Samantha Williams Played the Title Role in Caroline, or Change in College & Now She's Emmie on Broadway

Samantha Williams made her Broadway debut as Alana Beck in Dear Evan Hansen, and now she's starring as Emmie Thibodeaux in the Broadway revival of Caroline, or Change at Studio 54. Here, Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek chats with Williams at the Time Hotel about coming back to the character after the Broadway shutdown and more.

Just one day before Williams was set to play Emmie in front of an audience for the first time, Broadway shut down. During time away from the production, Williams traveled home to Texas and doing so now informs her character. "It's very emotional, but amazing to tell the story right now," she said. "I was back home in Texas, and was really in the thick of the racial awakening. I took time with the text to parallel everything that happened in the '60s to right now and see how similar everything was. Getting to experience that firsthand was scary, but it also taught me a lot, and I get to use that every night."

When she was announced as Emmie, Williams was a senior at Pace University. Now, almost two years later, Williams is sharing a full-circle moment. "Our freshman year at Pace University, our artist-in-residence was [Caroline, or Change composer] Jeanine Tesori," she said. "She came into the school to talk to us and do a workshop version of Caroline, or Change. I was cast as Caroline  and we basically put on a show in a week and a half—college style. That's my first introduction to [the show], and when I saw that it was auditioning I was like, 'I have to.'" 

Watch the interview below, and head here to check your local listings for The Broadway Show. Hosted by Fadal, it is the only nationally syndicated weekly theater news program.