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| Williamson as Ms. Nina Simone in Soul Doctor Off-Broadway |
Paul: When and where were you born?
Dan'yelle: March 7th, Brandon, FL
Paul: Where did you grow up and did you do any theatre there?
Dan'yelle: Brandon/Valrico, FL I was involved in plenty of activities after school and over the summer. My first real paid stage performance that I can remember was as a cast member in Dreamers Against Drugs. We were a performance troop that catered to the Tampa area spreading the message about the dangers of drugs.
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| Dan'yelle Williamson as Nala and Female Ensemble The Lion King (US Tour) |
Paul: When was that moment where you thought “I have to do this for a living?"
Dan'yelle: To be honest, I do not remember the exact moment. I do remember that when it came time to make a decision about colleges to apply to, all of them either had a theatre program or specialized in the arts. I ended up at The Boston Conservatory on a full scholarship. There was no turning back.
Paul: Favorite musical(s) of all time/Play(s)?
Dan'yelle: Plays: Fences, A Midsummernight's Dream, Othello, and A Long Day's Journey Into Night. Musicals: Memphis, The Lion King, Aida, The Color Purple (Revival), A Chorus Line, Once on This Island and Dreamgirls.
Paul: Favorite actress/actor?
Dan'yelle: I only get to choose one??? Lol. I really enjoy Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis. Denzel Washington will probably always have my heart.
Paul: Who do you cite as your inspiration?
Dan'yelle: Whitney Houston
Paul: What was the most recent project you have done?
Dan'yelle: The most recent project was a reading of a show entitled "Queen E" which follows the story of Queen Ester in the Bible.
Paul: Are you currently working on any projects?
Dan'yelle: Well, I start rehearsals for "Miss Julie" (play) mid-April! I'm excited to be working in a little bit of a different way.
Paul: Is there a role you would love to revisit?
Dan'yelle: Deloris Van Cartier perhaps a bit down the line. Typically I like to challenge myself with new roles and unfamiliar territory.
Paul: You've performed the role of Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act in 3 different productions. What do you love about this role? How did you feel when you first got the part?
Dan'yelle: I love the strength, charisma, and boisterous nature of this character. I've been a fan of the movie for years so when it finally came to Broadway in 2011, I knew that needed the role on my resume.
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| Dan'yelle Williamson as Deloris Van Cartier Sister Act (Riverside Theatre/Walnut Street Theatre) |
Paul: Funniest on stage mishap?
Dan'yelle: Sister Act in St. Louis. We were on stage in the first scene and someone either dropped a line or fumbled but nobody on stage was hardly able to keep it together.
Paul: What Broadway show do you wish you could go back in time to see?
Dan'yelle: Wicked hands down.
Paul: You were in the Chicago production of Wicked and you understudied the role of Elphaba. What was that experience like? How many times did you perform as Elphaba? (I found a few audio bootlegs of you on Tumblr. I loved your "No Good Deed" I loved the emotion in it and how vastly different it is from other actress' renditions.) ***Fun Fact: Dan'yelle is one of only 6^ Black women to play the role of Elphaba in Wicked.***
Dan'yelle: My Wicked experience was so dope. It was my first professional job out of college. Wicked was a huge learning experience. I learned how to maintain vocally for eight shows a week. I only got to grace the role of Elphaba 9 times total. I was in the show for nearly two years before booking The Lion King Tour.
Paul: You played Nala in The Lion King was that Broadway or Touring?* What was that experience like?
Dan'yelle: I did the National Tour. It was a really great learning experience. I got the chance to visit so many places around the country doing what I love but traveling often is exhausting. I never really felt completely settled. That was tough sometimes. I missed loved ones but enjoyed the exposure to different places all over the US and Canada.
Paul: What role would you say was more demanding? The vocals for Wicked or the physical strength required for The Lion King?
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| Dan'yelle Williamson as Elphaba Wicked (Chicago) |
Dan'yelle: The physical strength for The Lion King. A lot of people get injured in that show.
Paul: Dream roles?
Dan'yelle: An original role and show. Perhaps Angelica in Hamilton but other than that, original works with original roles. *thumbs up* Lol.
Paul: What is a role that you would love to gender bend?
Dan'yelle: Believe it or not, the Philip Glass opera Akhenaten.
Paul: Funniest audition story?
Dan'yelle: Well, it's kind of funny now but at the time I was a bit stressed. I had an audition for the Leading Player in Pippin. I went to the wrong Pearl Studios. When you're blessed to have multiple auditions in a week sometimes the spaces look the same after a while.
Paul: What's your go to audition song?
Dan'yelle: My go to song for years was "I Have Nohting." Lately, I've been doing what's appropriate to the project I'm going in for.
Thank you so much Dan'yelle for allowing me to interview you.So basically now after conducting this interview. I really want to see her as the Leading Player in Pippin, Angelica in Hamilton and Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard. Miss Williamson is crazy talented and has had such a versatile career. I can't wait to see what the future brings her next. Thank you all for joining me in the first ever interview for The Diary of a Theatre Kid.
^The other five women are
- Alexia Khadime- West End
- Brandi Chavonne Massey- Broadway (u/s)
- Emmy Raver-Lampman- 1st US Tour (s/b)
- Lilli Cooper- Broadway (s/b), 2nd US Tour (s/b), International Tour (s/b), 2014 Australian Revival (s/b)
- Saycon Sengbloh- Broadway (s/b)
*The interview done through email. That's why I asked this question even though she answered it in the previous question. Sorry if that doesn't make sense.
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