Darnell Williams
		Williams is on fire! Williams' Bonfire Night Opens This Week

	ALL MY CHILDREN’s Darnell Williams (Jesse) stars in The Cell Theatre’s Bonfire Night, which opens this week in New York. Part one of a trilogy of plays by Joan M. Baker, the drama revolves around a pair of mother and daughter Jamaican immigrants in Birmingham, England, on a national holiday known as Bonfire Night. Williams plays Reggie, the daughter’s suitor. Soaps In Depth caught up with the Emmy-winning Williams for some more details about his first theater project since returning to AMC. IN DEPTH: So tell me a little bit about how you got involved. Were you involved in the [Bonfire Night] reading in January, as well? WILLIAMS: No, this is my third production with Nancy [Manocherian, creative director] and Kira [Simring, creative director] and The Cell. This is a full production now, right? Yes, it’s a full-on event, costumes, sets and designers. And a couple of actors. What can you tell me about Reggie? Reggie is a man that has come to England a victim of a dream deferred. But manages to keep his hopes up. I’m sure we’re all too familiar with people who have immigrated to this country with degrees and no opportunity to take advantage of that higher education because of discrimination. I saw somewhere that you were born in London. Is that true? Yes. Were your parents immigrants from the Caribbean, as well? No. No, my mother and father are both from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. My maternal grandfather was from Nassau, the Bahamas. So Reggie has a secret relationship going on with Lorna? Yes. They’ve been going out for a while. Reggie does meet Lorna’s mother quite by accident. He was supposed to meet Lorna outside of the house but, because Lorna hadn’t shown up, he knocks on the door and meets Cynthia, the mother. And this all kind of comes to a head on a day known for things blowing up? Yeah, Bonfire Night. The bonfire transfers into the home. This is the first in a trilogy of plays about the Caribbean migration to the United Kingdom in the 1940s. Do you think you’ll be involved in the other ones? It would be nice. This was a little ironic because as soon as I started rehearsing, I started working four or five days a week, doing two or three shows a day, you know? Of course. It wouldn’t happen when you had nothing but time on your hands. Absolutely. How did you fit rehearsals in? It’s sort of rolling along pretty smoothly. Sometimes I’m late for rehearsals or sometimes I couldn’t make a rehearsal because I was working late. But for the bulk of the rehearsal period, I’ve been able to be there. Would you like to do more theater than you’ve been doing since you came back to ALL MY CHILDREN? Well, let’s see. One play a year would be nice. It depends on the bulk of the work I have at ABC. I always want to keep theater on my plate. Bonfire Night runs May 6-10 at The Cell Theatre, 338 W. 23rd St., New York, NY. For showtimes, tickets and more information, call 646.861.2253 or visit www.thecelltheatre.org.