Who’s Who: Pam Moore and David Myles: Agatha’s Auteurs!

Who’s Who: Pam Moore and David Myles: Agatha’s Auteurs!
By Mike Butler

Whether reading or watching a mystery, you just never know who is behind the crime until it’s all said and done. Agatha Christie is the queen of mysteries and it wasn’t until the final pages of her acclaimed novels that the reader finally got the answers they were looking for. Some of Dame Agatha’s works were turned into stage plays, including The Mousetrap, the longest-running show in theatre history, and behind its latest production are two genius directors putting their own spin on this classic Christie whodunit! Who’s behind this crime caper? Directors Pam Moore and David Myles!

Pam and Dave are both very good friends of mine. They both sit on the board of directors for Quick As A Wink Theatre Society in Windsor and they’re taking the helm of the society’s spring play. Sometimes it takes a dynamic duo to assemble and pull off the perfect crime, and Pam and Dave are ready for action!

Pam was born in Halifax and moved to the UK at age eleven, but returned to Canada in 1990 and now calls Windsor home. Pam has done all kinds of work including public relations for the Atlantic Theatre Festival and managing a bookshop, and she is now a legal assistant.

Dave was originally born in Newfoundland but grew up in a military family (like Pam), and lived mainly in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Dave’s father retired out of Greenwood and his family decided to settle in Windsor, due to its proximity to both the Valley and Halifax. Dave studied information technology at NSCC and met his future wife, Jeannie, during that time. They’re now approaching their 15-year anniversary and are happily married with two wonderful girls. Dave worked, for years, with defense contractors supporting both military and law enforcement personnel. Most recently he decided to change career paths and get back to his information technology roots by taking a position with the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board.

So, how did these two very intelligent, hard-working, and adorable people get mixed up directing an Agatha Christie mystery together?

Pam got involved with Quick As A Wink at the end of 2016, when she auditioned and scored a part in Faith County. She had been wanting to get back into theatre, and two of her children had been doing QAAW drama camps, so it all worked out. She became a board member, helped backstage with Music Man, returned to an acting role in A Christmas Carol and now makes her directorial debut with The Mousetrap!“*My dad took me to see it in London when I was a teen,” says Pam, “It was a thrilling experience to be in a beautiful West End theater for the first time, and I was a huge Christie fan. This is the perfect, classic example of the ‘locked room’ ‘mystery that Christie perfected. It’s great storytelling, with a revelation that really is ‘the best kept secret in theater’”

Dave’s relationship to the theatre dovetails naturally with his other creative projects: “Outside of work, most of my time is divided between various video projects such as short films, writing screenplays, co-hosting a weekly podcast/YouTube web series (They Cast From The Coast), and serving as an active board member with Quick As A Wink. My involvement with QAAW actually began a couple years ago when my wife got involved with the production of Annie. After that, I came up with an idea to improve their Spotlight segment and from there helped with video promotion.”

In the fall of 2017, Dave was offered the opportunity to co-direct The Mousetrap and jumped at the opportunity. He accepted without hesitation because it allowed him to get more involved with the society and the local community, and who doesn’t love a good murder mystery?

And with Pam and Dave’s love of theater and their backgrounds, plus the already built-in success of the play, The Mousetrap is a must-see for all ages! Dave says “it feels great to be a part of this historical play and I encourage everybody to come out and see it. We have an extremely talented cast and they’re very excited to hit the stage and show off their chops!”

Both Pam and Dave have always been drawn to theater as they enjoy the process of rehearsals to the finished product, the history of the shows, the intimacy between the characters and the audience and so much more.

For Pam, “it’s the art of performance, and the thrill of the high wire act that is performing is a high like no other. Nothing can compare to the feeling of being onstage in front of an attentive and receptive audience. The warmth of the people in this fantastic arts community make all the volunteer hours so worth it.”

Dave’s favourite part is “seeing the raw performances and talent of the cast evolve over the production” and the fact that “there are no second takes once you get on stage, everything has to be practiced and perfected long before. It’s incredible the amount of hard work that goes into a live theatrical performance.”

And the projects never stop with these two, as Dave and Pam have a very busy year ahead helping with the upcoming Quick As A Wink musical productions of Seussical (June) and Shrek (October). Both hope to produce, direct, and act again in the near future, and things look bright for Quick As A Wink with these two on the board of directors. In addition to stage work, Dave is also in the middle of writing three to four separate film projects that hopefully one day he can get behind the lens and film.

Performances of The Mousetrap will take place at the Fountain Performing Arts Centre of King’s-Edgehill School in Windsor, March 16, 17, 23 and 24, at 7:00 pm, with special matinees March 17, 18 and 24 at 2:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at QAAW.ca, at The Box of Delights Bookshop in Wolfville, and at Mosaic Market in Windsor. It’s no mystery that with Pam Moore and David Myles behind the scenes, ANYTHING is possible! Best of luck my friends!