Shanice Williams

Last updated
Shanice Williams
Born (1996-07-09) July 9, 1996 (age 28)
Alma mater American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2015–present

Shanice Williams (born July 9, 1996), also known as Shanice Shantay, is an American actress and singer. She is known for her performance as Dorothy in the televised live performance of NBC's The Wiz Live! in December 2015.

Contents

Early life and education

She grew up in Rahway, New Jersey. Her mother, Andrea Holmes, is a postal worker; and her father, Shelton Williams, is a security guard. Her cousin, Willis Williams, is an independent professional wrestler known as Ali Shabazz. [1] She attended Rahway High School, where she performed as part of her school's drama program. [2]

Williams studied briefly at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, but began her singing career in her grandfather's choir. [3]

Career

Her first major break was playing the role of Dorothy in The Wiz Live! , a televised program based on the 1975 Tony award-winning, Broadway theatrical production, The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz", which reinvented American author L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as an African-American story. Williams was selected for the role through an open casting call when she was 18 years old. The production is a collaboration between the NBC broadcast network and the theatrical division of Cirque du Soleil.

In 2017 Williams starred in the award-winning HBO film Manic. [4] For her role in this film, she won best actress in a drama at the New York Television Festival and best actress in a drama at SeriesFest. [4]

In 2018 Williams made her New York stage and Off-Broadway debut in Little Rock, a play about the Little Rock Nine. [5] A year later, Williams was cast in the Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods as Little Red Ridinghood, alongside Broadway stars Sutton Foster, Cheyenne Jackson, Sierra Boggess, Patina Miller and guest-starring Whoopi Goldberg, which ran July 26–28. [6]

Filmography

Film and television roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2015 The Wiz Live! Dorothy Gale Television film
2017ManicAuroraShort film
2018 Sunny Day LuluEpisode: "Clowning Around"
2019–2020 Perfect Harmony Leanne10 episodes
2021 The Last O.G. FeliciaEpisode: "The Negotiator"
2024 The Six Triple Eight Johnnie MaePost-production

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dorothy Gale</span> Fictional protagonist in Oz novels

Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by the American author L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in many of his Oz novels. She first appears in Baum's classic 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels. She is also the main character in various adaptations, notably the 1939 film adaptation of the novel, The Wizard of Oz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wizard of Oz (character)</span> Character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. The character was further popularized by a stage play and several films, including the classic 1939 film and the 2013 prequel adaptation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glinda</span> The Wonderful Wizard of Oz character

Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his Oz novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and is the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country South of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.

<i>The Wiz</i> 1974 musical based on the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) in the context of contemporary African-American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974, at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore, and moved to Broadway's Majestic Theatre with a new cast on January 5, 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phylicia Rashad</span> American actress (born 1948)

Phylicia Rashad is an American actress. She was most recently dean of the College of Fine Arts at Howard University before her three-year contract ended in May 2024. She is best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–1992) which earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations in 1985 and 1986. She also played Ruth Lucas on Cosby (1996–2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrea McArdle</span> American singer and actress

Andrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for originating the role of Annie in the Broadway musical Annie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Mills</span> African-American musician (born 1957)

Stephanie Dorthea Mills is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to stardom as "Dorothy" in the original seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway run of the musical The Wiz from 1974 to 1979. The song "Home" from the show later became a Number 1 U.S. R&B hit and her signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Hilty</span> American musical theatre actress (born 1981)

Megan Kathleen Hilty is an American actress and singer. She rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including her performance as Glinda in Wicked, Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5: The Musical, and her Tony Award–nominated role as Brooke Ashton in Noises Off. She also starred as Ivy Lynn on the musical-drama series Smash, on which she sang the Grammy Award-nominated "Let Me Be Your Star", and portrayed Liz on the sitcom Sean Saves the World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ease on Down the Road</span> 1975 song

"Ease on Down the Road" is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz, an R&B re-interpretation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Charlie Smalls–composed tune is the show's version of both "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" and "We're Off to See the Wizard" from the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz. In the song, performed three times during the show, Dorothy and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion dance their way down the Yellow Brick Road and give each other words of encouragement.

Lillias White is an American actress and singer. She is particularly known for her performances in Broadway musicals. In 1989 she won an Obie Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway musical Romance in Hard Times. In 1997 she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for portraying Sonja in Cy Coleman's The Life. She was nominated for a Tony Award again in 2010 for her work as Funmilayo in Fela Kuti's Fela!.

<i>The Wiz</i> (film) 1978 film by Sidney Lumet

The Wiz is a 1978 American musical fantasy adventure film directed by Sidney Lumet. Adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical of the same name, the film reimagines the classic children's novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum with an African-American cast. Dorothy, a 24-year old teacher from Harlem, finds herself magically transported to the urban fantasy Land of Oz. On her travels seeking help from the mysterious Wiz, Dorothy befriends a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie Fearon</span> British stage and television actress

Stephanie Leanne Fearon is a British stage and television actress most noted for her TV appearances in the CITV show My Parents Are Aliens and the BBC talent-search Over the Rainbow.

Adaptations of <i>The Wonderful Wizard of Oz</i>

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 children's novel written by American author L. Frank Baum. Since its first publication in 1900, it has been adapted many times by L. Frank Baum and others: for film, television, theatre, books, comics, games, and other media.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (1987 musical) Musical by Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart, E. Y. Harburg and John Kane

The Wizard of Oz is a musical with a book by John Kane, music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E. Y. Harburg. It has additional background music by Herbert Stothart. It is based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 film version written by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patina Miller</span> American actress and singer (born 1984)

Patina Renea Miller is an American actress and singer. Miller's breakout role was as originating the role of disco diva wannabe Deloris Van Cartier in the 2009 West End and 2011 Broadway productions of Sister Act for which she earned Laurence Olivier Award and Tony Award nominations, respectively. She also starred as the Leading Player in the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She later returned to Broadway to star as the Witch in the 2022 Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods.

JenniferDamiano is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in 2006 as an ensemble member in the original production of Spring Awakening, and went on to originate the role of Natalie Goodman in the musical Next to Normal, for which she was nominated for the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical, becoming one of the youngest nominees for the award at age 17. Her other Broadway roles include Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark in 2011 and Jean in the 2016 musical American Psycho, in addition to a number of roles off-Broadway.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (2011 musical) 2011 musical based on the 1939 film

The Wizard of Oz is a 2011 musical based on the 1939 film of the same name in turn based on L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with a book adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses the Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg songs from the film and includes some new songs and additional music by Lloyd Webber and additional lyrics by Tim Rice. It is the third stage musical adaptation of the film following the 1942 version for the St. Louis Municipal Opera and the 1987 version for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowardly Lion</span> Fictional character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The Cowardly Lion is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. He is depicted as an African lion, but like all animals in Oz, he can speak.

<i>The Wiz Live!</i> 2015 American TV series or program

The Wiz Live! was an American television special that aired live on NBC on December 3, 2015. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, it was a performance of a new adaptation of the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz, a soul/R&B reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The broadcast was performed live from Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York. This adaptation of the musical combined aspects of both the Broadway play and its 1978 film adaptation.

Asmeret Ghebremichael is an American actress, director, and singer, known for her work in The Notebook, Submissions Only, and The Book of Mormon.

References

  1. Ryznik, Melena (4 December 2015). "Shanice Williams on Her Road to Dorothy and 'The Wiz Live!'". The New York Times . Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  2. Hyman, Vicki. Also Studied in the arts at Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn Nj. "N.J. newcomer Shanice Williams cast as Dorothy in NBC's 'The Wiz Live!'", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 5, 2015. Accessed December 4, 2015. "A little over a year ago, Shanice Williams was making her last curtain call at Rahway High School. Now the 18-year-old is the face of NBC's The Wiz Live!, following in the footsteps of Carrie Underwood and Allison Williams as the star of network's annual musical extravaganza, beating out hundreds of unknowns for the coveted role of Dorothy."
  3. Anderson, Tre'vell (23 November 2015). "Shanice Williams steps into Dorothy's shoes for NBC's 'The Wiz Live!'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Manic". katemarks. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  5. Clement, Olivia (April 12, 2018). "The Wiz Live Star Shanice Williams to Make Off-Broadway Debut in Little Rock". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  6. Gans, Andrew (April 24, 2019). "Patina Miller, Gaten Matarazzo, Shanice Williams Will Star in Hollywood Bowl's Into the Woods". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-08-05.