Tim Byron Owen

TIM BYRON OWEN studied drama at Miami University, then received a scholarship to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He has produced, directed, or appeared in over 60 theatrical productions with theater companies in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, London, Dublin, Edinburgh, and Cardiff.

In 1984, Tim began working in television production, mentored by Wheel of Fortune, co-creator, John Rhinehart, creating six television shows optioned for development, by Ralph Edwards Productions, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO, and dick clark productions.

Other production work included working with Producers, Gary Lucchesi and Tom Barad, for Mattel Entertainment, featuring Donna Karan Designs, and he was a producer for Billy Blanks at NBC in the late 90's.

Tim founded his own company with American Academy classmate, Nick Cassavetes, along with several other alumni. The Sarah Fulton Group was originally located in a black-box, studio on the corner of Fulton Avenue and Sarah Street, in Sherman Oaks, California. Serving as Artistic Director since 1990, he established an outreach program for directors at the Art Center School of Design, Pasadena, Film Program, in association with Francine Parker and Ted Post. Directing students, as well as, working professionals participated weekly, as invited guests . Some of the guests included Gardner McKay, Ray Bradbury, Vincent Dowling, Marie Jones, Miguel Arteta, Martin Lynch, and Henry Jaglom, to name a few. The Sarah Fulton Group has produced multiple award winning theater productions, nationally and internationally, and several short films, including the EMMY Award winning Where's Jo?, for the American Heart Association.

In 1985, Tim became a founding member of An Claidhheamh Soluis/The Celtic Arts Center, serving as president of the board, beginning a long association with Celtic Theatre.

In January 2002, Tim made his directorial debut with, A Night In November, at the Celtic Arts Center's Sean Fallon Walsh Theatre, garnering a DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD. Immediately following the extended run, Garry Marshall brought it to the Falcon Theatre, where it continued to sell out before travelling to the Tricycle Theatre in London for two, back to back runs. At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2002, out of 2,900 theatre productions, A Night In November, won the SPIRIT OF THE FRINGE AWARD for Best Production and the TAPWATER AWARD for Best Performance. This production, now in demand, was booked for a sold out run in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, then moved to the historic Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin, for an eight week run. In 2005, A Night In November returned to the Celtic Arts Center, earning two Ovation Award nominations for BEST PLAY and BEST PERFORMANCE. Broadway producer, Georganne Aldrich Heller, brought the production to the Irish Arts Center, New York, 2006, opening on St. Patrick's Day and was extended three times. In October, 2006, the production was booked for a three month run in Boston's, Off-Broadway Theater. During this extended Boston run, Tim was reunited with his friend and mentor, Vincent Dowling, Artistic Director of The Abbey Theatre.

In August, 2004, Tim's production of the West Coast premiere of Fighting Words, a play about the late Welsh boxing champion, Johnny Owen, opened to rave reviews for a nine week run at the Celtic Arts Center, catching the attention of SHOWTIME Movies Development Executives, and LA Weekly Theatre Award Nominations. A return engagement of Fighting Words was staged at the Celtic Arts Center, April 2006, before traveling to the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, for the European Premiere.

Tim has written and been developing a feature film about Johnny Owen, entitled, The Matchstick Man. A short film promo won a BEST SHORT FILM Award at the Director's Guild Of America, Filmmakers Alliance, in 2006. View the film at: johnnyowen.com.

Tim went to work for Ray Bradbury, directing his Irish play, Falling Upward, at Theater West, in 2007, then at the expansive, El Portal Theater, in 2009, earning Critic's Choice from LA Times, Critic's Pick from LA Weekly, and from Ray Bradbury, himself, "......the best production of anything I've written!". Following the run at El Portal, Ray granted touring rights, as well as film rights, for Tim's production of Falling Upward.

In 2009, Tim worked with his friend and mentor, Abbey Theatre Director, Vincent Dowling, on Seeds of the Abbey, for California Radio Theatre.

In June, 2011, Tim was invited to direct The Walworth Farce, by Enda Walsh at Theatre Banshee, earning an Ovation Award for the play, as well as BEST DIRECTOR and BEST ENSEMBLE nomination from the LA Weekly Theater Awards.

In September, 2011, he directed the world premiere of, Jimmy & Sam, an Irish/Jewish play by Pat Harrington and Howard Storm, at Theatre 40, to critical acclaim and box office hit.

Tim returned to Theatre 40 in March, 2013, to direct the Irish play, Rememberance, which was nominated for sixteen theatre awards, winning eleven awards, including BEST PLAY and BEST DIRECTOR.

In May, 2014, he was asked by producer/partner, Georganne Aldrich Heller and Broadway producer, Pat Addiss, to perform in a staged reading at the Irish Arts Center, New York, of Brian McAvera's, Picasso's Women, with the intention of having Tim direct the piece Off-Broadway, then move to Broadway. The project is currently in negotiation with the author.

December, 2014, Tim directed "Spoken Words", by Eleanora Avakian, consisting of twenty-five original short one-act plays, for the Sarah Fulton Group, in association with the Celtic Arts Center, in Los Angeles.

Also, in 2014, Tim helped form the Irish Theatre Alliance with colleagues in the Irish theatre communities of New York City, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Belfast.

In October of 2015, he directed the world premiere of "Caged", by Dublin Playwright, Dermot Davis, starring Elizabeth Lande and Johnny O'Callaghan. This was to be the final production at the home of the prestigious, Theatre Banshee. The production was a critical success, and a move to Dublin and Belfast is under consideration.