Brooklyn couple enjoys life and acting together

​        Travis Williams, left, who plays “John” in the Brooklyn Community Theater production of ‘Many Things’ looks on while enjoying a bowl of icing as his wife (in real life) and actress Traci Williams, who is a “shopper” and “wife” of the Pastor (Jeff Britts) in the performance, back, duels it out with Martha (Randi Shaw), John’s wife in the play, over a battle that started with a stolen parking space at the mall on Christmas Eve and continued throughout the production. It ended with the two asking for forgiveness and hugging. The play centered around a mother who had done everything she could to give the perfect Christmas to her family, but finds all her hard work literally blows up, along with the Christmas tree and family cat, and she'll have to act fast to try and make everything come back together again. 

​By J.O. Parker
 
         Travis and Traci Williams take great pride in being community supporters.
      The Brooklyn couple not only stay busy working jobs and supporting their families, they are active in community, school and church events. And, they have enjoyed acting together in a number of Brooklyn Community Theatre productions and other performances.
        The couple has taken part in six plays, four of which were performed at the Brooklyn Opera House, one at the BGM Auditorium and one where Traci acted in “The Gift,” that Travis wrote and directed at their church last year. The play was a Christmas story told from the perspective of an aged shepherd who was there the night Jesus was born.
      “It was definitely a new experience for me,” said Travis. “I really enjoyed it but I think acting has less stress.”
      Of those BCT productions, three have been Christmas-centered. They included “A Carol Play,” “It’s a Wonderful Christmas Story,” and “Many Things,” all written by Josh Gerard, the Brooklyn Librarian, pastor and playwright.
        The fourth BCT production was “WCKY,” a play where murder and mayhem collide in hilarious fashion as a new radio station is preparing to air its first show in 1939.
      They have also had parts or worked behind the scenes in the “The Alibis,” a play that featured 22 local actors and actresses who kept the audience guessing whodunit.
        And they were part of “The Day the Internet Died,” a production centered around a small town who has to adjust after the Internet goes down for a whole week.
        “I’ve always loved acting,” said Travis. “I was in my first play/musical when I was in sixth grade and I was in them every year until I graduated high school. I was captain of our speech team and did a lot of solo and group ensemble pieces. After high school, I didn’t really have the opportunity to act in local plays until Josh Gerard of Brooklyn approached me about being in ‘The Day the Internet Died’ in 2022 and I haven’t stopped.”
        “I have always enjoyed acting,” added Traci. “In high school I stuck to mostly smaller parts but loved being involved in them. I didn’t really think about acting in local plays until Josh  asked if I would. I did backstage help for ‘The Day the Internet Died’ and then had a speaking role in ‘A Carol Play.” I really liked the idea of being able to act with Travis.”
         They both agree, saying “acting together is a great way to spend time together.”
“It’s also been really fun pushing each other to be better,” said Travis. “Sharing the stage together has been a real joy.”
        When asked how the couple balances life and play practice, Traci said it has become an art form.
      “We just have to be very mindful to plan everything out for that 6-8 weeks until the play is finished,” noted Travis. “Some days we are only home for an hour or two all day but in the end, it’s worth it. However, we’re definitely ready for a break after the last curtain call.”
       When asked if they have any tricks of the trade to help get ready for a production, Travis said there are no real tricks.
       “There are times we still feel like we’re going to forget all our lines,” said Travis. “But one thing that helps us is to be able to read lines together at home. We will usually take it a scene at a time and go over it again and again until it’s memorized and then move on to the next.”
       Outside of plays, the couple enjoys traveling, hiking, playing board games and settling down to watch a good movie together.
       “We are both very active with our church, Faith Christian Center in Montezuma, where Travis is the Youth Pastor and on the Worship Team and I am the sound technician,” said Traci.
      Travis attended and graduated from BGM High School and Traci graduated from Benton Community Schools.
      The couple met through Travis’ cousin who went to school with Traci. The couple started dating their senior year of high school, went to college at Victory Christian College in Tulsa, Okla. and got married in 2005. The couple moved back to Brooklyn in 2008. They have two children: Lexi who is 19 and attends college at Ellsworth Community College and Isaiah who is 15 and is a freshman at BGM.
       Travis works full time at Walmart in Grinnell and is also the youth pastor at Faith Christian Center and Traci works full time at BGM as a para educator