From experimental beginnings to university productions, fourth-year student Christian Owen’s passion for the arts derives from a love for his roots.
Born on Long Island, New York, Owen was raised by two hard-working parents, his father Stephen, a carpenter, and mother Melissa, a teacher. Working with his cousins and his brother Elijah, he began experimenting with homemade filmmaking from a young age.
“I always loved the freedom of creating something,” Owen said. “It always felt like an escape.”
Since coming to the University of Rhode Island to turn his hobbies into a career, Owen has been an active member of the university’s arts scene while majoring in film media and double minoring in English and theatre.
Along with participating in the a capella group Rhody Rhapsodies, he has acted in several theatre productions, including “Macbeth” and “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” He also starred as George H. Jones in “Machinal,” and plays Brian in “Secret Agents,” a student film premiering Nov. 29.
His involvement in the performing arts expands beyond just acting. Owen was the casting director for the upcoming student film “Geeky in Pink,” and the playwright for URI’s upcoming student-led theatre production, a story that he had been developing since high school. Inspired by family connections and characters from his past, “CHASE” follows the lives of two twin girls, Daisy and her ghost sister, Marilyn.
“As a writer, I find that you can sort of take those visceral feelings that people have, their honest feelings, and you can make them into a story,” Owen said. “And that’s how people really connect with what you’re saying, because it’s coming from a place where at the time you wrote it or you thought it you didn’t feel inhibited at all – you had complete freedom to say or feel whatever you want.”
Owen’s passion for directing outshines his other theatre pursuits. Last year, his capstone project, “Gone Zombie,” doubled as his first ever original film, which he wrote and directed himself.
“A director really is supposed to understand the mindset and the motivations behind characte rs,” Owen said. “As someone who loves to write and who loves to act, I get to play around with lots of different characters, and by directing I find that I can inspire people.”
Outside of the arts, Owen said his favorite thing to do is simply “be with people,” and he enjoys working collaboratively on projects as well. He said that his mom is his biggest inspiration, and his brother is his best friend – getting to go home soon is his strongest motivator.
“When I get to be with my family and my friends it’s really rewarding for me,” Owen said. “That’s sort of the relaxation that I earn after being able to work hard and do the things that I’m passionate about, but take a lot of time and energy.”
After graduation, Owen aspires to spend the summer continuing on his filmmaking journey by documenting the famous Newport Jazz Festival. He encourages people to pursue their passions despite hardships, and said that people’s stories need to be told.
“If people failed one time and then threw something away, then we wouldn’t have all these amazing things,” Owen said.
Owen will be performing in URI theatre’s production of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” which premieres Thursday, Nov. 21 in the J-Studio of the Fine Arts Center. “CHASE” will be premiering in the FAC on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Will Theatre.