We were lucky to catch up with L. Trey Wilson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, L. Trey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I don’t know if there was an actual first time that I recall. It feels like it was always a part of me. I was an only child so I was very accustomed to playing by myself. I don’t recall having imaginary friends. However I was creating imagined scenarios in which I was playing all the roles.. My favorites were space expeditions and disaster situations where there were lots of victims and lots of rescuers. I had twin beds in my bedroom (for sleepovers with friends) so often I would have fallen or be trapped on the floor between the bed, which in my reality was…hanging off the side of a building or being swept away by a strong current. One minute I’d be pleading for someone to hear my desperate cries before it was too late. A moment later I was on top of the bed, straining to reach the survivor, yelling for them to, ‘TAKE MY HAND!’ One day, during which I can only presume was a very catastrophic event being played out, I was interrupted by my father calling me from the kitchen. I paused the situation to open my door and go into the kitchen, where my father was cooking at the stove and without looking up, asked…”Are you okay?” Bewildered, I said, “Yes”.. He said, “Oh. Because I’m hearing a lot of voices and things going on.” I recall thinking, ‘well, yeah, someone is about to get washed away at sea!’ I don’t recall if I responded but I do remember him saying, “I’m wondering if we need to call somebody.” Even as a child, I interpreted that as if I needed help or something. I don’t recall if I said anything to that, but I do remember returning to my room, now aware that, my very involved and elaborate situations were being overheard and perceived as something….strange. I don’t know if I stopped but I do think I became self-conscious about it in a way that I hadn’t been prior.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m’ L. Trey Wilson and I’m an unintentional HYPHEN!
Acting is my passion, and I knew that from early on. I went to a high school in Chicago that had performing arts as one of its main areas. Afterwards, I left Chicago and received a BFA from a 4 year acting program. On the heels of that I moved to New York to pursue my acting career. My first jobs were working at Shakespeare Theater Companies. For the first two years out of school it was primarily Shakespeare. I worked in lovely outdoor venues and traveled. While that was enjoyable I wanted to do contemporary and on-camera work. I decided to visit my parents in Chicago and see what that scene was like and got cast in a couple of things while there. Something else happened that led to the start of my, “hyphen” career.
On three separate occasions I had encounters with police. Interestingly, as I write this, I realize that acting work was slightly related.
The first incident took place on my way to a rehearsal for a play I was doing in Evanston, Il. On my way to the train in the, late morning for a noon rehearsal, an undercover police car pulled up next to me. Two officers jumped out and stood in front and behind me and demanded to search my belongings. I asked why and told them I was on my way to a rehearsal. They said if there was nothing to hide, why couldn’t they look in my bad. I relented, They took the things out of my bag which included lunch, script and a couple of books, put them on the ground, thoroughly searched the bag, then handed it back to me and said, ‘that wasn’t so bad, was it?’ They drove off as I kneeled on the ground to put the items back in my bad which they hadn’t bothered to do.
I won’t bother with sharing the other two incidents that were more….challenging because the three incidents resulted in my second HYPHEN.
I WROTE about it. I began to write.
I’d always kept journals but never considered writing plays or short films but this was the beginning. Mainly because I needed some way to EXORCISE the experiences for my own healing and…it did! This is when I discovered that ART can HEAL..
After leaving Chicago and returning to New York, I auditioned for a part in a role playing company that created scenarios and situations that those working in corporate environments are having to reckon with. We would present the scenarios and then have conversations with employees about the consequences of particular choices and behaviors that mirrored their work situation. After a time, I “graduated” to being the person who, FACILITATED the conversations. The issues were varied but primarily focused on race, gender, sexuality, age and those differently-abled. This resulted in me recognizing that…ART can TEACH. These scenarios were so much more impactful than slide shows or films about the “right’ way to behave in work situations. We made the scenarios so familiar and specific for their work cultures AND it was LIVE right in front of them, that it really increased awareness around how many of them were relating and being perceived. I enjoyed doing that work a lot and since then have been facilitating conversations around various issues ever since.
Then, after having done a couple of solo performance shows, I was contacted by an Acting School to lead their students in creating their own solo performance pieces. Right before that started, the school’s On-Camera Acting teacher got a job in Canada and I was asked if I could possibly cover that instead. I’d never taught before and I think had that absolutely incorrect adage in my head…”those that can’t do…teach” . To anyone reading this, DON’T BELIEVE IT! I had worked on camera but never taught it so I immediately read through some books about crafting activities and scenes for particular lessons and dove in. What I discovered is…not only do I really enjoy it….but I believe I am a better actor as a result Now, I subscribe to the adage….’the best way to learn something….is to TEACH IT” There’s one thing to know something…there’s another in having to teach and explain it to others. Those were the other parts of my hypehen…Facilitator and Teacher.
Which then led me to develop my own workshops: Acting workshops and writing workshops, DEI workshops and “Other” workshops. Most recently I led one, (and I was asked to develop one for this topic) called, “LOOKING FOR THE ONE or THE ONE FOR NOW’
During all of the above, I’ve DIRECTED my own plays and short films.
Things have led to other things in unexpected and surprising ways and I’m grateful for ALL OF IT!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspects of being a creative for me is how it helps satisfy ever present CURIOSITY.
I think being an only child, I’ve always been fascinated about….what it is or means to be HUMAN.
I’m so intrigued about all kinds of relationships and relationship dynamics and fascinated about what brings individuals together or sets them apart. And the part TIME and CIRCUMSTANCES and HISTORY and CONDITIONING play in our experiences, collectively and individually. And the things I keep discovering or recognizing about myself. I believe we are all…works of art…in process.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Probably the most important things is to ensure that ARTS Programs are a part of every school curriculum. I’ve heard of occasions where it’s the ARTS programs that are the first to be cut when it comes to budget concerns. ARTS are VITAL and so important to learning and development. The passion for ART can be realized at an early age can last a lifetime. And be a benefit to us all. I’d like to think that was never more realized than during the pandemic. During that very difficult time, people turned on their computers and televisions, phones and radios to see and listen to artists. And Artists but visuals and words and music and performances that expressed so many different feelings and challenges people were having during that time. So often things that make the difference can’t be quantified…but it doesn’t mean they weren’t essential.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: L. Trey Wilson
• Linkedin: L. Trey Wilson
• Twitter: L. Trey Wilson
• Other: https://Ltreywilson.com

Image Credits

Photos by Jamaal