Shanice Williams

Last updated
Shanice Williams
Born (1996-07-09) July 9, 1996 (age 27)
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

Biography

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"
TBD 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 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. In addition, she is the main character in various adaptations, notably the classic 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">Lucie Arnaz</span> American actress (born 1951)

Lucie Désirée Arnaz is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

<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.

Toto (<i>Oz</i>) Fictional dog in the Oz series

Toto is a fictional dog in L. Frank Baum's Oz series of children's books, and works derived from them. He was originally a small terrier drawn by W. W. Denslow for the first edition of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). He reappears in later Oz books and in numerous adaptations, such as The Wizard of Oz (1939) and The Wiz (1978).

<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>

"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.

<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 1900 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 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)

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 a 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">Angela Robinson (actress)</span> American actress and singer

Angela Robinson is an American actress and singer. Best known for playing the role of Veronica Harrington in the OWN primetime soap opera The Haves and the Have Nots, winning the Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actress. During her career she acted on Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, working under the direction of Sheldon Epps, Tina Landau, Kathleen Marshall, Gary Griffin.

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

The Wiz Live! is an American television special that aired live on NBC on December 3, 2015. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, it is 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 is performed live from Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York. This adaptation of the musical combines aspects of both the Broadway play and its 1978 film adaptation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillipa Soo</span> American actress

Phillipa Anne Soo is an American actress and singer. Known for her leading roles on Broadway primarily in musicals, she has received two Grammy Awards along with nominations for a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Asmeret Ghebremichael is an American actress and singer, known for her work in Submissions Only, Legally Blonde, 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.