If you’re a regular theatergoer in Central Florida, you’ve seen Chase Williams onstage. Even he struggles to list the many theaters he has worked with — troupes ranging from Kissimmee to DeLand, Melbourne to Sanford, Winter Park to Winter Garden.

In a conversation, we come up with a dozen companies he has worked for in just the past four years. A native of Marietta, Georgia, who grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, Williams only arrived in Central Florida in December 2019 — just before work dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

So how has he racked up so many credits so quickly?

“I have a hard time standing still,” he jokes — sort of. But he’s very serious when he says, “I’ve been blessed with many opportunities to work with so many wonderful theaters here.”

His latest role is a big one: Williams will star in the Central Florida Vocal Arts production of “Sunday in the Park With George,” the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical about the struggles and sacrifices it takes to create art, inspired by Georges Seurat’s famed painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.”

“It’s been a mountain to climb,” says Williams of the show, which is directed by Ayọ̀fẹ́mi Demps. It opens Nov. 7 for a weekend run in the Pugh Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando.

He prefers musicals to plays — “Musical theater is where my heart lives,” he says — which is why you might have caught him as Monty in Osceola Arts’ “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” Josh in Garden Theatre’s “Big,” Trent in Theater West End’s “The Prom.”

Or maybe you’ve seen him as a wandkeeper or in “Grinchmas” at Universal Orlando or at a comic wedding on the Barbara-Lee rivership in Sanford. He’s a rival gangster to the big cheese at Capone’s Dinner & Show, which recently reopened on International Drive.

Chase Williams starred in “Big” at the Garden Theatre, opposite Olga Intriago. (Courtesy Stephen Miller Photography/Orlando Sentinel file photo)

“There’s not a lot of down time,” admits Williams, who also works at a lighting company owned by his girlfriend’s family.

His local debut came in 2021 as Prince Charming in a Central Florida Community Arts production of “Cinderella.” He lived up to the character’s name. I wrote at the time: “In fine voice, Chase Williams conveys the less-than-confident attitude of Prince Topher, who is charming in his insecurity.”

“It just went on from there,” Williams says of his string of performances. “I was able to steadily work, which was incredible.”

He thinks some of his success comes from the fact he doesn’t always set his sights on playing the leading man.

In a signature farcical scene of “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at Osceola Arts, Monty (Chase Williams) finds himself caught between Sibella (Holli Trisler, left) and Phoebe (Sarah Anne Mae). (Courtesy Osceola Arts/Orlando Sentinel file photo)

“I’ve always considered myself a character actor first and foremost,” he says. “It opens you up, and you get to play all different kinds of roles.”

Williams also “loves to disappear into a role,” he says, naming Uncle Fester in “The Addams Family” musical and Beast in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” as two of his favorites. “It’s fun not to look like me,” he says.

He’s enjoying diving into “Sunday in the Park,” which he considers “one of the more challenging shows I’ve done … Good old Stephen Sondheim, always difficult to sing.”

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Director Demps has added an extra element to the production  — resulting in an extra challenge.

“We’re playing [George] as being on the autism spectrum, which highlights his intense focus and sensitivity, his way of perceiving the world and expressing himself,” Williams says. “It’s cool to look at this show through a different lens. It adds a new layer to the show and the character.”

Williams fell in love with performing after seeing a video of Mary Martin’s “Peter Pan” as a child. He participated in small school plays and church programs until he finally tackled a big role in the school musical — “Footloose” — during his junior year. He played Willard, the cowboy sidekick who comically can’t dance.

Chase Williams and Bee Gutierrez star in the Central Florida Vocal Arts production of “Sunday in the Park With Geroge.” (Courtesy Angela Robbins, Moxie Brands via CFVA)

When he heard the crowd laughing at his big number, he thought, “This is awesome! I love entertaining people!” and a career path was set.

That joy at forging a bond with the audience is serving him well in understanding George in “Sunday In the Park.”

“I relate to George in his desire to connect through his art with the people around him,” Williams says. “His journey reflects the balance between the work and making a real connection with human beings.”

When he’s not onstage, you might find Williams behind the scenes: Handling and designing props, directing, writing, working on lighting. He’s currently part of the crew for “Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium” at Orlando Family Stage (where you may have caught him onstage in “Make Way for Ducklings.”)

Chase Williams was feeling ducky with Gabriella Juliet in “Make Way for Ducklings” at Orlando Family Stage. (Courtesy McKenzie Lakey/Orlando Sentinel file photo)

“It’s always great to wear other hats and express your creativity in other ways,” he says. “I have to be in the world of theater any way possible.”

He knows that from experience. He tried a 9-to-5 office job once, and his main recollection involves wanting to scream, “Someone take me away from this desk!”

“I can’t sit still too long,” he says with understatement. “I’d probably explode.”

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‘Sunday in the Park With George’

What: A Central Florida Vocal Arts production of the Stephen Sondheim musical
Where: Pugh Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave. in Orlando
When: Nov. 7-9
Cost: $47.50 and up
Info: drphillipscenter.org

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/28/chase-williams-cfva-sunday-park-george/