Rodney Williams has found a home performing at Alabama Theatre and enjoys the variety of music he performs

Rodney Williams and the Alabama cast perform "Circle of Love" during their two-hour show. (Carl Kerridge Photography/Alabama Theatre)

If you have been to the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in the last 11 years, you’ve seen Rodney Williams perform — and he hopes to be in Myrtle Beach many more years. He’s originally from Baltimore but moved to the Nashville area and worked at Opryland in the late 1990’s. He formed a “wonderful” relationship with the production company there and later got a job with a cruise performing his own show. That’s where he met his wife who is from England — and is also the assistant choreographer at Alabama Theatre.

Williams and his wife moved back to Nashville where the same production company offered him a job in Myrtle Beach.

“I had never been to Myrtle Beach and said no thanks. I had been working on cruise ships and was about to have my first child,” Williams said.

However, a little later his job options changed and when he was asked again about coming to Alabama Theatre, he left his “guest entertainment gig” on a cruise ship, rented out his home, and moved his family to Myrtle Beach.

“I thought we would be here for a year,” Williams said. “Instead, we loved it and we are still here. We have a second child now. It’s a great, great area. As an entertainer, you usually have to travel to work. To settle down for 11 years in the same job is unheard of. But the stability we have found here and the love is just amazing and it is a great venue for performers.”

If you see the show, it is obvious Williams loves what he’s doing and has great chemistry with the Alabama Theatre cast of “One.” He performs a variety of music and says his Opryland and cruise ship background helped with that.

“I personally love it. When I was doing my own show (on cruise ships), I had to develop a show that would appeal to everyone of all ages, including Europeans. I could not just do Broadway or Motown,” Williams said. “I like the variety even if it is tough on the voice to switch during a show and do different styles.

“I have to really take care of my voice. I am a first tenor and sing some high, challenging stuff. Every year we do something different with the show and that’s cool. You find joy in what you do and we have been gifted by God to be able to entertain so many people each year.”

My favorites during the nearly two-hour show by Williams were “Circle of Life” during a Lion King tribute as well as his part during “YMCA” by the Village People. Both were in full costume that only made it better.

“This show and our Christmas show we touch on so much. We have Broadway, country, even rock with Fleetwood Mac. We attempt to cover a lot of bases and you have to be ready for a lot of things,” Williams said.

“Growing up in Baltimore, country music was not in my bag. When I moved to Nashville, it had to become my bag. We have to be all things to all people and have a fabulous cast of so many talented people who can do that.”

The show is scheduled six nights per week and he admits there might be time cast members can “get on each other’s nerves” but that does not impact a performance.

“We are there to perform. I see these people more than I see my own brothers and sisters. You are going to have little spats but you still have a job to do,” Williams said. “One of the singers and his wife just had a big Super Bowl party for us. We have a Thanksgiving party. The drummer has a pool party.

“I have been doing this for 33 years professionally now. You never let the audience know if anything is going on, but usually, there is not in this show.”

This is a foot-tapping, hand-clapping show with numerous costume changes by singers and dancers. The on-stage visuals are terrific and the dancers are a treat to watch while listening to a wide variety of music.

Williams says “One” always has several repeat customers and he has made friends with many regulars who come year after year.

“Some are season ticket holders who are local and some are people we see two or three times a year,” Williams said. He’s had a lady from Vermont bring him maple syrup. He’s had a school teacher bring books for his children to read.

“As a singer, I love to engage with the audience and look at faces,” he said. “I love to be able to connect with people. When you are on a cruise ship, you see people once and never again. It’s nice to know you have done something to have people come back. If someone tells you they came back just to hear you perform a song and you are special to them, there’s nothing more special you can feel.”

Williams is also like most of us — he’s a huge sports fan. He played three sports in high school. His oldest son made the middle school baseball team.

“Sports are a huge part of our lives,” Williams said. “My wife is very athletic, way more athletic than me. I tell my son I am his coach for all his sports. It’s nothing for me to get after it and yell out instructions. My wife sits beside me and tells me not to yell and strain my voice. I have to really watch it, but sometimes the fan/father comes out and I just yell out.”