Interview: Theatre Life with Kanysha Williams

Today’s subject Kanysha Williams is currently living her theatre life onstage at Signature Theatre playing the role of Miss Mary in Play On!. The Duke Ellington/Shakespeare infused extravaganza runs through October 5th in Signature’s MAX space.

Kanysha is returning to Signature after previously appearing there in STAX Records, Ain't Misbehavin', Soul Divas, and Gun and Powder.

Area credits include Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors at Ford’s Theatre, The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence (National Tour), American Prophet, and Drumfolk (National Tour) at Arena Stage Macbeth In Stride at Shakespeare Theatre Company, FELA!, and AD16 at Olney Theatre Center, The Tempest at Round House Theatre and Acoustic Rooster (National Tour) at Kennedy Center.

Regional credits include Sister Act at Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre, and The Color Purple at Riverside Center for The Performing Arts.

Kanysha’s original music can be found streaming on all platforms and you can also hear her hosting the Downstage Center Podcast.

Play On! is one of those shows that isn’t performed very often so here is your chance to see it performed in a production that is of the highest quality. Do you really expect anything less from Signature Theatre?

Grab your tickets and go see Kanysha Williams hit all the hot notes and more. Her performance is quite wonderful. Trust me on this one!

Kanysha Williams is truly living her theatre life to the fullest. “Take the A Train” or metro or whatever transportation mode you need and see for yourself.

At what age was it apparent to you that you wanted to become a performer?

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I come from a family of singers, pianists, and musicians, so it was only natural to “take up the family trade”, if you will.

However, I distinctly recall making up songs on the playground in middle school and dreaming of what it would be like to perform my own music for a crowd of adoring fans. So, I suppose the dream formed when I was around 10 or 11 years old; I think “baby Nysh” would be pleased at how life is going.

Where did you receive your training?

I was raised in the black church, America’s most underrated music training ground, but I began my formal vocal training in high school, at The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC. From there, I trained at Washington National Opera Institute, The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and George Mason University.

What was your first job as a performer?

When I was a freshmen in high school, I worked for the Metropolitan Police Department as a “Youth Advocate”, meaning I went into gas stations, liquor stores and other shady spots attempting to purchase cigarettes, beer and liquor. I “pretended” to be of age, and kept track of businesses that sold to minors. In hindsight, it was my first acting gig.

My first professional show as an actress was a production of Aida at ArtsCentric in Baltimore, Maryland. The show was directed by Kevin McAllister, a trusted mentor and friend; I played “Amneris”. It was an all-black production of the show, and it changed the trajectory of my career. I’ll always be grateful for that opportunity, and for the greatest arrangement of “My Strongest Suit” that’s ever been done, in my completely biased opinion.

Can you please tell us a little something about Play On! as well as something about your character in the show?

Play On! is a romantic comedy musical set in 1930’s Harlem. Based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, we take the dynamic characters from Shakespeare’s play and drop them in The Cotton Club. It’s a silly yet heart-warming story about love, mistaken identities, music, dream-chasing, and it’s all set to an incredible score penned by D.C.’s own, Duke Ellington.

I play Miss Mary, who is a singer-turned-seamstress, and personal assistant to Lady Liv played by the incredible Awa Sal Secka. Miss Mary is a firecracker of a woman, and quite the schemer; she dreams of making music, and longs to be understood by her partner, Sweets played by the magnificent Derrick Truby Jr. Playing Miss Mary gives me the unique opportunity to explore a wide spectrum of emotion, while getting to play with physical comedy and a surprising amount of depth, it’s quite a ride!

Here is a scenario for you. You are offered to do a standard staging of a Shakespeare play at either STC or Folger Theatre. You are told that you can pick the play you want to do. What would your choice be?

There’s a viral clip of Hermoine’s monologue from The Winter’s Tale going around featuring Madeline Appiah, and it is iconic. D.C. is a city with no shortage of powerhouse actresses, and I could come up with a mighty of list of women whose passion and skill would devastate audiences.

Not to mention a story highlighting the devastating effects of jealousy, rage, and the danger of unchecked power is a message we all could stand hearing…just in case we aren’t paying close enough attention.

Why do you think Cheryl L. West’s take on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and Duke Ellington’s music is the perfect combination for a musical like Play On!?

I believe that the combination of two unexpected entities is bound to create something interesting. The mere fact that you don’t usually hear the two names (Shakespeare and Ellington) in the same sentence is the very reason why they should be.

Both The Bard and The Duke are figureheads of art forms that feel “otherwordly” in our modern day. Exploring the pinnacle of jazz and playwriting remind us of a time that feels far away. Combining the two and bringing them into the modern theatrical space preserves and celebrates art that we hold dear. This piece works because there is a sincere reverence for both masters that has gone into the work. The music, the text, the characters, and the score all work together to pay tribute to the greatest to ever do it, and if that isn’t jazz…then I don’t know what is.

You’ve worked a lot in the DMV theatre scene. For you as a performer, what is the best thing about working in this community?

It’s absolutely the people. The community of artists, both onstage and off, are comprised of people who care so deeply about art, story-telling, craft, and each other. D.C. has all of the magic and quality of other cities across the country but has a unique way of fostering a sincere and deep love and appreciation for the people who create said magic.

Perhaps it’s our combined experience of living in such a politically charged environment that leads us to create dynamic art, perhaps we’re determined to present an alternative to the less-than-ideal circumstances we find ourselves living through, or perhaps life just placed the perfect combination of dreamers, creatives, and weirdos in the most powerful city in the world.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, D.C. is home to the most talented people in the world, and I’m honored to live, share space, and create with the very best.

After Play On! closes, what does the rest of 2025 and into 2026 hold in store for you workwise?

You can find me at Ford’s Theatre this winter for their annual production of A Christmas Carol and I’ll be doing quite a few live performances of original music and covers at Strathmore, I’m a part of their 2025-2026 Artist-in-Residence program. You can expect a year full of new, original music, and some pretty exciting theatre appearances next season!

Special thanks to Signature Theatre's Publicist and Marketing Manager Zachary Flick for his assistance in coordinating this interview.

Additional photo assistance provided by Signature Theatre's Deputy Director of Marketing, Director of Creative Content James Gardiner.