Knightly News

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Pablo Picasso

This year’s Lindley Spaht Dodson Endowed Speaker Series featured guest quoted Pablo Picasso often as he encouraged Episcopal students to hold on to the creativity and love within them. Joe Chrest is well known within the Episcopal community as the father of Samantha and Nicolas and husband of dance teacher Christine Chrest. He is also known far beyond Episcopal for his appearances in more than 150 film and television projects and 50 professional musical productions and plays. Most know him as the father, “Ted Wheeler” on the Netflix show “Stranger Things.” As the guest speaker, Chrest shared how he accomplished so much while maintaining his love for the arts.

Similar Journeys with Lasting Impacts

The Lindley Spaht Dodson Endowed Speaker Series was established to honor Episcopal graduate Lindley Spaht Dodson ’95 after her death in 2021. While Chrest is originally from a small town in West Virginia and never crossed paths with Lindley, he found a connection with her through shared stories. “Lindley’s journey meshes with mine,” he advised students and faculty. He pointed out that they were both originally shy yet filled with a love inside them that they struggled to express. As Lindley’s brother, Carlos Spaht, pointed out, Lindley wasn’t always the outgoing person many recall. “She was shy,” he says. “The Episcopal performing arts program helped her become the person she was. Arts gave Lindley a belief in herself that nothing else had.” The same is true with Chrest.

Open, honest, and speaking before the entire Upper School student body on the VPAC stage, Chrest told students that he was so shy in school that he once took a failing grade on an English assignment rather than recite a poem in front of the class. However, while he was naturally timid, he enjoyed making others laugh. Eventually, Chrest took a speech class and saw his first play. “The play changed my life,” he says. “I had no idea that was theater.” As students chuckled, Chrest shared that his idea of theater at the time was the nativity play at church. After seeing that first play, he had a realization. “I wanted to do it but was scared,” he recalls. He remembers sitting in his car outside the school theater watching classmates audition for the school play. He didn’t get out of the car, and he didn’t audition that day.

However, the following year was different. Chrest mustered the courage to audition and earned the part of Charlie Brown in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” Like Lindley, Chrest discovered his love for performing, and he has never let that go. Chrest earned a theater scholarship and graduated with a BFA in Directing from Marshall University. He eventually came to LSU, where he earned an MFA in Acting and made lifelong friends who have impacted and shared his acting journey. Both Chrest and Lindley discovered love and how to express it through their involvement with the arts. Chrest points out that while he continued in the industry, Lindley expressed her love through her work as a pediatrician.

Advice for the Next Generation

Chrest readily shared valuable advice for students with a similar love for the arts. He advised that work ethic and attitude are the two most important components to success in any field. Chrest took time to offer student actors a smaller workshop aside from the larger Upper School assembly. In the quieter setting, he advised students on the importance of concentration and focus. “Concentration is a muscle,” he told the young actors. He also offered wisdom for the journey ahead. “If you’re doing good work somewhere, it’ll be seen and work out,” he says. “Be the best you can be right here.”

With such a wealth of acting experience and a role in a hit show, Chrest exudes a sense of gratitude and awe for his journey. He becomes emotional discussing his love for theater and the arts. He says he intentionally chose to visit Episcopal on Valentine’s Day. “I think it’s a day to celebrate love,” he advised. “I’ve had 30 years in the arts, and it’s what I love.”

Whether a student loves acting, athletics, academics or service, the Episcopal community supports them in their journey to be their best self and make the world a better place. Lindley Dodson Spaht’s legacy lives on through this speaker series which yearly provides students the opportunity to learn from renowned and successful artists. These artists offer personal insights into their journey and advice for those with a similar dream. The hope is that students hold on to their creativity and love and realize their dreams. Thank you to the Spaht family for making this special day possible, and thank you to Joe Chrest for sharing his love with all of us.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.