William and Sue Wills
William and Sue Wills have been
working
together as a team on stage ever since the day they met doing a show
together
in Baltimore, Maryland in 1970. In May 2007, they passed 7,000 performances
on stage of various shows.
For the Presidents and Their First Ladies, dramatically speaking programs, William does the research (using mostly existing books and magazine articles and some original research), writes the first draft of the scripts, then Sue edits the same. Sue either "finds" or creates all of their costuming. Their daughter, Rebecca, is now their office manager and handles the bookings for all 300 appearances each year, making the contacts, getting out the publicity, and handling the books.
Sounds grueling, doesn't it ? But this is basically the same routine they used for 20 years when they operated their own theater company in the resort of Ocean City, Maryland. They presented not only Broadway fare, but 30 original musicals for children for which William wrote the scripts and Sue the music.
Those years were made more special because their three children grew up on stage with them:
Jennifer is now a professional Equity Actress living in NYC.
For the Presidents and Their First Ladies, dramatically speaking programs, William does the research (using mostly existing books and magazine articles and some original research), writes the first draft of the scripts, then Sue edits the same. Sue either "finds" or creates all of their costuming. Their daughter, Rebecca, is now their office manager and handles the bookings for all 300 appearances each year, making the contacts, getting out the publicity, and handling the books.
Sounds grueling, doesn't it ? But this is basically the same routine they used for 20 years when they operated their own theater company in the resort of Ocean City, Maryland. They presented not only Broadway fare, but 30 original musicals for children for which William wrote the scripts and Sue the music.
Those years were made more special because their three children grew up on stage with them:
Jennifer Hope Wills
On April 15, 2006, Jennifer became Broadway's newest Christine Daae in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. She has appeared on Broadway starring as Eileen in the Broadway musical WONDERFUL TOWN at the Al Hirshfeld Theater and was in the ensemble and understudy for the female lead of Belle in Beauty and the Beast
In 2005, she has played lead in the musicals Carousel in Pittsburgh and in Finian's Rainbow in Philadelphia
Previously she appeared as Sandy in Grease at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey
Camelot at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey
Jekyll and Hyde at The Carousel Dinner Theater in Akron, Ohio
The Secret Garden in Virgina Beach, and Norfolk, Virginia.
Please visit her web page jenniferhopewills.com
Daniel Parker Wills
Dan is now 32 years
old and in December, 2006 finished serving nearly 5 years of active
duty serving his country in the Army
Airborne, Long Range Recon.
Dan went into the Army late at the age of 26 and specifically wanted
Airborne. Dan was involved with OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM where he spent one year in the Kuwait/Iraqi
theater of operation.
Dan was promoted to
Sergeant on July 1, 2004 and in 2005 went back in Iraq for his
second tour of duty. Keeping with the family's theater tradition, while
Dan was stationed in Darmstadt, Germany he appeared in the play The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare at the base theater.
Dan has now returned to civilian life and returned to his hometown of Ocean City, MD. The Ocean City Town
Council honored Dan with a special proclamation upon his return home. He is currently Assistant Manager of The Days Inn in Ocean City, Maryland.
Dan has now returned to civilian life and returned to his hometown of Ocean City, MD. The Ocean City Town
Council honored Dan with a special proclamation upon his return home. He is currently Assistant Manager of The Days Inn in Ocean City, Maryland.
Rebecca Anne Wills
Becky is now 30 years old and the mother of five,
Toran, Joe, Ripton, Ethlyn, and Yishka. Rebecca is now Office Manager for Presidents and Their First Ladies