Former White Station High choir director takes stage in 'Hamilton' at Orpheum in Memphis

A former White Station High School choir director found herself back in Memphis this month as part of "Hamilton: An American Musical."

"It's so surreal," said Nikisha Williams, the understudy for the musical's three Schuyler sisters and a part of the ensemble. "There are a lot of times on stage where I just look up and I'm like, 'Wow, I'm on this stage. I'm doing this show.' It's really crazy."

The 30-year-old taught choir at White Station High from 2013-16, but left Memphis to pursue her acting career.

"I do miss teaching, it was a really good time," said Williams, who is originally from Mobile, Alabama. "I definitely go back and listen to some choir videos."

In 2017, she joined the Broadway musical "The Color Purple" as an understudy for several different roles, which led her to audition for and join "Hamilton" a year later.

"Hamilton" opened July 9 and runs through July 28 at the Orpheum Theatre, with tickets still available through Ticketmaster and at the Orpheum box office. 

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During the musical's run in Memphis, Williams has worked around rehearsals and shows to meet with old colleagues and eat at some of her favorite Bluff City spots, like Central BBQ and the Beauty Shop. 

She also had a chance to see some of her old students. 

"I had some surprises on the stage from my students seeing the show," Williams said. "It doesn't feel like I've been away from Memphis that long, but a lot of my students are graduated [high school], and almost ready to graduate college."

She would put her students and friends on a list to join her backstage, where they would reminisce and catch up.

Williams has also used her time in Memphis to familiarize her fellow cast members with her "second home."  

She took one cast member on a run through Shelby Farms Park this week, and she even bought maple bacon doughnuts from Gibson's Donuts for the whole cast and crew to try.

"It's awesome being back in a place that's so familiar," Williams said. "We go to a lot of different cities that are great, but you don't really know the area. So, it's been nice coming back to Memphis, and knowing what I want to do and where I want to go." 

She wants to renew her contract with "Hamilton" for 2020, and then hopes to land on Broadway afterward. She said moving back to Memphis does not seem likely right now.

"The more I come back here, the more I miss it and love it," Williams said. "But there's so much more of the world out there. I'm happy that I did have the time that I had here in Memphis."