Anyone familiar with Keene State College’s film and theater communities has likely heard the name Wilson Hines, and for good reason. Hines, a senior majoring in film production and minoring in theater acting has carved a name for himself in both circles.
Hines has divided his time at Keene State between two artistically distinguished, yet overlapping creative mediums. As a filmmaker, Hines’ work has been screened at film festivals such as KSC’s 2024 Student Film Festival and the 12th annual Monadnock International Film Festival (MONIFF).
Hines’ acting credits predate his time at Keene State, reaching as far back as middle school and all throughout high school.
“I was always a performer growing up,” said Hines.
“Even when I was a little kid, I always wanted to entertain my friends and family, and make them laugh. For as long as I can remember, I always had a camera in my hand recording something. I’d pretend to be a big magician, wearing an oversized suit jacket and doing these magic tricks,” added Hines.
Hines said his passion for entertaining quickly caught the attention of his parents, prompting his father to offer a suggestion that would change the course of his life.
“One day in seventh grade, my dad came to me and suggested I try auditioning for a play,” said Hines.
“I had never even considered that before, but my parents always saw me performing and getting excited about school presentations where I had the chance to make people laugh. I also just grew up loving movies and acting, and I decided to go for it,” added Hines.
In eighth grade Hines auditioned for his first play, and found himself bitten by the acting bug.
“I ended up getting cast, and everyone loved it,” Hines said.
“Neighbors, friends, they all said it was so perfect for me. It made me wonder why I’d never done this before. I’ve been doing some semblance of theater and acting for years, but never really translated it into something like this,” added Hines.
Hines said he hit the ground running with his new direction and embraced every performance opportunity that came his way. His highschool acting career expanded his range, allowing him to embrace musical theater, improv comedy and a variety of characters.
Hines played Frank Abagnale Sr. in a musical production of Terrence McNally’s “Catch Me If You Can,” a musical detailing the life story of convicted fraudster Frank Abagnale Junior.
Hines said he found himself inspired by the community and camaraderie he found during the production.
“It’s that usual scenario where you get to high school and meet all these really cool seniors who seem like experts at what they do. I wanted to be like that someday, and I learned a lot from them, got a lot of great advice, and feel like that show was influential in my development as an actor,” said Hines.
“It was a lot of fun. It wasn’t about building a resume like it is now, it was just about having fun and enjoying it as a hobby,” added Hines.
By the end of Hines’ high school career, it was clear that he’d pursue entertainment as an academic discipline. Unfortunately, his parting senior performance, Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan’s “Elf: The Musical” was jeopardized by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So there I was, cast as the lead role, and the world shut down two months into production,” said Hines.
The show was salvaged into a virtual production, as was the case with many shows during the early stages of the pandemic.
“The experience really made me adapt to a changing environment, and I had to record my contributions virtually,” said Hines.
“I was very lucky that we still managed to make it happen, and that we were able to not give up on this project that we had put so much work into,” added Hines.
Hines said he came to Keene State College in fall of 2021, and quickly integrated into the theater program, as well as film production.
“We didn’t have much of the filmmaking side of things in high school, but I had always been working with cameras and making YouTube videos since I was a kid, and that became a new avenue to explore in college,” said Hines.
Clinical Associate Professor of Film Studies Ted White has worked with Hines throughout the course of his filmmaking career at KSC. White said Hines has distinguished himself as an unofficial ambassador of the program.
“I’ve worked with him since he was a sophomore, and he’s helped bridge the gap between film and theater students. He’s the kind of person who can thrive in both film and theater environments,” said White.
“He’s a great writer, director, cinematographer and also a great actor. It’s been fantastic to see him use these skills across departments, and inspire other students in a way that’s really accessible and fun,” added White.
Hines has continued to perform in numerous shows throughout his academic career. Professor of Theater Tyler Keyes has worked with Hines on a variety of shows, including the recent fall 2024 performance of Zoe Kazan’s “After the Blast,” where Hines played the role of Oliver.
“Where do I start? In addition to being an all-around kind and considerate person, Wilson is a real professional,” said Keyes.
“He’s an example of what our program strives to cultivate in our students. He’s amazingly talented and has great instincts on stage. He’s also willing to help people and has a genuinely approachable personality,” said Keyes.
Junior Grace Venditto is one of Hines’ colleagues and has performed with Hines in two shows directed by Keyes. Hines and Venditto worked together on David Ives’ “Metromaniacs” and “After the Blast.”
“[Hines] and I have worked together on and off stage, and he’s an amazingly kind and caring human being. He cares so much about everything he does and puts a lot of thought into everything he puts his name on,” said Venditto.
“Everyone who’s worked with him knows how awesome he is, and we’re excited whenever he debuts his work because it gives everyone else a chance to see who he is,” added Venditto.
Hines said he is slated to graduate in the spring and seeks to cultivate his next adventure in New York City.
Ryan Pacheco can be contacted at
rpacheco@kscequinox.com
