Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lindsay Wheeler. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Lindsay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I guess the title “professionally” hasn’t always been the driving force as to why I wanted to pursue an artistic path. I have naturally been drawn to the arts my entire life, and as I get older, I know I’ll continue on this path no matter where they will lead because it is what I truly love. The first time I knew it was something I wanted to do, was when I did my 8th grade play titled, “The Rules of Shakespeare”. It was a comedic twist on Hamlet, and I was cast as King Claudius. Although in Hamlet he his the primary villain, this version gave me the opportunity to sink right into my silliness, to play a male role, and with a painted goatee and a royal crown and robe I was unrecognizable to my friends; I loved that. At the end of one of our shows, a woman came up to me with another older woman and told me how much they enjoyed our production. She introduced the other woman as her mother, and said she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and that she hadn’t been herself for a long time or even spoke very much anymore. But she then said she hadn’t heard her mother laugh like that in years, until our show and especially when I was on the stage.
As a kid that had grown up with grandparents who had both Alzheimer’s and Dementia, I knew how powerful these diseases were and how much they would change someone; simply forgetting who they were and those around them. I didn’t only appreciate what she said, but it also made me realize how powerful art and performance can be. In the most unexpected way it can somehow snap you out of whatever reality you’re living in for maybe even a moment, and bring you to feel something again. I think today, especially today, people need that more than ever. For the goofy 8th grader that I was, I was really fortunate to experience that and I have always carried it with me.

Lindsay, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up with two artistic parents, as well as my brother and extended family; musicians, singers, visual artists, and performers, so I felt from a young age it was a part of my future in some way shape or form. I was a choir kid my whole life, and I did my first play in 7th grade. I continued with it through high school and college, participated in community theatre productions, but oddly enough when I hit my early 20s I fell out of it for a bit of time. I have always worked in hospitality, so I pursued that full time, as well as an assistant teaching job in Asheville, NC. Just before COVID in 2020, I auditioned for a community theatre production again, and fortunately was cast. It was a musical rendition of “The Fantastics”, and although it was a show I was unfamiliar with at the start, it was that experience and the people I worked with that re lit my fire to pursue acting again. The following year I was accepted into The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York City, and although I had never even been to New York before, I fully transitioned my life to the city and started their 2 Year Conservatory program.
Making the life change to come to New York was not an easy one, but it was the best decision I could have made. With time, I know that more and more. Fortunately the Playhouse created a home base for me, and with it I was able to make a group of friends, a scope of the city, and an understanding of what I wanted to do. Since then I know now that I not only want to continue pursuing acting, but it has opened other creative doors in myself to explore other art forms I love: writing, singing/songwriting, modeling, photography, and other visual arts.
The two biggest things I took from the Playhouse were 1. To be a good listener. This doesn’t only help me in the acting world, but overall in life itself. As an artist I do my best to take in the world around me, (of course with caution at times), and with good listening it allows me to maintain absolute presence no matter where I am. And 2. One of my greatest teachers, Colleen Smith Wallnau, told us: “When it comes to the end, you’re all you’ve got.” And by that she simply meant, “believe in yourself”. I am in an industry that unfortunately can make it feel very difficult at times, but we have to remember that whatever it is that makes us unique, is what makes us stand out. Whatever someone might tell you is a “flaw or strangeness”- OWN IT. Because when it comes to the end, you are all you have so you must find a way to love what you have and who you are. As an artist, and simply as a human in the wild, I continue to share it with others around me and in my work. Stay present, be aware, and believe in yourself.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

With the rising toll technology has taken on society, and the dangers of AI in the works, the creative world has shifted and is only continuing to do so. I don’t really have a specific end goal in sight, but I do know what I want to give to people when I have the opportunity to work and be creative.
One of my jobs is at the long standing renowned jazz club, The Blue Note Jazz Club. Every day of the year, we have two sets each night, featuring incredible musical artists from around the world. With serving folks day to day, and watching them come into the dark club to escape the outside world, my favorite part of the job happens every single time: watching the people experience the experience. Although I do not get to be up on a stage to act or sing all the time, it is inspiring to listen and watch others do so, and I am incredibly fortunate to witness it. In my creative journey it is the value of bringing people together to share something that is happening right in front of them that I hope to continue to bring through my creative work. To inspire the value of presence, not just watching something through a phone, but to actually be there LIVING in it. Jumping, sweating, crying, laughing, singing, whatever they feel. Because that’s what life and art is all about, to simply experience it.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think the biggest lesson I am continuing to unlearn is not taking the word “no” to heart. Whether it is not being chosen after 3 callbacks, or not hearing a response after you sent in that self tape. Or if you go to an open mic or sing in front of someone and they have something negative to say like, “you were okay, but I don’t think that song was a good choice”. Or any form of rejection to bring you to a low feeling place, and to try and find your way up from it.
I’ve come to realize that usually whatever form of “no” that comes to you, it’s not personal a lot of the time. Now, have I tried to sing a song and it didn’t feel like it was in my wheelhouse? Absolutely. Have I auditioned for something that probably didn’t have a chance to work for someone like me? Hell yes. And have I had people just be openly negative and vocal about what they think about me after I tried my best? Yes. But when it comes down to it, move on. It’s not personal. As long as you are prepared, professional, truthful and kind, it does not matter. Sometimes you just aren’t the director’s vision, and sometimes it’s great to try a different song or keep working on the one you love anyways and nail it down the road. And sometimes, people are just rude. Don’t hang on to “no”. Learn from it, grow from it and move on.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: chic_rebellion18
• Other: I currently am working on a website/link page for my artistic work. I have just my personal instagram name. I am okay to share my business email:
  lindsaywheelerbusiness8@gmail.com

Image Credits

The first 4 photos and 6th photo are all examples of me in different ways of working, whether it be in film or theatre. The 5th photo in the blue shirt is me working at The Blue Note, I felt could be a bit more personal since I talked about the club in my responses. The 7th and 8th are a photoshoot/modeling. The last photo is when I was a student at the Neighborhood Playhouse in my camera class, also doesn’t need to be used if you want to use the more present day photos.
MODEL PHOTOS INSTAGRAM HANDLE- mia_reece
PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT INSTAGRAM HANDLE- yellowbellyphoto
PLAYHOUSE STAGE PHOTO INSTAGRAM HANDLE- mattsimpkinsphotography