Rhodes student Corbin Williams is no ordinary college sophomore. On top of the usual college stresses of homework, papers, and extra-curriculars, Corbin has added an untraditional element: becoming a cast member of a Memphis professional theater company. Last summer, Corbin got involved with Memphis’ Playhouse on the Square, a musical and theatrical company dedicated, according to its mission statement, to providing a “diverse repertoire of theatrical work that speaks to the intelligence, the soul, and the imagination of the Memphis community.”
To land a position in a professional cast, Corbin first earned several credentials through dedication to the theater since the ripe age of 6. A Nashville, TN, native, Corbin was exposed to the bright lights and country music scene that makes the city unique, which inspired his interest in arts and theater.
Starting in 1st grade he played in a Country Christmas as well as a few local productions at OpryLand a renowned amusement park in Nashville—home to a multitude of musical shows and other festive attractions. Shortly after, he starred in The Nashville Ballet’s The Nutcracker as Fritz, the younger brother. In 2001 he was featured in Brad Paisley’s music video, “When Two People Fell in Love,” playing Paisley as a little boy. With these impressive accomplishments under his belt before middle school, Corbin was prepared to advance in the theater.
In high school, he starred as the lead in ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie” a musical about a girl from a small town who comes to New York to make it in the big city. Corbin played Jimmy, a rich city boy Millie falls in love with. This marked his major gig as a teenager and lead to him being the lead in the following two musicals.
This past summer, the young star moved from high-school plays to the big leagues and began his work with Playhouse on the Square. He starred as Travis in Footloose and worked his way to one of the main roles in this month’s featured musical, Next to Normal. The musical’s plot revolves around a mother who suffers from bi-polar disorder and her family’s struggle to cope with her illness. Corbin plays the boyfriend to the daughter, Natalie. He calls his character “a stoner, jazz enthusiast who plays the piano and is desperately in love with Natalie.”
He has enjoyed every minute of it: “ it’s amazing to have the opportunity to work at a professional level with people who have harnessed their craft so well.” He says this show, which opened in January, is “easy to relate to even though, in this scenario, it is an extreme case.” Although the situation is not real, the issues it presents are not uncommon. Corbin says it allows people to “see someone else living with these problems and show that other people are struggling as well, brings peace to people and allows them to connect to what we’re doing on stage.” This is one of his favorite aspects of musicals—inspiring his audience in ways that wouldn’t ordinarily appear helpful. He expresses what he loves most about musical theatre with a huge smile: “When you can’t really say what it is you’re trying to say anymore, you sing it…and then you dance.”
Although musical theatre is Corbin’s passion, he has not limited himself only to this specialization. A Rhodes music and theatre major (one he created himself), he is also considering a minor in Computer Science. “I don’t want to trap myself in the arts,” he admits honestly. Having always been interested in puzzle solving and decoding, Corbin sees a set of skills in computer science as a desirable attribute as well as an imperative self-marketing tool. It can’t hurt to have a back-up plan and “if I ever have to make a website, I’ll know how to do that.”
This weekend is the last chance to see Next to Normal, so if you’re interested in seeing a fellow Rhodent sing it ‘til he can’t sing no more (which you should be), check out Playhouse on the Square for more information.