Amy McWilliams
Amy McWilliams is currently portraying Mrs.Cratchitt in Ford’s Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol. You have seen her many times at Signature Theatre in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Brother Russia, Les Miserables (Helen Hayes Award, Best Ensemble), The Happy Time, Witches of Eastwick, Nevermore, In the Garden, Working, The Fix, Cabaret and Wall of Water.Other DC area credits include Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company’s Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play, Maria/Stuart and Rocket to the Moon, Ford’s Theatre’s Meet John Doe, Grapes of Wrath and Inherit the Wind, and at The Kennedy Center’s productions of Sunday in the Park with George,Merrily We Roll Along and A Streetcar Named Desire as well as productions at Theatre J; Round House Theatre; Forum Theatre, Theatre Alliance, Theatre of the First Amendment, Charter Theatre, Imagination Stage, Kennedy Center Family Theater, Keegan Theatre and American Century Theater. Amy has been seen on TV in Homicide: Life on the Street and America’s Most Wanted. You have this weekend left to see Amy in A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre, but if you can’t make that then read on to see where you can catch this wonderful actress in the future.
What was your first professional job in the DC area?
Wall of Water by Sherry Kramer at Signature, back when they were still performing at Gunston Arts. My first Equity job was A Christmas Carol at Ford’s—I played the Ghost of Christmas Past.
You have worked at some of the biggest and best theatres in the DC area. What is it about the DC theatre community that makes it so appealing?
D.C. is a community in the truest sense of the word. As an actor there are amazing opportunities to work in a broad spectrum of styles and genres, with companies large and small. There is a support system between actors in the D.C. community that is surprising to folks from outside. We each want and applaud the success of our fellows.
Amy McWilliams as Mrs. Cratchit and John Lescault as Bob Cratchit in the 2012 Ford’s Theatre production of ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Photo by Scott Suchman.
You recently performed in the world premiere of Brother Russia at Signature Theatre. What do you enjoy the most about working on a world premiere?
Brother Russia was a truly unique project, as it had never had a workshop or even a reading, which is unheard of. We all just dove in – you never know what will work, so you just try anything that makes sense. I do know that John Dempsey and Dana Rowe have done newer versions of the piece after the Signature production went into performance. I hope the piece has a life in the future.
If you had to pick a role to play other than Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, who would it be?
The obvious role would be Mrs. Dilber, but truly I’d love to play Scrooge—the arc and journey the character takes would be amazing to explore.
After A Christmas Carol closes where can we see you next?
Good People at Arena Stage in February – very excited!
