Community Highlights: Meet Terrace Wyatt, Jr. of Terrace Studios, LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Terrace Wyatt, Jr..

Hi Terrace, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I had 0 idea what I wanted to do with my life because I was busy being a kid eating ravioli and watching cartoons. I’m still that kid!!! It was obvious I was meant for the stage because of my ADHD; I couldn’t stop bouncing off the walls. My parents introduced me to many opportunities. The night I was introduced to theatre was at Starlight Theatre; watching the national touring of Disney’s: Beauty and the Beast. That night I caught the SHOWBUG during my elementary era; it came back in my middle school era and the rest was history.

The roots of acting began at Starlight Theatre through their education programs which led to my first professional show at Kauffman Center in Disney’s: Aladdin under Starlight Children’s Theatre. Spent my four years in high school with Starlight Stars of Tomorrow – a performance troupe presenting a mini performance from shows playing at Starlight on top of master classes from Broadway touring artists. I attended to Hogan Preparatory Academy where I did my first high school musical “Once On This Island, Jr.” as Papa Ge. Before then the school couldn’t afford a theatre department till my senior year. Years being on stage after school led the inspiration to get it going immediately. – Because of me! I went to William Jewell College for Theatre, finished with a B.A. in 2020 – IN PERSON! Ever since the pandemic I’ve worked with almost every theatre company in KC. The Coterie Theatre, Music Theatre Kansas City, KC Melting Pot Theatre, New Theatre & Restaurant, Kansas City Actors Theatre, What If Puppets, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Musical Theater Heritage, Leawood Stage Company, Starlight, The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, Whim Productions, you name it!!!! Acting has been my coping mechanism when I couldn’t find a way to express what I can’t use words for.

The catharsis to my heart has been writing. I had the intention of knowing my emotions that needed to be written down otherwise it was going to drain me really bad. Like a grenade inside me that can only explode in my creative world on stage. I write to feel safe and channel my thoughts that’s worth experimenting. Acting and writing together is a visionary work ethic that isn’t for the weak nor people are born with. It speaks to you as if you caught the Holy Ghost; let it out!!! That’s call being a director because you see what others may not see but it’s worth the creativity. Now I’m living my life as a self-employed actor who’s now investing in playwright, directing and producing under my production company Terrace Studios, L.L.C. (Est. 2024).

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is smooth if God’s not driving. You can’t face a ghetto planet alone without him. Being booked and blessed is a gracious thing to have; own it while you’re still in the business. Jumping from one project to the next with no gap to rest has been nothing to me because I’m built like the energizer bunny.

Until last year I realized I needed to slow down and feel the breeze because if you don’t sit still, you’ll forget to breathe. And if you forget to breathe, you’re doing anxiety a favor. I’ve had days and weeks of anxiety, mild depression, lack of sleep for feeling I’m not working hard enough to fulfill my dreams into a reality. For my family. I barely give myself credit for all I’ve bring to the stage and the lives I’ve inspired and friends I’ve made along the way. Everyone who knows me, loves me for who I am thus far knows what I’m capable of and that I can do all things through Christ because the life I’ve chose is not easy; it never was. I’m learning to be mindful of my pace. I’m learning to be kinder to myself even more. I’m learning to keep an open mind at all times because life is an educational rollercoaster and I’m not getting off. I’m thankful of the life I’m in the process of building with all the love and support from my family, my friends, my theatre community, and God for keeping me in line when I can get stubborn, anxious, or overwhelmed for no reason because what I’m doing with my life is worth the journey. Having an army behind you and a creative mind together is what makes a smooth road.

The biggest challenge for me, is to not come off as a show-off; everyone’s success is different. I don’t always enjoy bringing up my past productions I’ve worked on because it’s at the point to where I need to watch how I express it. If it’s giving the energy of “If I’m the best actor in the industry”, then that’s a red flag. I honestly hate artists who plays that card because that makes other artists feel some sort of way. I come from hard working people who couldn’t care less of what everyone’s success looks because that can lead to jealousy or negative self-talk. I’m an actor who comes to work, do the work, and not worrying about what people think of me. Who I am (as I’m still figuring it out myself) as an artist, as a human being, as a black man in his late 20s is a genuine, hustling, empathetic, joyous, animated, supportive, hard-working, artist you’ll ever meet!!! Ask anyone!!!

Treat people how you want to be treated. I love supporting my community because I see high hopes in everything. And I always encourage everyone to do the same. As much as life be lifing, you got to keep that spark that keeps you up at night, follows you in your sleep. For the love of God, KEEP GOING, PLEASE!!! Support one another. Give each other flowers for their hard work and on to the next big thing. Those are the supporters you want around. If no one likes your being for being yourself and chasing your dreams, that’s not your problem. Go to work and handle your business. Own your craft. Everybody’s journey is not the same, but it will be a smooth journey. Perfectly balanced is the goal. Again, nothing is smooth if God’s not driving.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’ve worked my tail off with almost every threatre of company in KC and every time I’m telling someone else’s story I get a pinch in my gut telling me to tell my stories. Not only I studied acting at William Jewell College, but I’ve also took the liberty in investing in playwriting. Between my junior and senior year, I took an independence course of learning the world of playwriting by reading as many plays as I can read, watch or see as many plays as possible and analyzing every writer’s work and the impact it has made for the creative team to bring their work to life from the playwright’s world.

SHOUTOUT to my theatre college professors from William Jewell College, Chris McCoy and Nathan Wyman for teaching me everything I needed to know about showbiz and that acting is not the only job in the field. I wrote my first play in college for a senior capstone as a test run to see if I want to write; thus, I do. The mentality came from Tyler Perry who started his career in the theatre world before bringing his iconic character Madea to film and television. His writing is authentic that you don’t often see on stage; his words come from his years of trauma, laughter, love, and knowing how powerful God is without questions. Highly recommend watching his plays; not everything he writes involves Madea. I love Tyler Perry because he’s opened so many doors for artists with a vision and not waiting for someone to say yes. He’s a prime example of getting things done by getting your stories told unlike Hollywood who keeps repeating the same concepts over and over like it’s something we’ve never seen before. Where at Tyler Perry Studios, the largest black-owned film studio in the industry in Atlanta, tells stories from scratch.

THEATRE IS AN ACTUAL JOB. Is it a minimal wage job? Yes and no. Depends. Every actor’s success is different. There’s more in the field than acting. You need stage managers, scenic builders, scenic designers, wardrobe, technicians, production managers, financial department, marketing, and many more jobs in the arts that makes art unforgettable. That’s why I’m more than an actor; I’m a playwright, director and producer. That is why Tyler Perry is the reason I started my own production company, Terrace Studios, L.L.C. A new organization for Kansas City, presenting original works from either myself or collaborate with local artists who’s hungry to make art through theatre, film, and television. How’s it different? That’s part of the journey I’ll know as the business grows. Right now, I just want to focus on telling stories for my city.

The goal is to start with theatre and continue building into bridging the gap into the world of film and television in the future. Working nationwide of multiple projects with Tyler Perry Studios, Netflix, A24, National Theatre, Monkeypaw Productions, MGM, Goodman Theatre, and Broadway – just to name a few. Overall, Terrace Studios, LLC is working its way to be Tyler Perry Studios for KC. Especially now with the Missouri Film tax credit, Kansas City is the next entertainment base for Hollywood.

How do you think about luck?
There’s no such thing as luck but there is such thing as blessings. Every show I’ve worked on I give it my all 24/7 no matter what; the funniest part is I don’t even try; the acting cocaine lives in me. The adrenaline of doing what I love. Now adding my production company Terrace Studios, L.L.C.

For starters during the pandemic George Floyd was trending. I was watching a live protest at home that escalated from a peaceful protest into a chaotic rage then made me raged onto my laptop writing “Black Man, Missouri” – a young black teen who was accused of wrong doings that led to his deathbed. Which leads to a personal conversation between the officer responsible of his death and his mother. The play explores the ongoing violence in Kansas City and to see a mother’s point of view of witnessing the trauma first before the public eye. This play had its first reading with Kansas City Public Theatre. Following year, Theatre Community Funds of KC’s Crescendo Awards festival and last summer I’ve written a shorter version for KC Fr!nge Festival that took place at City Stage in Union Station; it was a major success. The play received “Best of Fr1nge” to perform on closing day of the festival – SHOUTOUT to Circus Scorpius who originally won “Best of Fr!nge” but wanted to give it to “Black Man, Missouri” because my play speaks for Kansas City when it comes to gun violence, family matters, and social/racial issues. That’s a blessing!!!

This year in 2025, I’m blessed to say that I’ll be producing three upcoming plays this year under Terrace Studios, L.L.C. Coming up in May at The Black Box is my first-collaboration project with BrothaAbe Films titled “Once Upon A Time in France” written by Phillip Arthur Dixon; directed by yours truly! The play is about a young woman traveling to Paris, France for funzies till she runs into a familiar face that turns her solo trip into a fiasco. This is a comedy piece that’s worth seeing because it’s a world premiere written by a local KC filmmaker who’s making his theatre debut, and I couldn’t be more excited and honored to produce an artist’s work. Phillip Arthur Dixon is the next big thing for writing fun stories for film and now theatre.

Below is the ticket link and show info. $10 online’ $15 at the door.

TICKETS: https://www.theblackboxkc.com/product/once-upon-a-time-in-france/407

SHOW DATES:

May 1st – 7:30p (Preview)

May 2nd – 8:00p (Opening Night w/Reception)

May 3rd – 2:00p (Q&A) & 8:00p

May 8th – 7:30p

May 9th – 8:00p (Q&A)

May 10th – 2:00p

After Once Upon a Time in France, I’ll be returning to KC Fr!nge this summer with a one person show titled Mel’N E [Melanin & Educated] – A black college senior who needs to present a capstone in order to graduate on time. For doing so, they’re presenting the word “Melanin” to a predominantly white university. This is comedic piece that touches on racial issues and how black culture is relatable in so many ways, demographically speaking. Stay tune for more info on that play!

Everything that’s happening this year is my blessing year that’s going to require a lot of resting and a lot of prayer and a lot of support!

Y’all ain’t ready!!!!

Follow my social media pages to see what’s in stores from Terrace Studios, LLC.
IG / FB: Terr. Studios

IG / FB: Terrace Wyatt, Jr.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/terr.studios
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terracewyatt.jr/profilecard/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/16NmgGewuf/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@terr.studios
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/terr.studios

Image Credits
Vaughn W. Harrison & Tre Jones (D3 Photos)
Jim Barcus
Marcus Palmer
Terrace Wyatt, Jr.