I'll never forget that autumn evening I picked up my date and went to the Hot Springs Art Center in historic downtown Hot Springs Arkansas, to see a production of Julius Caeser (set in 1940s Chicago.) My date was a very lovely girl, very sweet. We were good friends, so at the very least we'd have a fun time watching a play together.
Yeah. That was until I caught sight of Pamela McWilliams. She played Portia in the show, wife of Brutus. She was elegant, poised, and compelling. Not to mention hot. Her hair had curl that night. She wore a mid-thigh length dress and nylons.
As lusty as I felt about this girl, I was even more disarmed by her talent. She had chops. She handled the language of Shakespeare with such grace. She communicated the intention of every line with absolute clarity . . . and she obviously understood every line. She had done her homework!
I tried to meet her that night, but some bone-headed old retiree kept her tied up in compliments and I couldn't reach her. Also, I may be a scoundrel, but I try to be a gentleman as well. Rather than dump my date and pursue the red-head,I opted for sharing a cup of coffee and ending the date pleasantly.
Fate would intervene. Pamela and I wound up on stage together in The Crucible. She transformed from the mature, powerful Portia to the seductive, nubile Abigail Williams. She'd take on the role of Pamela Moore, my wife, a few months later.
Okay, I'm biased, but I've also seen Pam From the viewpoint of a director, a fellow actor, and an audience member. So here is why she's one of the artists I love:
Pamela is a "character" lead. What that means is like a Ewan McGregor or Gwenneth Paltrow she has the looks and skill to be the romantic lead; like those two actors (and a few others . . . Charlize Theron and Jude Law for example)she's better in a role that defies pigeon-holing as "romantic lead." Dirty her up a bit, and she'll really shine through. In life she's loud and ballsy or soft and fragile depending on her mood. She brings that richness to any role I've ever seen her tackle. Infusing an emotional life into an onstage or on-screen persona is like second nature for her, and she has no problem shaking even the darkest of emotions out of her system once "cut" is called. On set, she's very professional and personable. No one dislikes this girl who's taken the time to speak with her.
There's much more to her than just acting, too! She's another creative "Buckaroo Bonzai". Her blog (which is ostensibly about acting) often wanders over into all her other artistic pursuits. (It happens to be a good read, too.)
She happens to be a terrific mate as well.
Happy Birthday, Pam.
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