Larry Owens (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry Owens
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Known for | A Strange Loop |
Larry Owens is a talented American comedian, actor, writer, and singer. He is well-known for his amazing performance in the musical A Strange Loop. For this role, he won important awards like the Lucille Lortel Award and a Drama Desk Award. Larry has also appeared in many popular TV shows. These include Search Party, High Maintenance, Modern Love, and Abbott Elementary.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Larry Owens grew up in East Baltimore, Maryland. He loved watching musicals. He once said that seeing Hairspray helped him realize he wanted to work in musical theater. He was a big fan of the composer Stephen Sondheim. Larry also improved his skills at a performing arts camp called Stagedoor Manor.
He studied acting and improv comedy at the School at Steppenwolf. There, he learned from famous instructors like Tarell Alvin McCraney and Amy Morton.
In 2015, Larry moved to New York City. He wanted to start his professional career in performing arts. He volunteered at the Musical Theatre Factory. This is where he met playwright Michael R. Jackson, who later wrote A Strange Loop.
Larry Owens' Career
Larry Owens has had a busy career in both theater and television. He is known for his strong performances and unique comedic style.
On Stage
Larry performed in musical theater shows like Spamilton and Gigantic. He also appeared in Catherine Cohen's Cabernet Cabaret. He even hosted his own monthly show called Decolonize Your Mind with Karen Chee.
In 2019, Larry received great praise for his role in Michael R. Jackson's musical A Strange Loop. This show was performed off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons. Critics loved his performance. Vinson Cunningham from The New Yorker wrote that Larry performed the songs with "power, humor, and pathos." For this role, Larry won a Lucille Lortel Award and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.
In July 2021, Larry starred in his own solo show called Sondheimia. He performed this show at Feinstein's/54 Below.
On Television
Larry Owens was a writer for the game show Paid Off on truTV. He has acted in many TV series. These include season four of High Maintenance, Search Party, Abbott Elementary, Dash & Lily, Life & Beth, and Modern Love. He also uses his voice acting skills in the animated series Fairfax on Amazon.
Performances and Roles
Larry Owens has performed in many different shows. He has been on stage, in movies, and on television.
Stage Performances
| Year | Title | Role | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Fat Camp | Darnell | American Theatre of Actors | Off-Broadway |
| 2014 | Grease | Roger | The Muny | |
| 2015 | Gigantic | Darnell | Vineyard Theatre | Off-Broadway |
| 2016–2017 | Spamilton | Sondheim / Little Orphan Annie | Triad Theatre | Off-Broadway |
| 2017–2018 | Puerto Rican Traveling Theater | Off-Broadway | ||
| 2019 | A Strange Loop | Usher | Playwrights Horizons | Off-Broadway |
| 2021 | Sondheimia | Protagonist | Feinstein's/54 Below | Solo show; also writer. |
Television Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Betty | Devereaux | 1 episode |
| 2020 | High Maintenance | Arnold | 1 episode |
| 2020 | Dash & Lily | Artsy Guide | 1 episode |
| 2021 | Modern Love | Toby Dooley | Episode: "How Do You Remember Me?" |
| 2021–2022 | Fairfax | Jules (voice) | Recurring role |
| 2021–2022 | Search Party | Idiot / Ritchie | Recurring role |
| 2022 | Life & Beth | Clark | Recurring role |
| 2022–2023 | Abbott Elementary | Zach | 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Harley Quinn | Music Meister (voice) | Episode: "It's a Swamp Thing" |
Film Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | To Dust | Stanley | |
| 2019 | Last Ferry | Shane | |
| 2023 | Problemista | Craigslist | |
| 2023 | Dumb Money | Chris | |
| 2023 | Urkel Saves Santa: the Movie | Santa (voice) | Direct-to-Video |
| TBA | Silent Retreat | Eric | Post-production |
Awards for A Strange Loop
Larry Owens has won several awards for his outstanding work in A Strange Loop.
2019 Awards
- Nominee, Antonyo Award for Best Actor in a Musical Off-Broadway
2020 Awards
- Nominee, Drama League, Distinguished Performance Award
- Winner, Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
- Winner, Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
- Winner, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
- Winner, Obie Award, Special Citation to the Creative Team and Ensemble
