Shanice Williams
Born (1996-07-09) July 9, 1996 (age 27)
Rahway, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma materAmerican 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.

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
Year Title Role Notes
2015 The Wiz Live! Dorothy Gale Television film
2017 Manic Aurora Short film
2018 Sunny Day Lulu Episode: "Clowning Around"
2019–2020 Perfect Harmony Leanne 10 episodes
2021 The Last O.G. Felicia Episode: "The Negotiator"
TBD Six Triple Eight Johnnie Mae Post-production

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. ^ a b "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.

External links

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