Terrence Williams Jr. was a 'starving actor' living in Savannah when he hit the lottery.
A year after graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design, he was taking on roles as they came in. Then, he got the call to be cast in an off-Broadway production, “Titaníque the Musical.” It wasn't long before the musical made its way to the Broadway stage and brought Williams with it.
Williams, an Eastside High School graduate, made his Broadway debut in “Titaníque the Musical” earlier this year. This musical is just what it sounds: a spin-off musical of the iconic 1997 movie Titanic that retells the love story of Jack and Rose through the eyes of Céline Dion.
“I found out on a Friday and I lied and said I was local to New York, so they expected me in rehearsal that following Tuesday,” Williams said. “I literally left all of my belongings, took three suitcases and I couch hopped for the first month-and-a-half.”
Williams learned the entire show in less than two weeks while living on an air mattress in the city that never sleeps. He learned to play multiple different roles in the show when it was off-Broadway, covering for Jack Dawson, Victor Garber, the Seaman Iceberg and others.
In February of 2025, Williams decided to leave the show. Earlier this year, the show transferred to Broadway and Williams made his official return to the show in July.
“One of the co-directors, Tye Blue, calls me one day and I think it’s a butt dial,” Williams said. “And he was like, ‘How would you like to make your Broadway debut?’”
Williams was brought on as a vacation swing, covering all of the roles he had previously covered off-Broadway. As a vacation swing, he was ready to step in at any moment if necessary and fill in for that performer.
And once again, Terrence only had about two weeks to re-learn the lines, lyrics and choreography to the show.
“I love that it has always kept me on my toes,” Williams said. “I would love to shoutout swings because being a swing is work like no other. You are covering multiple roles, you have to be ready at a moment's notice and your function is to ensure the story being told does not lack because someone else stepped out and you’re stepping in.”
Williams said it’s a pressure he enjoys, giving him the ability to always be ready no matter what gets thrown at him. This is a skill Williams’ high school choral teacher saw for herself this summer.
“When he found out he was going to Broadway, he called immediately and was like, ‘It all started with you guys at Eastside High School,” Diana Rollo, Williams’ former choral teacher said.
Williams, born and raised in Gainesville, met Rollo his freshman year of high school. Rollo said he came to her as a quiet young boy who loved to sing.
“I immediately put him in my advanced group because he had that thing,” Rollo said. “He had that thing that performers have.”
When Williams graduated from Eastside High School, he stayed in touch with Rollo for years to come. And when Williams called her about his Broadway debut, she couldn't resist a trip to the Big Apple to see one of her superstars shine on the St. James Theatre stage.
“Just sitting there in the audience and then seeing his little face in the playbill, I just had so much pride,” Rollo said. “Just to know that I played a small role in his journey, it fills my cup as a teacher.”
Rollo caught the show just in time before it closed on Broadway Sept. 20. Williams is now stepping into some new shoes. He said he is working on original music and is hoping to land a role on the screen.
His Broadway debut was just a small break in a long journey in the entertainment industry. An industry that calls for hustle, humble attitudes and ambition to keep him going. It’s something Rollo always said she saw in that shy freshman years ago.
“It’s why we do what we do. To see our students succeed in whatever they choose to do,” Rollo said. “Terrence is one of those special kids that you just see the light in.”