February 2022 | Page 63

my parents , I watched them grow up . I watched them evolve . I watched them change . I watched them continue to reinvent themselves for the sake of finding the space where they could live authentically in their own lives . And so I told them , “ Me becoming an artist is your fault .” ( Laughs )

ABOVE : Wilson Jr ., far right , poses with his St . Augustine High School drum corps during his senior year in 1989 . RIGHT : Wilson Jr ., in kindergarten , poses for a photograph .

LEFT : Wilson Jr . performs as Andre in Ain ’ t Misbehavin ,’ directed and choreographed by Kent Gash , during the 2004 – 2005 season at Trinity Rep — his first show at the theater . ABOVE : Wilson Jr ., pictured here in the eighth grade , played clarinet in St . Augustine High School ’ s school band in New Orleans .

Wilson Jr ., photographed here in 2009 ’ s A Raisin in the Sun , has been an actor at Trinity Repertory Company , the State Theater of Rhode Island , since 2005 .

Tell us about your stint in New York . Being a southern boy , we ’ re often taught to be afraid of those big northern cities . So in an off-Broadway rock opera version of Romeo and Juliet in Minneapolis , I got cast as Mercutio . It was supposed to go to Broadway , but it didn ’ t . But from that show , I met my agent in New York . That December , I got a call from his office saying , “ There ’ s a production of Jesus Christ Superstar on Broadway that ’ s looking for chorus ensemble members .”

So I flew into New York , had a great audition , but the auditioners said to me , “ Joe , you ’ re fantastic ; we wish we had seen you earlier .” And I ’ m like , damn it ; I can ’ t be late for another audition again , and I need to make the move to New York . I was in New York for two weeks and got a call back from Superstar saying that someone dropped out of the show . I booked the part . And I also booked a show called The Green Bird , which was Julie Taymor ’ s next piece after the debut of The Lion King .

Why didn ’ t you stay ? My career in New York was one of feast or famine . I ’ d work on Broadway , off-Broadway in the regions . I bartended at a gay restaurant in Chelsea . I worked again , bartended again . It began to be wearing on me . I was also there for 9 / 11 and that was tough .

But , lo and behold , I got a call to audition for a show at Trinity Rep called Ain ’ t Misbehavin ’, directed by my friend Kent Gash , and I auditioned for it and I booked the show . And so I left New York to come and do it at Trinity . People still tell stories about that show , when I got lowered down from a rope , shirtless , sweaty , smoking a joint . ( Laughs ) >>

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