What with the recent ado in Tyler regarding the TV station that asked viewers whether homosexuality will be the downfall of America, we were thinking about our friend Trinity Wheeler. Trinity is the former Tyler resident who returned last summer to direct a local stage production of The Laramie Project, only to be met by opposition from some members of the community and triggering a controversy. (We reported on it extensively, including here.) The production did go on, and by all accounts was a success.
But it also made me wonder what Trinity has been up to since the brouhaha. Well, here’s what he had to say:
“I have been great! I’m directing a show in NYC in the spring and have just been getting ready for that. Also, three other writers and I are currently working on an original play about Tyler. The story centers on the Nicholas West murder and an organization called H.I.S. House which was an AIDS hospice in Tyler during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The Nicholas West story has garnered some media attention over the years, but the story and struggle of an AIDS hospice in Tyler remains untold. With Nicholas West, it examines “hate” and how it develops into the sheer brutality (shot execution style 9-15 times) of his murder. I have often wondered if Nick’s murder was not as public as Matt Shepard because he was Latin and his parents did not speak out like the Shepards. We are in the process of conducting numerous interviews with people surround both stories and slowing piecing it together. I know I have said it before, but everyone at the Dallas Voice should be commended for your help during The Laramie Project in Tyler. You were a beacon a light when the going got tough there.”
That last part is nice to hear, but we’re really interested in that play. Can’t imagine it’ll upset anyone in Tyler again.
Yeah, right.
This article paints Tyler as an unprogressive, hateful, anti-gay community. This is simply not true. I have lived in Tyler most of my 30 years and from my experience the majority of people here are very accepting of my lifestyle. I was at the protest in support of the production of The Laramie Project. There were hundreds of supporters and I only saw three people protesting against it. This article also mentions the idiot rant from the local tv network but it fails to mention that most of the community did not support his views and wanted him to be fired. Tyler has many pro-gay groups and programs such as Tyler Area Gays (TAG) and Tyler AIDS Services which hold many public charity events throughout every year. I do not want the progress of this town to be diminished due to the ignorance of a handful of disgusting people.
I am thrilled to hear about a possible production of the Nicholas West story and hope that it will open here in Tyler.
This article is bullshit! You make Tyler sound like an unprogressive, hateful, anti-gay community. This is completely not the case. I am gay and have lived most of my life here in Tyler. Of course we have a few ignorant people here like any other town, but the majority of the people here are very accepting of my lifestyle. Tyler also has many pro-gay groups and programs such as Tyler Area Gays (TAG) and Tyler AIDS Services. These groups hold public charity events throughout every year. This article mentions the idiot rant on the local tv network but it fails to mention that the majority of the public were opposed to his statements and thought he should be fired. I went to the protest in support of The Laramie Project. There were hundreds of supporters there and I only saw four protesting against the production. I do not want the progress of this city to be diminished by the ignorance of a few. I am thrilled to hear about a possible production of the Nicholas West story and hope that it will open here in Tyler.