Taylor Williams
Performing with regional theaters from an early age, Taylor Williams has enhanced her natural talents with a BS in Education and an MA in Writing and Editing, both from Penn State, as well as an MA in Theater Arts from Villanova University. Ms. Williams’ theater studies involve classical training with Jim Christy, and training in England at the Royal National Theater that included voice work with Cecily Berry and Patsy Rodenberg. A practicing lawyer for 30+ years, with a J.D. degree from Temple University, Ms. Williams heads the litigation unit for Pennsylvania’s Unified Judiciary, representing Pennsylvania’s justices, judges and court systems, predominately in cases of constitutional scope, and largely in federal court. She argues regularly before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and other courts. Ms. Williams is on the board of Philadelphia Young Playwrights, the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, Act II Playhouse and the Greater Philadelphia Theatre Alliance. For many years, Taylor taught classical acting classes at the Walnut Street Theater, and regularly teaches a course she developed on theatre skills for lawyers for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute. She also frequently speaks at state and regional appellate and trial judges conferences. Taylor has been honored by the Welsh Society of Philadelphia for her contributions as a lawyer, actor and teacher, and by the Philadelphia Young Playwrights for her work in advancing Philadelphia’s non-profit theatre community.
Living across the street from American Historical Theatre cofounders Pamela and William Sommerfield, Ms. Williams was approached by AHT in the late 1980’s. Pam knocked on her door, inquiring if Taylor would be interested in co-creating a program about Alice Paul for the Smithsonian Institution as part of their series, Women in Politics. Both were enthusiastic about the suffragists, women often maligned as “crazy” because of their daring ideas. After launching the program, Equal Rights…the Other Amendment, Taylor Williams has performed in venues that include the University of Iowa, University of Pennsylvania’s Law School, a tour of colleges in the southern states, and the Frazier Museum. She is especially proud of recreating Alice Paul’s speech introducing the ERA at Seneca Falls, with Hillary Clinton and other notable politicos present at the ERA summit.
Characters portrayed by Taylor Williams: Alice Paul