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Mandy Williams | Performer
Mandy Williams | Performer
Tell us a little bit about who you are, what you do, and how you first got involved with Epiphany Space.
My main gig is as a singer. I’ve also written a couple of children’s books. My passion project right now is my one-woman comedy show so I am so grateful to have found Epiphany Space and this amazing group of “Adventurous Spirits” and creative souls.
I was working with Shelby {Bond} at the Northern California Renaissance Faire and he invited me to come to Supper Songs. I fell in love with the community of artists and what they offer and have been coming ever since. This was about a year and a half ago.
You wear a number of hats, including writer, actress, and musician, among others. How did you first get started in the arts? Tell us a bit about your creative journey.
I started dancing as a toddler. My mum exposed me to all the old classic musicals as a kid and I was hooked. I always loved to sing pop music too. My dad was very funny and there was always laughter and music in the house. My sister and I would make up dance routines in the living room then we’d show them our performance. So I went through dance training which led to a scholarship to go to Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts in London. I started working as a dancer then got a job at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. Orlando is a great playground for performing artists so I was able to start honing my crafts as and singer, dancer, actress, and comedic actress.
I know you’re a veteran Ren Faire performer. How did you get involved in that? What’s it like?
I felt very out of my element at first because I had never experienced a Ren Faire. I didn’t “get it.” Now, after 14 years, I feel so lucky that I get to perform in a (well-known on the circuit) comedy duo show. I feel quite proud actually because it’s a very strong female show. We wear absolutely no make-up. Hair sticking up, wound around coat hangers, and blacked-out teeth. It’s very liberating and the bawdiness of our characters is quite powerful. Yay, Girl power! ;)
Any cool Faire stories to share?
What happens at the Ren Faire stays at the Ren Faire.
Oh, go on then, since it’s you...
The thing is, our greatest moments come in the spur of the moment because there’s lots of room for improv. Of course, we forget them the next day! We have been very lucky with the weather but I do remember a torrential downpour which forced the faire to close. Of course, the roads in the faire are dirt so imagine deep, slippery mud everywhere. Now, there are some real “characters” that work the Ren Faire so I remember some of those characters rolling around and then running around caked in mud. It looked liberating but I didn’t partake. ☺
Who are some of your creative idols? Who inspires you?
I have always been drawn to funny people. And I’m inspired mainly by funny women. And strong women like a Bea Arthur type. Most of my idols are British so let’s see if anyone has heard of them…here goes:
- Miriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout in Harry Potter. Catch her on Graham Norton. She is wickedly naughty and mischievous)
- Victoria Wood ( Brilliant mind and most famous for her comedy song The Ballad of Barry and Freda)
- Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders (a comedy double act but I love Dawn French in The Vicar of Dibley and Jennifer Saunders in her show Absolutely Fabulous with Joanna Lumley)
I think that’s enough for now.
I recently heard from a reliable source (you) that your long-awaited one-woman show will be debuting at Hollywood Fringe later this year! Tell us a bit about the show and what it entails. What’s the experience been like bringing it to the stage?
I am completely inspired by my role model Victoria Wood. I love the down-to-earth nature of her comedy and her songs so that’s what drives me.
My show is shining a spotlight on how, in my observation, women seem to do most of the domestic work including remembering birthdays, etc. so I decided to run with that and make a comedy show out of it. It’s a way for women to connect (hopefully) and men too. It’s not mean-spirited at all. I don’t want to alienate anyone. Just men and women having a laugh at ourselves. My show is music-driven and I’m excited to share my songs.
It is thus far THE most exciting (and scariest) thing I’ve ever embarked on. But mostly exciting.
Have you got any other cool projects on the horizon? What do the next, say, two or three years look like for you, creatively?
What I’m really hoping is that my show is well received and that I take it to Edinburgh in 2025. My dream would be to keep developing it. Maybe add a cast and include dance numbers. My template would be like a Spamalot-type thing. In my wildest dreams, I would take it to New York.
And finally, what advice would you give to anyone else looking to get into music or theater or performing or any of the other myriad things you excel at?
You don’t have to wait and hope someone gives you a job. It would be easier if we booked every gig we auditioned for but that certainly hasn’t been the case for me. I believe you will find a way to do what you love. The only person that needs to believe in you is YOU!! There are no small gigs. It’s all experience and the more you get out there and practice your craft, the more seasoned you become. The more confident. You will continue to hone your skills. The thing is, if you are passionate about something, you will keep doing it. The more you do it, the better you get. If you are doing what you love, then you are successful in my book.
Connect with Mandy Williams
Instagram: @mandywilliams9932
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Epiphany Space is a global artist community. We bring together artists and creative entrepreneurs to engage in community and peer support so that we can cultivate meaningful connections, overcome challenges, and achieve our creative goals.
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