CHRIS WELLS is an Obie award-winning writer, actor and community leader who makes original performance, live events, music and stories. He’s the founding artistic director of the much-lauded ArtChurch, The Secret City. A masterful storyteller and fabulous entertainer, Wells brings his funny, bawdy, heartfelt tales to The Colony for an evening of stories and songs. Featuring a terrific band (Jeremy Bass, Jennifer Maidman, Jerry Marotta) providing post show dance music. A special guest vocalist will join in.
Wells’ theatrical work has been honored with two LA Weekly Awards for Best Actor, a shared Garland award for playwrighting, and many Ovation awards for participating in ensemble-created work. In 2007, Wells was honored with The Charles Bowden Awar from New Dramatists for his work in support of new play development.
In October 2007, Wells founded The Secret City, an organization that celebrates artists and builds community around the principals of creative mindfulness. With live performance events in NYC, LA and Woodstock, NY, Wells serves as curator, host, lead artist and producer. For The Secret City, Wells has presented an endless variety of artists, from Grammy Winner Rosanne Cash, Amanda Palmer, Tony Winners Stew and Michael Cerveris to downtown fixtures Justin Vivian Bond, Taylor Mac, Eisa Davis, Jennifer Miller, John Fleck and Jomama Jones, not to mention jugglers, ballerinas, marching bands, singer/songwriters, tap dancers, beatboxers, poets, fire eaters, classical musicians, hula dancers and many more in a setting dedicated to connecting artists to community and community to artists.
In 2010, Wells received a special citation Obie Award for creating The Secret City, for service to the artistic community of New York City. Wells’ weekend writing intensive, WRITING LIFE, takes place in LA, NY and elsewhere. He recently moved to Woodstock, NY, where he is completing his first book, It Will All Work Out.