By Mary Ann Bourbeau
Samantha Williams has had two major roles on Broadway, and she’s not even 25 years old yet. In 2019, while still a junior at Pace University, she made her Broadway debut as Alana Beck in “Dear Evan Hansen.” In 2022, she was hailed for her breakout performance as Emmie Thibodeaux, the daughter of Sharon D. Clarke’s Caroline in Roundabout Theater’s “Caroline, or Change.”
“This show gave me the opportunity to learn from so many great performers,” said Williams. “It’s so relevant too, especially with the Black Lives Matter movement. To tell this story at such a pinnacle moment in history is a testament to (Pulitzer Prize winning writer) Tony Kushner.”
Williams will perform her first solo show Saturday, Feb. 11 as part of the Holmdel Theatre Company’s Broadway at the Barn series. The evening promises to be a mashup of genres, from musical theater to pop, and jazz and folk to gospel. Williams did tease that she plans to perform “I Hate the Bus” from “Caroline, or Change,” as well as some Billie Eilish and Otis Redding songs.
“It’s a lot of random songs that I love,” said the Texas native.
Williams began performing at age 11 when she took on the role of Dorothy in a community theater production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
“From there on I was hooked,” she said.
She attended a performing arts high school in Houston, which cemented her resolve to pursue a career in musical theater. Williams knew she wanted to attend college in New York City, and immediately felt at home at Pace University.
“When I was offered the role of Alana, I did school and Broadway at the same time,” she said. “My teachers were very understanding and helped me a lot. I was even able to transfer some of the theater credits to schoolwork. It was great to experience Broadway with people my age. We were all learning together, and it’s such a beautiful show.”
Williams said she appreciated the way “Dear Evan Hansen” dealt with the subject of mental health so skillfully.
“It’s one of the first shows to highlight anxiety, depression and suicide,” she said. “They did it in a way that made you think. You see Evan struggling with how much he wants friends and wants to fit in. It’s something we all deal with.”
After six months with “Dear Evan Hansen,” Williams toured with the production until she found out she won the role in “Caroline, or Change,” which opened in October 2021. Although the show received three Tony Award nominations, it struggled at the box office due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were one of the first shows to come back,” said Williams. “It was good timing because the world needed to know this story. But it was bad because it didn’t get the recognition it deserved. People were afraid to go to the theater.”
In July 2022, Williams was back on stage, this time in a lead role at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre in a new musical called “Life After.” Broadway World called the show “Musical theater perfection…exquisite from start to finish.”
In October 2022, she appeared in the role of Mabel in a one-night-only benefit performance of “The Pirates of Penzance,” alongside stars David Hyde Pierce and Ramin Karimloo.
“I was lucky to be part of that cast with such talented people,” said Williams. “It was so fun and silly after doing such heavy shows.”
The Holmdel Theatre Company is located at 36 Crawfords Corner Road in a 125-year-old barn that has been transformed into a modern, 99-seat theater. Tickets are $55 and can be purchased at holmdeltheatrecompany.org.
The article originally appeared in the February 2 – 8, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
