It was nearly 40 years ago in Albany, N.Y. when Bonnie Williams auditioned for “The Sound of Music.”
She didn’t get the part.
Now, 40 years later in The Villages, Williams not only got the part of the nun, Mother Abbess – she mastered it.
“I wish I had gotten it then, but I’m glad I got it now,” said Williams, who has lived in The Villages for nearly 13 years. In that time, she earned a reputation as one of the most versatile and talented local performers.
And though she is usually cast in supporting roles, Williams has a way of stealing the show.
It could happen again for “The Sound of Music,” which runs Nov. 8-10, in Savannah Center. Williams plays the Mother Superior of Nonnberg Abbey in Austria. She sings “Climb Every Mountain,” during the pivotal scene near the end of the first act.
The local cast features a company of stellar performers including Pinky Bigley who stars as Maria. She has toured with professional productions of “Les Misérables” and “Evita.”
Lee Mueller plays the Captain, with Tim Casey as Max and Kathy Chesley-Williams as the Baroness. The cast has 39 members, including a gang of irresistibly-cute, talented local kids who play the rest of the von Trapp family.
All combine for an entertaining take on the Rodgers and Hammerstein beloved classic. But something electric happens, when Williams embraces the first act’s climatic moment and sings “Climb Every Mountain.”
“Bonnie typically sings her heart out but something special happens when she sings that song,” said Bob Stehman, director of the musical. “She digs deep, and this song comes from her soul.
“And it’s not just singing, it’s acting and making the character come to life. Bonnie just oozes the emotion and heart of Mother Abbess. She is a big, warm, likable, big-hearted, sweet character. Bonnie is the same way. People just love her.”
Williams understands what “Climb Every Mountain” means to the musical and the audience. It comes when Maria reaches a personal crossroads between her love of the Captain, and her life as a nun. She has to choose between the two.
Mother Abbess helps her make that decision.
“This song is so special,” Williams said. “Mother Abbess sets Maria on her way to the family and urges her to return to ‘find her life’ after doubts. It’s so meaningful.”
Bill Davis, director of the Villages Pops Chorus, has worked with Williams with the chorus for nearly five years.
“Bonnie is irrepressible and effervescent,” Davis said. “In addition to being blessed with a huge voice that can belt with the best of them, Bonnie can also bring you to tears with her ability to tap into the emotion of a song.
“Bonnie is always right on point with the meaning and intent of a song. If it’s played for laughs, Bonnie can do it. But if it’s a song that can touch your soul, Bonnie can do that to. I saw her sing ‘Climb Every Mountain,’ and I think she will bring the house down.”
Williams – who often appears locally with Barry Corlew – is known for her comedy. Playing a nun is nothing new for her. She appeared in three local productions of “Nunsense.” Her resume includes roles in “Gypsy,” “Annie” “Anything Goes,” and “Oklahoma.”
She welcomes the dramatic challenge of “Sound of Music.”
“There’s a saying: dying is easy, comedy is hard,” Williams said. “So in some way, this is less stressful.”
Regardless of the role, Williams approaches it the same way she lives her life—with energy and joy.
“Bonnie is the best kind of person you could hope to share a stage with,” Bill Davis said. “Her heart is as big as her voice.”
Tony Violanti covers arts and music for Villages-News.com. He was inducted into the Buffalo NY Music Hall of Fame as a music journalist.
