Will is a critically acclaimed, award-winning director, producer, and Tony Award-Nominated actor, born and raised in rural Kentucky. He trained as a percussionist, conductor, and actor, and received his Bachelor of Music Degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, Ohio. As a director he most recently released his award-winning short films TRUNK SHOW and DAGGER, both of which he wrote and directed. As an actor, Will can currently be seen on the Apple TV + limited series THE CROWDED ROOM, starring alongside Tom Holland, as well as the HULU limited series DOPESICK, Peacock's GIRLS 5EVA, and Amazon Prime's BOSCH: LEGACY. Before that he appeared on Amazon Prime's Impulse, Netflix's STRANGER THINGS, HBO's SHARP OBJECTS, FX'S drama AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE, HBO's THE DEUCE, and starred in the ABC drama TIME AFTER TIME.
Best known as country star “Luke Wheeler” on ABC's NASHVILLE, his other television appearances include recurring roles on CBS's MADAM SECRETARY, NBC's THE VILLAGE, ABC's QUANTICO, CBS's THE GOOD WIFE, FX's RESCUE ME, and as “Michael Swift” on NBC's Broadway-inspired SMASH, as well as appearances on FBI, BLUE BOODS, WHITE COLLAR, PAN AM, ROYAL PAINS, and LAW AND ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT. Film credits include AFTER THE WEDDING, BUTTERFLIES OF BILL BAKER (BEST ACTOR-Chain NYC Film Festival), FOUR SINGLE FATHERS, and SHAFT with Samuel L. Jackson.
Also known as one of Broadway's "most versatile leading men", he received the 2013 Tony Award Nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination for BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL for his portrayal of “John Jasper” in the Broadway revival of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and most recently starred on Broadway in the 2019 revival of KISS ME, KATE. His other Broadway credits include SOMETHING ROTTEN, BILLY ELLIOT, AIDA, LENNON, NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, HIGH FIDELITY, THE FULL MONTY, MISS SAIGON, and “Roger” in RENT, which was captured on the big screen in RENT: FILMED LIVE ON BROADWAY.
Will can be heard on several Original Broadway Cast Recordings as well as three seasons of cast albums for the show NASHVILLE. He has performed all over the world and has sung with the renowned New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the Cincinnati Pops, and the Colorado Symphony. Having studied conducting with world-renowned conductor Robert Spano, Will has premiered countless compositions, and has worked and performed with some of the most important composers and musical luminaries in the world, including John Adams, and the late Lorin Maazel and John Cage.
Having turned his hand to directing, his 2021 short film TRUNK SHOW won BEST SHORT FILM at Ridgewood International Film Festival and was featured at numerous other film festivals including New York Shorts International Film Festival, Garden State Film Festival, Retro Avant Garde Film Festival (BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Nominee), Shockfest Film Festival, and the Santa Monica Film Festival. Other directing credits include the short film DAGGER (Winner-BEST SCORE-Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival), I’M RIGHT HERE, THE TODAY SHOW, INGRID MICHAELSON’S 14TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY HOP, and the music videos “LAWRENCE OF ARABIA”, and “TIGERS AND YOUNG MEN”. He is the father of actors Daisy and Gracie Chase, and calls Los Angeles, California and Brooklyn, New York, home.