Interviewer: Anthony Andujar Jr
Interviewee: Rock Wilk
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| Photo courtesy of Rock Wilk |
Hello and welcome to the Artist Ant Interviews People Summer Series! Welcome to another edition to my latest talks with local and global creatives that are alive, hustling and thriving in their respective crafts! Today I have a special guest that I have known since my days in high school. I met this individual while attending a college accredited course in my high school that focused on Poetry. One day, my teacher Mindy Gorlin invited a guest poet to showcase his work, and talk about poetry and writing to the class. Little did the students in the class know what they were gonna get themselves into with this guest.
This man did a whole one act play, a one man show that left the class in shock and in awe. His ability to be raw about the realities of life, while balancing the harshness of reality with subtlety, humanity, flaws and all was something that resonated with me at the old age of 17. Bonds were connected, and through this individual, I befriended others such as Prelo White, who through her, I met others as well. Its safe to say that this guy opened a door for sure. But I think I’ll let him tell his story, and trust me, its a hell of a story that is dense. So saddle up those rusty cobwebs, prepare your visors, and feast your digital eyes and ears to the one, the only, Rock Wilk!
Q0. Who are your inspirations?
RW: I have many people who have inspired me. You might know some of these names, but some I'm sure you don't, but since you asked, here you go, off the top of my head, and not just artists, but for human reasons as well. For me, the soul and a person's intentions, and actions that come from those intentions are what inspire me. Google them if you don't know, but still, you might not be able to find some of these amazing people, because they're just friends or "family" of mine...
My Grandmother. My mother. My father. John Coltrane. Malcolm X. Tommy Smith and John Carlos. Gregory Hines. Jeffrey Wright. My director Reg E Gaines. My former director Stephen Bishop Seely. Nelson Mandela. Norman Lear. Tony Kushner. Savion Glover. Stevie Wonder. David Simon. Denzel Washington. Prince. Keith Jarrett. Anthony Andujar. Jason Sisino. Audrey Martells. Lou Liberatore. Ruthy Valdez. Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Richie Hart. Erik Carlin. John Olichney. Joe Ham. Gene Torres. Bill Dotts. TM Stevens. Phil Clendeninn. Bettina Gold Wilkerson. Julie Griffin. Abby Fiorella. Francesca Rollins. Kathleen O'Grady. Rachel Corrie. April Dinwoodie. Barbara Vann. Natasha Kubis. Valerie and William Bell. Tongo Eisen Martin. Jack Rollins. Lisa Marie Rollins. Chelseah Susannah Moon Joachim. Richard Ziman. Jim Wharton. Phil Wharton. Norma Reza. Mickey O'Grady. Ken Gorka. Johnny Kemp. George Benson. Elaine Stritch. Rita Moreno. Whoopi Goldberg. Billy Crystal. Robin Williams. John Leguizamo. Spike Lee. Chris Spain. Thomas Rome. Jack Sharkey. Okay, I'll stop, that's really just the tip of my inspirational iceberg...
Q1. How did you get into art, most notably writing and performing?
RW: I was always an artist. To my core. I taught myself to play the guitar when I was five years old, my Grandmother gave me a Guild at that time, and music just always affected me in this visceral way where it made me "feel" things that I didn't understand, but I knew that what I was feeling was important to my existence. I was always inspired to tears by meaningful art, beginning way back when I was a little kid, and even if it wasn't sad, it just overwhelmed me. I remember hearing music coming out of a gospel church when I was about four years old, I was walking to a football practice that was behind this church, and I just stood there and started weeping.
What I was hearing just permeated my spirit, and I guess it just made me feel like love. Or maybe it felt like justice to me. Like equality. Like this is what the entire world should be feeling like together. This kind of empathy that I was feeling. This deep emotion. This... love. I guess I just repeated myself, and that makes me a bad writer right now, but it's the truest thing, and so... sorry but not sorry. lol. That's really the only way I can describe it. Or like seeing a great play made me want to be an artist... my mom used to drag me to the theater all the time, kicking and screaming, but when I got there, and I witnessed a great theatrical performance, or a film, a great monologue. Great songs. A moving story. Any and all of that can just bring me to an emotional state that is so much higher than your normal, run of the mill feeling, or frame of mind.
Art has always transported me to an elevated place, and so, those experiences kind of let me know... this is where I belong. Seeing Whoopi Goldberg's one woman show, a long time ago, made me want to be a solo artist. That performance just made my head explode, in all of the most beautiful kinds of ways, and so, what I'm doing today is, in large part, Whoopi's fault. lol..... and, so.... when I perform, that is when I feel most alive. I can remember the very first time I performed a monologue in front of an audience, it was a piece about my search for my biological mother, and in that moment, while I was sharing this story with all of the people in that space, I knew that what was happening between all of us in that room was the reason I was born. That kind of exchange. That type of sharing. On stage is where I feel completely safe. Whole.
Now.... As far as the writing part.... I'm kinda like Dorothy Parker. I don't really love the process of writing, but I love having written. She said something to that effect, and I am in complete agreement with her. ;) I love when I am finished so I can memorize what I wrote and get myself out there to share that writing with as many people as humanly possible, in as many different and diverse places as I can physically get to. Okay, I'll get to the next question now, I feel like I'm rambling a little bit, am I??????????????
Q2. When did begin taking your craft seriously?
RW: I was born serious. Period. True story.
Q2.1. You've had successful off broadway plays plays such as Broke Wide Open, and Brooklyn Quartet. What inspired these plays, and what were they about?
RW: BROKE WIDE OPEN was a "memoir" of sorts for me, the story of my life, and it kind of became an adoption story as well, but it was really a "coming of age" story for me, and so important to the progression of my life as I wrote that play right after I left the music business and embarked on this next part of my life in theater and film. It began as an album, evolved into a performance piece called Ma'Plej, and then ultimately found its way back to its original name and because a musical theater piece. One of the greatest experiences of my life. A six year journey that took me all over the world. Just amazing, and it literally changed my life. Transformed me. I would have to say that I finally grew up during that process. My director, Stephen Bishop Seely literally taught me how to be a theater artist during that process, which I am eternally grateful for, but at the end of the day, my BROKE WIDE OPEN journey was also a self-taught life lesson about how to get your art up on its feet, and all that is necessary to do that. Tangibly and spiritually.
What it takes to really do this kind of work as your life, meaning the commitment, the sacrifice, whether or not you really have the love and the energy to deal with all that it takes to take an idea, and turn it into an actual show to bring to a theater, all of that kind of stuff has to come from this "energy", or "power" that lives inside of you, and that is the stuff I was born with. A lot of it, for sure. But Stephen showed me how to be a professional actor. How to produce. What "downstage" and "upstage" means, stuff like that, how to deal with lights, set design, collaborators, reviewers, theater owners, how to actually map out the plan of the progression of a show, etc, etc... I mean, I learned a lot during that time from him, to say the least. I guess he was a great mentor, and I think to find someone like that is a precious gift, and so, I'm lucky. But I also have that "thing" inside of me, that "stick-to-it-iveness" that is crucial to being able to sustain this kind of life for many years, and so..... yeah.. that was BROKE WIDE OPEN..... Now.... Brooklyn Quartet was born out of a song, that eventually became a poem, based on the Sean Bell shooting/murder, at the hands of NYC police officers in 2006.
I was so moved by that story. Fifty shots toward an unarmed young man, it made me realize that, simply because I am a white person, that could never possibly happen to me, that the police, and the world in general, just don't have that same, built-in "fear" toward a white man, built up over generations of systemic racism, and so, Brooklyn Quartet is about just that... meaning racism, white privilege, and all of that kind of socio-political madness, but at the heart of it, BQ is really a love story about three kids who grow up together in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn, one black boy, one white boy, and a Latina, and how they are in love with one another, meaning the best of friends, and what the world does to each of them individually, and to all of them collectively, to their friendship, simply because of the way they each look. Who they are. You know, the parts of them that they can't change. All told by an angel named Queen.
I call Brooklyn Quartet a beautifully tragic love story. Reg E Gaines directed it, he's the guy behind Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, meaning the terms "Tony Award" and "Grammy Award" have to be attached, every time you talk about Reg and his genius self, and so, BQ was a magnificent five year experience for me, to get to work with someone like Reg, and to work on material where the subject matter was pretty much all I think about, every minute of my life, meaning racism and privilege and relationships. How cool is that? Oh, and did I mention I became friends with the Bell family as a result of this work? See what art can do? Amazing. So... Brooklyn Quartet.... Sound interesting? Go watch the mini series, it's pretty dope, I have to say, you'll LOVE it. It's directed by David C Diaz, an awesome artist/filmmaker, and you can find it at my website or on YouTube. Okay, self plug. What can I say? I'm an independent artist. We gotta scream for ourselves to be heard. ;)
Q2.2 What adversity did you face when creating these projects? And how did that inform your approach from one project to the next?
RW: I don't look at any of my process as "adversity". Just process. Part of the deal. You have to come up with the story. Have a vision. You have to put it into some kind of form. You have to work your ass off to make it entertaining, so that people will have a great experience in receiving your story. You have to do the business involved in whatever needs to be done to get it "to the people", as they say. Promotion. PR. Marketing. Social Media. You have to find money. Raise money. Find producers. You have to get out there and be the face of your work, or find someone to represent you. You have to have an end-game. What's your point? Where are you going with this? How can you make it happen. The adversity is just like life in general. How do you get to tomorrow? But really, it's all about "today". What am I going to do today to get me to tomorrow? Life is adversity every day, and I love it. Every drop is something to be grateful for and to never take for granted. No complaints here.
Q2.3. How long did it take for you to develop Broke Wide Open? What was the writing and rehearsal process like?
RW: BROKE WIDE OPEN began as a music album, evolved into a performance piece called Ma'Plej, eventually came back to its original name and grew into a full blown musical theater production. And my first play. Once I decided to take this collection of songs and turn them into a spoken word piece, so to speak, I basically wrote every day for the next six years. Literally, I worked on that play for six years of my life. Tweaking and adding, subtracting and changing, it was a life altering experience for me. And I did it in front of people.
Once I had more than three minutes of my work memorized, I started showing up in poetry clubs and other various open mics, working it all out in front of audiences, and so that put me in the poetry world, while also performing quite a bit out in the streets and in parks all over the place, which led to these impromptu Q&A's with strangers, which I learned so much from, and so, BROKE WIDE OPEN was truly a communal project with the entire world, because I did this kind of stuff from here in NYC to LA and London and everywhere in between.
I was all over the place, and it was amazing. Eventually I had well over 2 hours of a story in my body, worked on it for at least eight hours every day, because you can't just memorize words and expect that to be good enough to share with people, you have to digest those words, and then tell the story with all of your soul and spirit, and so this was quite a journey for me, a gift, and a magnificent learning experience. Amazing. Also, obviously, eventually I got to a more formal rehearsal process with my director, Stephen Bishop Seely, (see above question with more information about him), and that was integral to my process, as well.
Q2.4. When creating Brooklyn Quartet, what set it apart from Broke Wide Open? What informed you that the approach for Quartet had to be different from your last project?
RW: Simply because it was a completely different story, that makes the entire process unique unto itself. I have certain "principle" that I work with, meaning my rituals and disciplines in doing what I do, meaning I know what it takes to accomplish all of the things necessary to get a play up on its feet, but since BQ was a completely different story, I honored that process in a different way. First of all, I had a different director, ultimately, and Reg E Gaines works completely differently than Stephen, so my process was different simply for my collaborators. Also, I was able to skip over a lot of what I had to learn during my BWO journey, and so, I was able to get right to the heart of putting up the play with Brooklyn Quartet. Hopefully each new project has us armed with more and more useful knowledge to make it easier to get to the point of the work. What is the story about? Why are we here? What do we want to happen? Stuff like that.
I guess the main difference in the process between the two plays was that I had different directors. Stephen directed me for a short while with BQ, but he never felt like he was the right guy, and so he eventually moved on and reg and I came together, and so it all worked out well, especially for me, having had the opportunity to have had input from TWO genius directors/theater artists/human beings. But at the end of the day, this project, in it's best and full-on-production form, was a collaboration between reg and myself, and I think it represented who we are as people, which I think is common. Obviously. Whoever is putting in the work leading up to production should have their souls all over what is eventually shared in a performance space, and that was certainly the case with BQ. reg and I were hopefully represented well with my performances each night.
Q2.5. Your play tends to have subtle commentary on being a native New Yorker, and also race relations. It's very reflective and introspective which can be difficult to navigate and discuss. How did you navigate such territory in a subtle way that asked the audience to reflect their own realities that most try to deny?
RW: Subtle? I appreciate that. I wonder how any people would say "subtle" and "Rock WILK" in the same sentence. lol. I am a New York snob, I admit it, I think this is the greatest city in the world, simply because it is the most diverse, and even with all it's issues, I am so proud of how we all co-exist here, and I love to let people know that as often as I can, because I honestly feel like if people around the country had the opportunity to engage with human beings who happen to be different than them, meaning they look different and pray to different gods and love differently, stuff like that, I believe if you have neighbors like that, you will get to know them, and once you know someone, it's much harder to hate them, and so, hail New York City, all day, every day, even though I hate it sometimes too. ;) You know what I mean, there's so much energy here, it's stressful, it's not an easy existence, it's getting more and more expensive, and actually becoming less and less diverse, and so, at least for now, we're still the best place to co-exist, as far as I'm concerned, and as an artist, I like to include that in all of my stories, if at all possible.
Also, let's face it, because of our diversity, we have the best food, the most access to art, meaning we are the most culturally rich place in the world, we live in a physically beautiful place, and so, yeah... all 'a that, I <3 NY, 4 Sure, and I like to sprinkle that all over my work. As far as your reference to race relations... to me, there is nothing more important that talking about race relations. Anything that can raise awareness and make this a better and more equitable world for everyone is a good thing, and as an artist, I feel it is my absolute responsibility to include that in my work, no matter what it takes to figure out how to do that.
As artists, we have the opportunity to disrupt all that is unjust and point us all in the direction of a better world, and so, we need to always try. At least that's my opinion, and I'm sticking by that, always. (these are a lot of in-depth questions, Anthony Andujar, I hope I'm not filled with mad typos here. You know I don't go back and edit much, and so, sorry in advance if there are many of those. But I think everyone speaks fluent "typo" these days, anyway, so I'll say it again, you know what I mean)
Q2.6. What rehearsal spaces do you tend to develop and perform your projects in? How does it influence your work?
RW: I think I answered this already. I use the world. That sounds crazy and maybe corny, but it's true. I mean, I love being in a "proper" rehearsal space, and I have had the great fortune of being "artist in residence" at a few theaters here in NY, like The Medicine Show (Thanks Barbara Vann, RIP), and PRTT (Thanks Rosalba Rolon and Alvan Colon-Lespier), and that is always awesome, but I can rehearse anywhere. I actually rehearse all over the city, in parks and on the street, in the train, under bridges, I can always find a space to work, and I actually love to work like that, and being around people greatly influences me, just from feeling all of that energy moving around me. Does that answer this question?
Q2.7. You currently have a new project in the works. What is the name of the project and what it is about?
RW: Imagine Judith. It's about my biological mother. The story of her life. It's an adoption story. A story about mental illness. Family. Resilience. Love. Things like that... It is also a story about separation, and is a direct metaphor for what is going on at our southern border and beyond. Families being ripped apart and children being separated from their families. I'm kind of telling two stories at once. I'm really excited about this work.
Q2.8. You also do the music for most of your work as well right? What's the kusic process like, and how do you decide what makes it to the cutting room floor as a musician and as a one man actor/show?
RW: I just sit with my guitar, or my keyboard, and play what I feel. It's really that simple, and not all that deep. I think if you are someone who pays attention, whether you are a musician or not, you know what feels right. What is appropriate. You don't have to be Ennio Morricone to score a story. You just have to have a soul. Empathy. If you're a musician, then you have the advantage of bringing that to life, and so I am fortunate in that I can do that, but the process is completely organic and off the top of my head, in the moment.
Q2.9. is there any other projects in the works that readers should keep an eye out for?
RW: Imagine Judith is my entire life at the moment. I have a poetry/photography ebook for sale at my website, and also, you can see Brooklyn Quartet as a mini series/film, also found at my website, so that's something people can have access to. Other than that, I'm going to be performing all over the country for the next six months, and actually for the next year and a half, and so, I would just say stay close to the calendar page at my website, or follow me on social media, and you will know where to find me. I'm really easy to find ;)
Q3. What drives you in your daily life?
RW: Relationships. Trying to be a person who contributes. Making sure my work feels meaningful and disruptive to me, so that it hopefully feels that way to whomever is nice enough to come and see it. Keeping my intentions in order. Staying healthy. Taking care of the environment in all of the ways I can, as an individual person. Paying attention to people around me. Being polite. Kind. Patient. Trying to be a good friend. Being aware of my time and trying my best to use it wisely. Being productive. I'll stop now.
Q4. What made you the person that you are today?
RW: Damn... all of the people I have even known and all of the places I have ever been. How's that?
Q5. If you could speak to any living creator or inspiration, who would it be, why, and what would talk to them about?
RW: I thought about this one for a long time. In this current world, Charlamagne tha God resonates with me the most. At the moment. He just seems like a really smart and empathetic person, who says what he thinks with no apologies, and never seems like it is self serving bullshit. I would probably talk to him about art. What he feels is valuable and contributing art. I would ask him how I could help more with my art. What would be tangibly meaningful. I would talk to him about appropriation, culture, things like that. I think he would be a great person to talk to about many things that I am preoccupied with.
Also, off the top of my head, I would love to be able to talk to Jeffrey Wright, because I have never seen him in a role where I didn't believe every single word he spoke. Whoopi Goldberg to tell her I am a solo artist because of her. After seeing her one woman show many years ago, I knew that was what I needed to do with my life. She made my head explode with inspiration that night. There are so many more....
Q6. If there were any deceased creators , actors, singers, writers, etc that you would want to speak to, who would it be, and why?
RW: Sammy Davis Jr., Michael Jackson, John Coltrane, Johnny Clegg, Gregory Hines, August Wilson, James Baldwin. Lena Horne. Rita Moreno. Nina Simone. Frida Kahlo. There are many more. I would ask them all the same things I would ask Charlamagne tha God. How can my work matter the most? I think I would be looking for artists who I think have had to endure the most to be able to share their work and be successful, and I would be curious, in this current world, what they would want to hear from an artist like me. A white male, doing the work that I do.
Q7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
RW: Right now? Hook Mountain State Park, in Nyack, NY, to run on that trail along the Hudson River. One of my happiest, most spiritual places.
Q8. What is one thing that you fear?
RW: Conventional doctors. Hospitals. Nurses.
Q9. If you had a superpower what would it be and why?
RW: I would be a healer. Both physical and spiritual. I would wipe out all painful and life shortening illness, the painful and horrific ones, and I would obliterate all forms of hatred. Racism, homophobia, xenophobia, sexism, all of that horrific sh*t would be gone. I would just close my eyes, and wish it all away, send it into the soil and water and turn it all into this cleansing energy to heal all of us and our planet, simultaneously.
Q10. What catches your attention when you meet people?
RW: Energy. Period.
Q11. What is one word of advice that you would impart to your younger self?
RW: You can do better, but you're probably doing the best you can. Keep going. Listen. Watch. Learn. Be patient. Be active. Be empathetic. Be strong. Be love.
Q12. What are three books that you always remember or return to, and why? How did they shape you?
RW: I never read much, but The Little Prince because it's all about believing in things. I love that book so much. Gulliver's Travels because it's really about racism. Islands in the Stream, which has me always thinking about our choices as artists, and how those choices can affect the people we love, and the quality of our lives. The circumstances of our lives. As an artist, the choice of how you approach your work will impact your entire existence. The Second Brain, which is kind of like a medical journal, about our digestion, and about how we have an entirely unique neurology around that part of us. I am obsessed with health and nutrition.
I'm going to add a fourth... The Wharton Stretch Book, because it saved my life and taught me how to move my body and take care of my strength and flexibility correctly. As an athlete, I thought I knew, but I didn't, and as a performer, meaning a solo performer, I can't tell you how important this book has been in keeping me on stage, healthy and strong enough to do the things I do when I perform. Yeah... this is my favorite book. ;) (oops, I just realized that's five, sorry... I didn't even get into The Odyssey, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Praying for Rain, Beloved, The Fire Next Time... I'll stop now.
Q13. If you could continue or remake a movie, or franchise, what would be your film of choice ?
RW: I hate remakes.
Q14. If you were to make a film, novel, or comic book based on an album, what album or artist would you pick?
RW: John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". I would have it illustrated by Jacob Lawrence. And lyrics/story line added by Reg E Gaines. Choreographed by Savion Glover. Cartoon rendered by Anthony Andujar Jr.
Q15. Who In this life, has motivated you to stay true to what makes you who are?
RW: I don't know, outside of my own self. Just me. I have always stayed true to myself, for the most part, and when I have strayed from that, for example, when I was trying to be a pop star in the music business, it was extremely painful for me, and so, just me.
Q16. Where do you hope to see yourself in five years?
RW: Anywhere that feels safe to me. A place that feels peaceful and inspiring. A place where I can do my work and share meals with the people I love. A place where I feel a sense of community around me. A place where I can run and breathe clean air. Drink clean water.
Q17. What are three albums or songs currently, that you listen to on repeat? And why?
RW:
- Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert
- Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
- Donny Hathaway: In Performance
I listened to these today, and this changes every day, and I listen to whatever happens to inspire me, no particular reason, to be honest. I'm mostly a jazz head. Today I will rehearse to Bill Evans, "Sunday at the Village Vanguard"
Q18. What color speaks to you the most and why?
RW: Red has always been my favorite color. And black. I love black and white. I don't know why, it just "is".
Q19: What is your greatest weakness?
RW: Sweets. I am always on the hunt for the perfect muffin. I really have to fight myself not to eat too much sugar.
Q20. What is your greatest strength?
RW: Empathy
Q21.What's one thing that you're proud of?
RW: My intentions. My heart.
Q22. What is a mantra that you tell yourself?
RW: Don't ever be a person who just takes up space.
Q23. What is success to you?
RW: Making it to this moment right here, and always having the opportunity to do and be better.
--
Unearthing our past, to better understand where we come from,
and to learn about our identity, should be a basic human right.
In his third solo play, Rock WILK, who was adopted as a baby,
dives headfirst into the mystery of his biological family,
determined to unravel the intricate circumstances of his beginnings.
A story of connection and belonging.
Imagine Judith (coming soon)
www.rockwilk.com
You can also follow his work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockwilk/
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