“I wasn’t a singer before the musical this time,” Sixth Former Josh Williams said.
It requires time, effort, and confidence to perform in front of a crowd in any production. It is even more difficult to be both singing and acting—especially for someone who was not, until now, thought to be a singer.
“It’s been scary to be with so much vocal talent.”
Josh Williams ’25
“You know, sometimes I get imposter syndrome a little bit when I feel like I shouldn’t be there with them. It’s been scary to be with so much vocal talent,” Williams said.
To prepare for his role in the school’s production of How to Succeed at Business Without Really Trying, Williams began taking voice lessons as soon as he was cast for the role of J.B. Biggley—the president of the World Wide Wicket Company that the brilliant J. Pierrepont Finch (played by Sixth Former Finn Kelly) ascends throughout the course of the play, starting as a window washer and ending as the Chairman of the Board with the help of his quick thinking and a book called How to Succeed at Business Without Really Trying.
“It was honestly scary [learning to sing] because I don’t like putting myself out there,” Williams said. “I think that’s something that everyone knows, but with singing everyone will judge you on your voice.”
“You can’t just stop and think things will all work out.”
Josh williams ’25
At first, Williams struggled to commit. “It was very hard for me to buy into singing. I would go to a voice coach, and when we’re working and trying to warm up and stuff, I would be hitting crazy good notes. But then, when I would actually like get time to sing, I would like reserve myself and he’d say what’s holding you back?” Williams said. “I’m just like, bro, like, I don’t know, it’s my brain and it’s even worse because, you know, I’m on the stage where people have been singing for years.”
Williams is no stranger to the necessity of hard work to produce results.
“You got to stay consistent on the stuff. You can’t just stop and think things will all work out,” Williams said.
Williams practiced with the intent of always keeping his lines fresh in his mind.
“I have my mom practice with me, or I’ll record myself saying the lines that aren’t me. Then I’ll play the recording, and I’ll interject with my own lines, so I can get the flow of the language, and that really helps me, or I’ll have my mom read out to other people. I’ll sing in the shower, just to make sure I know what I’m doing,” Williams said.
His practice and time paid off, allowing him to overcome his nerves and to commit. “I know what notes I have to hit. I’m confident, my voice is sounding great, and I’m fully confident in myself,” Williams said. “And you know, I put so much work into this, and you do all the work so you can get something out of it. I’m really excited about that.”
