New Ken Bradbury drama about Mary Lincoln to be performed Saturday at Old State Capitol

[September 02, 2009]  SPRINGFIELD -- A new drama about Mary Lincoln, "Taking Leave," written and directed by famed central Illinois playwright Ken Bradbury, will be presented Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Old State Capitol State Historic Site's Hall of Representatives. The performances are free and open to the public.

"Taking Leave" will dramatize what Mary Lincoln was doing on the day she moved from the White House without her husband by her side. The program is based on memories that Mary Lincoln will share of the man whom she called "Mr. Lincoln." Mary will be portrayed by Pam Brown of Springfield. The program will begin immediately following a 2 p.m. musical performance by the Lincoln Troubadours, a group of traveling performers presented by the Lincoln Home National Historic Site as part of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration.

Ken Bradbury, author of the productions "Abraham" and "Distant Thunder," has been named the most-produced author of high school and college theater material in the United States every year since 1998, and recently received the Downstate Outstanding Playwright award from the University of Illinois.

Pam Brown began her journey with Mary Lincoln in 2007 when she played the title role in "The Last of Mrs. Lincoln." Since then she has presented this monologue at Theatre in the Park at Lincoln's New Salem and has performed at that venue in the production of "Heritage," also playing Mary Lincoln. Last September Brown filmed a documentary with Vidicom Media Productions of Germany, "Lincoln's Last Night," which aired on National Geographic Television during the bicentennial week under the title "The Real Abraham Lincoln."

The Old State Capitol State Historic Site, administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is open daily for free public tours.

[Text from file received from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]