newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He is the author of over 100 plays and musicals. Along with co-author Robert Crowe, Bradbury won the Lincoln Library Award for the play “The Shadow of Giants.” He has received numerous awards the arts and teaching genres.
Pam Brown moved to Springfield, IL from Norman, Oklahoma over 20 years ago. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma in Acting/Directing. Pam has directed several productions, as well as has performed in many productions but the production that touched her heart the most was the ALPLM production of The Last of Mrs. Lincoln, in which she played the title role. The research she did on Mary has helped to open many doors for her portraying Mary Lincoln in venues. When she first moved to Illinois, she wondered why God would send her there…now she knows why…to portray Mary Lincoln.
Decatur Genealogical Society Library telephone number: (217) 429-0135.
DGS Library hours: Monday, 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.; Wednesday and Saturday, 10:00-4:00.
Answer machine on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday except during General Meeting.
