Award-winning Producer ▪ Composer ▪ Cultural Curator
Award-winning Producer ▪ Composer ▪ Cultural Curator
upcoming projects
Fairfax Choral Society’s 60th Anniversary Gala
Nolan has been commissioned to compose a new choral work in celebration of the Fairfax Choral Society's 60th Anniversary. The work will be premiered at Capital One Hall on March 11, 2023 at 7:30 pm.
NOLAN's 'GRACE' HAS WON 11 Broadway World D.C. AWARDS!
The votes are in and GRACE is clearly the people's choice!
Special thanks to the many fans and industry insiders who have honored us with 12 nominations and 11 wins, including Best Musical, Best New Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (Robert Barry Fleming), Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance (Nolan Williams, Jr.), Best Ensemble Performance, Best Performer in a Musical (Nova Y. Payton), Best Choreography (Robert Barry Fleming), Best Scenic Design (Jason Ardizonne-West), Best Lighting Design (Xavier Pierce), Best Costume Design (Dominique Fawn-Hill), and Best Sound Design (David Budries).
Become a Friend of GRACE today to track our journey forward.
PHOTO CREDIT: Andre Chung
Nolan's DOCUMENTARY on D.C. STATEHOOD HAS won EIGHT AWARDS!
"Becoming Douglass Commonwealth," the documentary Nolan produced, co-wrote, and directed last year through his company, NEWorks Productions, has won a staggering SEVEN 2022 TELLY AWARDS and ONE 2022 DAVEY AWARD!
Presented by Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and produced by NEWorks Productions, "Becoming..." chronicles the long and complicated history of D.C.’s fight for full democracy featuring members of Congress, city officials (past and present), business leaders, and more. The documentary was released in April 2021 and has aired, to date, in five CBS east coast markets and on DCTV.
With over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents, the Telly Awards are the global gold standard for excellence in video and television across all platforms.
Established in 2005, the Davey Awards are presented and judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts to recognize extraordinary creativity produced by smaller companies.
Here's a full list of the prizes awarded to Nolan and his team.
GOLD PRIZES
2022 Telly Award for Best Documentary for Television
2022 Davey Award for Best Documentary (Online)
SILVER PRIZES
2022 Telly Award for Best News Feature for Television
2022 Telly Award for Best Direction for Television
2022 Telly Award for Best Editing for Television
2022 Telly Award for Best Writing for Television
2022 Telly Award for Best Political/Commentary for Television
2022 Telly Award for Best Government Relations for Television
'Let Freedom Ring!'
On Monday, January 16, 2023, Nolan music-produced this annual MLK birthday commemoration, co-presented by Georgetown University and The Kennedy Center. The 2023 Let Freedom Ring concert featured Tony and Grammy winner Leslie Odom, Jr. along with the Let Freedom Ring Choir and NEWorks Band.
Smithsonian's National Conversation on Race
In December 2022, Nolan produced the opening performance for the Smithsonian Institution's inaugural National Conversation on Race. The performance featured the NEWorks Voices of America performing selections from Nolan's touring concert production, STIRRING THE WATERS ACROSS AMERICA.
DAMIEN GETER'S 'AN AFRICAN AMERICAN REQUIEM'
Nolan's NEWorks Philharmonic Orchestra and NEWorks Voices of America joined forces with the Choral Arts Society of Washington to perform a critically-acclaimed, east coast premiere of Portland composer Damien Geter’s Requiem.
Photo credit: Shannon Finney courtesy of Choral Arts
GRACE @ FORD'S THEATRE
Nolan's musical GRACE had its world premiere at the historic Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. from March 19 to May 14, 2022.
Watch this WETA Arts/PBS feature story to learn more about the show.
Click here to view Playbill's first look images of the show!
Photo credit: André Chung
And check out these GRACE reviews...
"soulful and heart-filled..."
"soulful and heart-filled..."
"soulful and heart-filled..."
David Friscic, BroadwayWorld
"...a knockout of a musical"
"soulful and heart-filled..."
"soulful and heart-filled..."
Andre Hereford, MetroWeekly
"unstoppably entertaining..."
"soulful and heart-filled..."
"unstoppably entertaining..."
Gregory Ford, D.C. Metro Theatre Arts
AND MORE...
Social Practice Residency
Social Practice Residency
Social Practice Residency
In 2019, Nolan was named the inaugural Social Practice Resident at The Kennedy Center REACH. His focal project has been the development of STIRRING THE WATERS ACROSS AMERICA, his theatrical concert production that highlights seminal moments of the modern Civil Rights Movement from 1954 to 1968. Click here to view the gallery of images that chronicle year one of his residency.
Music Publications
Social Practice Residency
Social Practice Residency
Nolan is chief music editor of the bestselling African American Heritage Hymnal. Released by GIA Publications in 2001, this landmark compilation has sold over 500K copies worldwide. Nolan is also associate editor of Total Praise, the 2012 hymnal developed for the eight-million-member National Baptist Convention, USA, and third-most contri
Nolan is chief music editor of the bestselling African American Heritage Hymnal. Released by GIA Publications in 2001, this landmark compilation has sold over 500K copies worldwide. Nolan is also associate editor of Total Praise, the 2012 hymnal developed for the eight-million-member National Baptist Convention, USA, and third-most contributing arranger for Lead Me, Guide Me - Second Edition, an African American Catholic hymnal (2012).
Special Recognitions
Social Practice Residency
Special Recognitions
Nolan's honors include: seven 2022 Telly Awards and one 2022 Davey Award for his television special advocating for D.C. statehood, including the coveted Gold Prize for Best TV Documentary; three 2021 Telly Awards Bronze Prizes for his live chat series co-hosted with celebrity Chef Carla Hall and his voting rights anthem; 2019 Arts Advocac
Nolan's honors include: seven 2022 Telly Awards and one 2022 Davey Award for his television special advocating for D.C. statehood, including the coveted Gold Prize for Best TV Documentary; three 2021 Telly Awards Bronze Prizes for his live chat series co-hosted with celebrity Chef Carla Hall and his voting rights anthem; 2019 Arts Advocacy Award, Kennedy Center National Committee for the Performing Arts; 2017 W.E.B. Du Bois Arts & Education Award; 2013 honorary Doctor of Music, Richmond Virginia Seminary; 2012 American Cancer Society Award; 2012 Genius4Men Award.