Gender Play, or what you Will - About Face Theatre
(Jeff Award Nominations - Best New Work and Best Solo Performance)
“A glimmering tour de force through some of Shakespeare’s most compelling characters and real-life lovers… Gender Play, or what you Will is an exuberant celebration of the potential of storytelling, filled with decadent costume reveals, surprise dance parties, a robust mastery of Shakespeare’s work, and the talent that is Will Wilhelm... The treat of this is that Will is truly an excellent Shakespeare actor. The magnitude of their voice, the precision of their cadence, and the intricacy of their emotional life as an actor are really what drive the production.”
“Delightfully, unapologetically queer ... It’s not an easy task to recontextualize a set of plays and poems that have been infinitely recontextualized over the course of more than four hundred years, but though tarot, dance parties, and above all, queerness, Wilhelm and Murray have managed to do just that. Whether you’re a Shakespeare devotee like me or would normally pass on his work, do yourself a favor and come see this show. It’s something truly special.”
“The evening is filled with fun, festivities and flights of fantasy ... This incredibly original theatrical production isn’t exactly a play. It’s more like a Happening or an Event. The entire audience is made to feel welcome, unique and important. Whether straight, gay or something else, we all feel at home and accepted, thanks to Wilhelm. After all, we’ve been invited to a peppy, perky party that just happens to take place in a theatre. Two Wills are our hosts, and through them we discover our own will to just be ourselves. There’s a whole lot of fun, plenty of comedy, some deeply moving ideas, a bit of good advice, and a plethora of new concepts and information to take home, all thanks to Will and Will.”
“Clever and fascinating ... spending the better part of two hours in Wilhelm’s company is worth your time all by itself.”
“In this charming one-enby show ... Wilhelm digs deep into the experience of being othered as a trans person and draws parallels between the othered folks that Shakespeare made sure to represent”
“ In a forceful and captivating performance, Will Wilhelm plays the part of themself in the ambitious, highly spirited one-person show “Gender Play, or what you Will” ... It is new, different, and funny—and very perceptive. It is a tour de force and a must see!”
RENT - Portland Center Stage
“The beating heart of RENT is Angel... In this role, PCS could not have cast a better actor than Will Wilhelm, whose extensive theatre credits include two seasons at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Wilhelm (who also gets all of the flashiest costumes) exudes enough warmth and love to fill the whole theatre. The world just seems a little brighter every time Wilhelm is on stage.”
“Great care was taken to portray Angel, a character who blurs the lines between drag and transness... Will Wilhelm portrays Angel with an innate femininity that validates the character, and is genderqueer themself.”
“The real standouts in the cast are Will Wilhelm as Angel and Delphon “DJ” Curtis, Jr. ... as Tom Collins. Wilhelm brings an acrobatic joy to the aptly-named Angel —she is the character most adept at eliciting joy and in bringing out the best in the members of this community of artists, and Curtis’s Tom Collins ... knows he has encountered a celestial being.”
Mr. Burns: a post-electric play - Theater Wit
“Keep an eye on Will Wilhelm as Jenny/Marge/Mrs. Krabapel. Costumed like a battered, underwater Statue of Liberty, they are the humming coil that runs the length of the third act, sending out vocals that prove ‘falsetto belt’ is not necessarily an oxymoron.”
“Of particular note [is] Will Wilhelm, whose ‘Jenny’ provides both poignancy and humor in the early scenes and who leads the ensemble in the operatic production of the final act”
“Will Wilhelm is a marvel, a multitalented actor who plays refugee Jenny and finally a gutsy, scene-stealing Ms. Krabapel.”
“Extra credit goes to ... Wilhelm for all their roles”
“A vocal range that will astound you”
“Will Wilhelm’s winning falsetto”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Oak Park Festival Theatre
“A great handle on the poetry and inflections... Endows the character with a balletic physicality”
“A role they were born to play”
“Played with acrobatic glee by Will Wilhelm”
RENT - Metropolis Performing Arts Centre
(BroadwayWorld Chicago Award - Best Actor in a Musical)
“The show does feature some fine performances, most notably Will Wilhem’s star turn as the sweet, sassy ... Angel.”
“Angel ... played to perfection by Will Wilhelm.”
“Will Wilhelm did Angel proud, pulling off the sense that she could have pas-de-bourree’d right out of Roscoe’s at 3 AM with grace, gusto, and 6-inch heels.”
“Without a doubt, it is Will Wilhelm as the street percussionist drumming drag queen Angel who is the heart, soul and legacy of ‘Rent.’ Let me say that Angel’s death is handled beautifully – both visually and sensitively.”
As You Like It - Oregon Shakespeare Festival
“... Aubrey, a country person who is played charmingly by Will Wilhelm, who is [also] good as Le Beau, a lord attending Duke Frederick.”
Oklahoma! - Oregon Shakespeare Festival
“Even actors with smaller parts like Will Wilhelm (Leslie) should get at least dedicated sentences of cheers.”
Home Before Dark - The Ruckus Theater
“The greatest asset of Josh Sobel’s staging for the Ruckus is Will Wilhelm, whose sullen and hurting Sean is—in true teenager fashion—alternately sweet and exasperating.”
“Wilhelm ... is completely and unshakably present.”
Straight White Men - Steppenwolf Theatre Company
“Will Wilhelm is hysterical as [they mingle] with the audience members, bringing smiles to many of their faces.”
My Wonderful Birthday Suit - Chicago Children’s Theatre
“Ooblahdah – a prancing, pouting, purple pal played by puckish scene-stealer Will Wilhelm.”
Jesus Christ Superstar - Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
“Other standouts in this cast are ... Will Wilhelm, whose purring and posturing make Annas as despicable as he is winsome.”
“... and Will Wilhelm, whose Annas could tour with Lady Gaga, as is.”
Bette, Live at the Continental Baths - Hell in a Handbag Productions
“Eye candy”
“I will NEVER think of ‘Leader of the Pack’ in the same way again, after I heard Will Wilhelm’s rendition.”
“Eye-candy”
“TJ Crawford and Will Wilhelm bring the house down with great sounds of [Bette’s] music and comic touches.”
Peter and the Starcatcher - Metropolis Performing Arts Centre
“[Ryan Hamman and Will Wilhelm] are very funny. A note about Wilhelm. I have seen [them] do some bits over time, but have never seen [them] tackle a role such as this one. [They are] fun to watch and I am in hopes [they] will continue to grow in our theater scene.”
