Ep314 - Schele Williams: Encouraging Everyone to Stay Weird

The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales

Schele Williams has never been afraid to immerse herself in the thing that she loves in order to achieve what she wants. She reflects on her journey, the motivations and support from her family, and the significance of storytelling in her life, which has led her to where she is today. She shares how she chooses which projects to work on, given her busy schedule, her creative process, and making sure to foster a sense of involvement and connection with her children in whatever she does. She also emphasizes the importance of building relationships throughout her career and creating a supportive network. While she’s accomplished so many things already, Schele opens up about dealing with imposter syndrome, particularly when transitioning to new roles, and how she overcame it. Currently co-directing “The Notebook”, Schele explains the conscious choice to diversify the casting in the show, which aims to make the story more inclusive and relatable to a broader audience. We also dive into her excitement about directing “The Wiz”, its impactful storytelling, how it celebrates blackness, friendship, and courage, and the joy of seeing children in the audience.

Schele Williams is a Broadway director who was originally pursuing her dreams of playing with the London Philharmonic Orchestra as a teenager. She eventually became an actor with credits, including both “RENT” and “Aida” on Broadway, leading her to become dance captain for “RENT” on Broadway and an associate choreographer for the tour. She uncovered her true calling to being a director. She associate-directed “Motown the Musical” on Broadway, and is currently working on a stage adaptation of “Hidden Figures”. She is also co-directing “The Notebook” alongside Michael Greif, which just opened on Broadway, and is also solo directing the incoming extremely highly-anticipated production of “The Wiz”, scheduled to open on April 17th at the Marquis Theater–the first black woman to direct a Broadway musical in over 50 years.

Connect with Schele:

• Website: schelewilliams.com
• Instagram: @schelewilliams

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