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James A. Williams (AEA),also known as JW, is a mainstay of Twin Cities theater. A founding member of Penumbra Theatre, he performed in all 10 plays in the August Wilson canon and is a nationally-recognized interpreter of the playwright. At Penumbra, Mr. Williams was in August Wilson’s Black Bart and the Sacred Hills, the playwright’s first professional production. He performed multiple roles in August Wilson’s Century Cycle at the Kennedy Center in 2008, and Off-Broadway in Jitney, My Children! My Africa! and The Piano Lesson. It is noteworthy that in his final play Radio Golf, August Wilson wrote the character of Roosevelt Hicks for Mr. Williams; he was one of three actors who remained in the cast of Radio Golf from its premiere at Yale Repertory Theatre through its Broadway run.
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While establishing a national profile, James A. Williams managed to deepen his commitment to the MN Theater community. At Penumbra, he closely worked with director Marion McClinton and collaborated with playwrights Carlyle Brown and Charles Smith. As a member of The Guthrie Theatre Acting Company (1990–1994), he worked with a distinguished group of directors including Doug Hughes, Bill T. Jones, Robert Woodruff, and Bart Sher. Recent roles include Zachariah in Athol Fugard's Blood Knot (Pillsbury House Theatre), Gloucester in Shakespeare's King Lear (Guthrie Theater), Friar Laurence in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (Guthrie Theater), Mr. M in Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! (Signature Theatre), Doaker in August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (Signature Theater), and Ogun Size in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Brother/Sister Plays.
Mr. Williams’s commitment to arts activism is longstanding. He has led social justice theatre workshops at Brown University, Colby College, Macalester College, University of Minnesota, the International School of Kenya, and at Nshupu and Akeri secondary schools in Tanzania. He has served as Artistic Director of the Mill City Players youth troupe since 2018 and as Associate Company Member at Pillsbury House since 2008, where he created the teen social justice ensemble Power of Our Voices. Mr. Williams served as co-director and acting coach for Seeds of Change program in St Paul, using theatre to engage African American boys. As Artistic Director for the Hennepin County Home School theater project, he led a six-week playwriting workshop for incarcerated youth. Mr. Williams contributions were essential to the development of several Illusion Theatre touring shows about social justice, among them For Adults Only, Family and Amazing Grace. With that company, he also created main stage work with luminaries of American theater such as Steven Dietz, Matthew McGuire, and Ping Chong.
The Star Tribune named James A. Williams Artist of the Year in 2003 and 2008. He is also a 2008 TCG Future Leader of American Theater, 2015 McKnight Theater Artist Fellow and Fox Foundation Distinguished Acting Fellow, and a Lunt-Fontane Fellow in 2018. For his work with youth, he received the 2012 Distinguished Global Citizen Award from Macalester College. Mr. James A. Williams has served as the Actor's Equity Principal Delegate.
Mr. James A. Williams is represented by Bret Adams Ltd, Artists’ Agency.
Mr. Williams’s commitment to arts activism is longstanding. He has led social justice theatre workshops at Brown University, Colby College, Macalester College, University of Minnesota, the International School of Kenya, and at Nshupu and Akeri secondary schools in Tanzania. He has served as Artistic Director of the Mill City Players youth troupe since 2018 and as Associate Company Member at Pillsbury House since 2008, where he created the teen social justice ensemble Power of Our Voices. Mr. Williams served as co-director and acting coach for Seeds of Change program in St Paul, using theatre to engage African American boys. As Artistic Director for the Hennepin County Home School theater project, he led a six-week playwriting workshop for incarcerated youth. Mr. Williams contributions were essential to the development of several Illusion Theatre touring shows about social justice, among them For Adults Only, Family and Amazing Grace. With that company, he also created main stage work with luminaries of American theater such as Steven Dietz, Matthew McGuire, and Ping Chong.
The Star Tribune named James A. Williams Artist of the Year in 2003 and 2008. He is also a 2008 TCG Future Leader of American Theater, 2015 McKnight Theater Artist Fellow and Fox Foundation Distinguished Acting Fellow, and a Lunt-Fontane Fellow in 2018. For his work with youth, he received the 2012 Distinguished Global Citizen Award from Macalester College. Mr. James A. Williams has served as the Actor's Equity Principal Delegate.
Mr. James A. Williams is represented by Bret Adams Ltd, Artists’ Agency.
