WILL
CREATOR/
HOST
Growing up a latchkey in the 1980s, in the heart of Jersey City, NJ, Will was raised by pop culture. He-Man made Will believe he had the power. And Spielberg encouraged him to seek adventure. So, in his youth Will’s Huffy became an X-Wing and the abandoned factory on his city block became the Death Star. And as his own 1980 coming-of-age story entered its denouement, Will’s love of media had him longing to entertain.
First pursuing acting, Will trained at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (as a company member alongside Peter Dinklage, future star of “Game of Thrones”), at Bill Esper Studios (New York) and with Olympia Dukakis. Will performed in productions throughout New York and New Jersey, including those at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Paper Mill Playhouse. Additionally, Will appeared in fledging plays at Columbia University, The Collective (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, and Ensemble Studio Theatre.
Frustrated with the audition process, Will next turned to writing. He adapted John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost into a dark commedia, which was produced at HERE (New York) as part of the American Living Room Festival. Will also wrote and performed with Those Lazy Bastards (New York) a sketch comedy group that he founded with (now legendary voice actor) Yuri Lowenthal. (Will is currently editing his first novel, one set in the 1980s.)
Having consumed hours of Harold Faltermeyer, and having studied music theory at university, Will additionally composed and designed sound for theater. He scored Goodbye, My Friduchita (starring Tony Award winner Priscilla Lopez) at The Director’s Company (New York), then transferred to Off-Broadway; The Duchess of Malfi (directed by Michael Kahn), Mojo (starring Glen Howerton of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), Pains of Youth and Macbeth, all at The Juilliard School (New York); and Romeo and Juliet (directed by Erica Schmidt future screenwriter of “Cyrano”) at Present Company Theatorium (New York).
Since 2019, Will has been hosting 1980s Now. Joined by his co-hosts, Kat and Jon, the weekly podcast demonstrates that nostalgia alone doesn’t account for the contemporary fascination with their favorite decade. Instead, they share personal experiences and interview experts to demonstrate how the “era of greed” bore the greatest moments in movies, music and television—and that those continue to influence media today. 1980s Now has covered a wide variety of topics, including punk rock, movie stunts, and classic video games. To date, Will has spoken with countless 1980s icons like Ernie Hudson, Taylor Dayne, Cassandra Peterson, Dee Wallace and Sir Mix-A-Lot.