We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wesley Barnes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Wesley , appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

As an artist, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we only want to do work that we enjoy. Work that is fun, exciting, and meaningful. Now I will admit, sometimes it is hard for me to make sure that I always find a way to find some kind of joy in a project. Finding a moment to experience joy and to share that and give others an opportunity to share in that is meaningful. The connections that we make with our peers and viewers. Maybe the project moves someone else and makes them feel either seen or heard, or exposes them to something they never knew anything about. That is what makes the work meaningful. It’s all about perspective.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Wesley Barnes and I from Los Angeles CA. I knew from a young age that I was very interested in the arts. I was a church kid, my twin sister and I. We were in church more days than we weren’t. It was there that I started to sing. It was also at church where I was exposed to dance for the first time. Like many churches I had grown up seeing praise dancing but at my church there were tap dancers. I was obsessed. I begged and begged my parents to let my take classes and the answer for some reason (the cost) the answer was always no. When I was 10 years old I was called into the pastors office with my parents and he told me that he would be sponsoring my dance classes. He made my dreams come true.

Little did I know the people who owned this dance school, who were members of my church, were two legends in the tap world, Paul and Arlene Kennedy. Soon after I was asked to join their company. In order to be a company member you had to learn how to perform all styles. So I began to take jazz, modern, hip hop, African, salsa and Dunham. While performing with the Kennedy Tap Company I was also a member of the drama club at my middle school. My middle school teacher was amazing! She taught me how to tell stories and made sure I was able to keep training in high school. She introduced me to Los Angeles County High School for the arts which is were I spent for incredible years getting a theatre training at a public school like no other.

Post high school I went to Concordia University Irvine where I received a degree in theatre performance with an emphasis on acting and directing, along with minors in Musical theatre and Communications. During my time at CUI I was able to be a part of so many different things. I had several on campus jobs, worked in student leadership, Residential life, and even created and led an on campus organization. My time at this school really affirmed my leadership abilities and made it clear that I had something more to offer than just my presence on stage.

While I was in school I was able to work professionally at a couple of local theatre’s and was also offered the opportunity to teach from a couple of mentors who I had met through CUI, Tyson Garner and Kris Houston. Teaching at both if these local studios were just the experiences that I needed. I was able to connect with students who were hungry to continue on in their dance/musical theatre journey. It was clear that the students not only respected me but were truly improving as time had gone by. I remember having conversation with parents and they would tell me the difference they could see in their child. And that is not something I take lightly.

It wasn’t long before I realized that I enjoyed teaching as much as I do performing. Knowing how my involvement in the arts shifted my life’s trajectory, I knew that it could do the same for others.

After graduating college I moved to the big apple and started working professional at regional theatre’s throughout the country. I have toured internationally in Germany, Taiwan, and Italy, most currently finishing up the 50th Anniversary tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and the first Broadway National Tour of Mean Girls.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

During the pandemic the entire world had to shift. Right before the pandemic I was on tour with JCS (Jesus Christ Superstar). We were told that we would take a break for about 2 weeks or so and then we would pick back up and carry on. That 2 weeks turned into about 18 months. During that time we had to turn to technology. Companies and individuals quickly figured out how to make an online performances happen in homes across the world. Teachers had to figure out how they would continue to teach their classes and make sure they we still engaging with students. While this was proving to be challenging for most teachers in academia, it was a challenge I welcomed.

A few months into the pandemic I began to teach a series of classes. For a couple of months I taught acting classes to students at a local NYC charter school. Then moved on to teaching dance for another studio at home. This was a pivot that really began to enjoy. Especially in the height of a world wide pandemic I was especially grateful to be able to still do something I loved. I was able to connect with students and create work that gave all of us a distraction from our current climate. To be able to laugh, cry or dance even just for a few minutes a week it was something that was special for all of us.

A few months later as the world slowly began to open back up (depending where you were) I took a position teaching at Heidelberg University. I was teaching what I now call a Musical Theatre ensemble class as well as choreographing their spring production of Heathers. This was a magical experience. This particular theatre department was quite literally a family. They were a group of hard working, talented, and kind individuals who were excited about the work they knew was coming. Every time I worked with them be it in class or rehearsal I could see that they were listening to everything that came out of my mouth and absorbing it like a sponge. I continued to teach them and meet them where they were and saw how the work that we did in class and on stage changed them as a person and vice versa.

It was this work that led me to make the decision that I wanted to find ways to continue to teach and pour into others while I am still working as a performer. Thus the creation of an organization called “The MPACT Group”. MPACT stands for Mentoring Performing Artist and Curating Talent. M.P.A.C.T. is an organization dedicated to helping performers take their next steps, no matter where they are on their own journeys. Offering resources and services of all kinds such as classes, private coaching, artist consultations, self esteem building sessions and more! The goal this year is to begin mentorships with our professional artists and our aspiring artists, while offering workshops and master classes (in person and virtual) throughout the year.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As a performer there is so much power in what we do. The fact that we get to use the arts to tell stories is something that is so sacred and special. With our stories we can make people feel things in ways that will hopefully make them think, change minds, soften hearts, make them feel seen and even inspire.

As a young black man it’s not very often that we get to see depiction of black joy on stage. Being able to embody joy, amongst other things on stage and to have younger audience members feel represented by my being there is so very moving. There weren’t very many examples that I saw growing up in the professional realm so now to be that representation is a gift I didn’t know I needed. The best thing I can hear after coming off stage is…”You made me feel…”. When the work is effective and reaching the audiences makes it all worth while.

As an educator, teacher, mentor, the most rewarding thing for me is helping someone get past a block they once had. Helping someone to reach their full potential is also rewarding. Helping students realize that the first tool they have to figure out how to use is belief in themselves and if they don’t, I’ll believe for them. Regardless if the student becomes a professional performer or not, the skills that it takes to be a performer are also skills that help to create well rounded individuals. Resilience. Tenacity. Collaboration. Creative thinking. Empathy. Communication. Commitment. I pray that I continue to have opportunities to pour into others and inspire people of all ages and walks of life to follow their dreams.      

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wesleyjbarnes.com www.the-mpact-group.com
• Instagram: @wesjbarnes @thempactgroup
• Facebook: Wesley J. Barnes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wesisnext2normal

Image Credits
Matt Marcheski