In this candid monologue, actor‑singer Tyrick Wiltez Jones recounts his artistic journey from a gospel‑singing childhood in Mobile, Alabama, through early school plays and thespian activities, to the pivotal decision to reject academic scholarships in favor of a performing‑arts career. He describes his parents' mixed reactions, the crucial mentorship he received at age fifteen from legends such as Gregory Hines, Ann Reinking, Yvonne Madison, Joanne, and Debbie, and how these mentors guided him when his family lacked industry knowledge. Jones highlights a career milestone—working on a Fosse production—where he transitioned from a reluctant dancer—due to cultural stereotypes about boys dancing—to a feature singer and dancer, learning the distinctive Fosse style. He details his self‑directed physical training (splits, ankle weights, stretch routines) that enabled him to master dance technique. Recently, he directed and choreographed his first show in his hometown, celebrating the support of 100 family members and friends, and expressing deep gratitude to his family and mentors. He reflects on the importance of remembering one’s beginnings, the impact of personal encounters with icons like Gregory Hines, and his commitment to pay forward the mentorship he received to the next generation of performers.
Chapters
I grew up in Mobile, Alabama, in the South, and I started— probably did my first play in church. I grew up singing church gospel music, and then I did like my first play in church, and then one in elementary school, and then I became a thespian in middle school. I think my last maybe 3 or 4 months of high school, I decided I was going to turned down a lot of academic scholarships. My parents were not that happy. My mother, very supportive. My father was like, "What?" But they end up coming around. And when I got— when I was offered my first tour, which was Showboat, they were like, "Well, maybe he is talented." And I had these wonderful angels who had supported me, who I had met when I was like 15, which was Gregory Hines and Ann Reinking and a lot of the people, Yvonne Madison and Joanne, and they really guided me because my parents didn't really know anything about this business. So they really helped me a lot. One of the highlights of my career was when I did Fosse because I grew up watching his work on PBS, watching Sammy Davis and Ben Vereen, and then to have the opportunity to work with, you know, Ann Reinking and Gwen Burton when I as such a young boy and really learn this style and to be on stage and do the original work, you know, and, and to be one of the feature singers and feature dancers in it was like, wow. When I started out in this business as an actor-singer, I didn't want to dance. Where I grew up in the inner city, boys didn't dance, so it wasn't considered cool, or, you know, there was a certain cliché with it. One of my angels said, said to me, it's like, you know, you should start dancing. And she said, you know, the more you know, the more you'll work. Going into that first class and being around people who have been dancing since they were like 13, it was something that I wanted to accomplish, so I wasn't going to let anything stop me. So I remember sitting down in my splits, which weren't really splits at that time, but I would do my homework, I would read books, I would watch TV until I was able to get that full stretch. And, you know, I have all of my splits and stuff like that up. And just living in it. Buying ankle weights and laying up with my tush up against the wall and my legs like spread eagle. Tonight I attended the first show I've ever directed and choreographed at the same time here in my hometown, Mobile, Alabama. I had about 100 family members and friends who came out to support. I just want to say I love my family. So thankful for them. I can't, can't thank them enough. They probably never see this, but I just want to say it. And they're all here and we're at a party, so I gotta go outside and, uh, have a little party fun with them and, uh, I guess say thank you a whole bunch of times because I would not be here if it wasn't for them. I was one of those kids who was founded by, you know, those 4 people: Joanne, Yvonne, Ann Rankin, and Gregory, and Debbie as well, and when I was 15. And so I was them, so I understand it, and I think it's And I remember knowing then what an opportunity it was to be able to work with these wonderful people in the business who took the time to teach me. And I hope that they don't take that for granted. But I said then, I was like, oh, when I make it, I want to be able to do what those people did for me to the next generation. I think it's very easy for us as actors the more success you have, to forget what it was like when you first started, what it was like to see your first movie or your first Broadway show, what it was like to talk to the first person who came out of that stage door and looked at you in your eye and signed that autograph or gave you a hug. Or, you know, I remember one of the most amazing experiences I learned in my career early on was with Gregory Hines. And we were at this event, and he came up to me and said, "Can I take a picture with you?" And I just melted because I wanted to ask him to take a picture with me. And that's what people do, you know, with stars. You go and ask them, "Can I take a—" And he came up to me and asked me if he could take a picture with me because he knew I wanted to take a picture and I, you know, but I just hadn't said anything yet. And it was just, it was just one of those moments like, that's what I want to be like.
