Acting Bio
Stef Tovar is a Jeff Award-winning professional actor with over twenty-five years in the business. Stef has lived and worked in both Los Angeles and Chicago, where he currently resides. He founded Route 66 Theatre Company in 2008 with its inaugural production, ON AN AVERAGE DAY, playing the role of Jack in both Los Angeles and Chicago and was the company’s Artistic Director. For Route 66, Stef played Don in the Chicago premiere of Halley Feiffer's A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY UNIT AT MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER OF NEW YORK CITY, directed by Keira Fromm. He then reprised his role as Nolan in William Donnelly's NO WAKE Off-Broadway, at 59E59 Theaters in New York City. Other Route 66 roles include Miller in the critically acclaimed production of THE DOWNPOUR at Greenhouse Theater Center (nominated for five 2015 Jeff Awards including Best Production); Rob in the Chicago premiere of the musical HIGH FIDELITY and Noah in the world premiere of A TWIST OF WATER, which had a sold-out run in Chicago before transferring Off-Broadway to 59E59 Theaters in New York. A TWIST OF WATER was made into a television series for CBS called THE RED LINE starring Noah Wyle.
Last year, Stef was seen as Clem/Nails/Oliver/Kellerman in the world premiere of THE ADVENTURES OF AUGIE MARCH by David Auburn and as Theban Shepard/Chorus in OEDIPUS REX--both directed by Charles Newell at Court Theatre. He also played Yossi Beilin in the Chicago premiere of OSLO produced by TimeLine Theatre at the Broadway Playhouse, directed by Nick Bowling. Other Chicago credits include Harry Bright in MAMMA MIA! at Drury Lane Theatre; Knute Rockne in the American Musical Theatre Project's SOMETHING IN THE GAME, directed by David H. Bell; Doug in the Chicago premiere of BOY at TimeLine Theatre, directed by Damon Kiely; Edward Bloom in the Midwest regional premiere of BIG FISH and Cookie in NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT at Theatre at the Center. Stef played the role of Peter Stossel in Mercury Theater Chicago’s production of THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER for four years. He was nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical as Luther Billis in SOUTH PACIFIC at the Marriott Theatre. Stef also has played Franz in APPROPRIATE at Victory Gardens Theater directed by Gary Griffin; Harold Hill in the critically acclaimed Paramount Theatre production of THE MUSIC MAN directed by Rachel Rockwell; Bernard in BOEING BOEING directed by Dennis Zacek at Drury Lane Theatre; Jeffrey Skilling in ENRON for TimeLine Theatre; Kenneth Tally Jr. in FIFTH OF JULY for Oak Park Festival Theatre; David O’ Selznick in MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS at Fox Valley Rep, as well as shows at Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, American Blues and Apple Tree Theatre, where he won a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Vinal in BLADE TO THE HEAT, also directed by Gary Griffin. His Los Angeles credits include George in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, Jamie in THE LAST FIVE YEARS (L.A. premiere); Homer in FLOYD COLLINS (L.A. premiere), Kip in WONDER OF THE WORLD and Che in a national tour of EVITA.
Stef's film credits include Widows; (with Colin Farrell) directed by Steve McQueen; Kenny in Employee of the Month directed by Mitch Rouse (with Matt Dillon, Steve Zahn and Christina Applegate), which premiered at Sundance in 2004; Dan in the award winning The Gymnast and the sequel out now on Amazon Prime, The Aerialist, directed by Ned Farr and Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh, giving some very bad news to Matt Damon as Dr. Arrington. On television, Stef was seen as Daniel Schwartz the premiere season of Chicago Fire as well as Boss for Starz; the 2018 season finale of Empire; as Bob Callaway on Proven Innocent for CBS, "White Donor" on Showtime's The Chi and as Elliot Meyers on NBC's Chicago Med. Stef is represented by Stewart Talent in Chicago, and Spire Artists Management in Los Angeles. Stef is the proud father of Sam.
Last year, Stef was seen as Clem/Nails/Oliver/Kellerman in the world premiere of THE ADVENTURES OF AUGIE MARCH by David Auburn and as Theban Shepard/Chorus in OEDIPUS REX--both directed by Charles Newell at Court Theatre. He also played Yossi Beilin in the Chicago premiere of OSLO produced by TimeLine Theatre at the Broadway Playhouse, directed by Nick Bowling. Other Chicago credits include Harry Bright in MAMMA MIA! at Drury Lane Theatre; Knute Rockne in the American Musical Theatre Project's SOMETHING IN THE GAME, directed by David H. Bell; Doug in the Chicago premiere of BOY at TimeLine Theatre, directed by Damon Kiely; Edward Bloom in the Midwest regional premiere of BIG FISH and Cookie in NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT at Theatre at the Center. Stef played the role of Peter Stossel in Mercury Theater Chicago’s production of THE CHRISTMAS SCHOONER for four years. He was nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical as Luther Billis in SOUTH PACIFIC at the Marriott Theatre. Stef also has played Franz in APPROPRIATE at Victory Gardens Theater directed by Gary Griffin; Harold Hill in the critically acclaimed Paramount Theatre production of THE MUSIC MAN directed by Rachel Rockwell; Bernard in BOEING BOEING directed by Dennis Zacek at Drury Lane Theatre; Jeffrey Skilling in ENRON for TimeLine Theatre; Kenneth Tally Jr. in FIFTH OF JULY for Oak Park Festival Theatre; David O’ Selznick in MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS at Fox Valley Rep, as well as shows at Chicago Shakespeare, Northlight, American Blues and Apple Tree Theatre, where he won a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Vinal in BLADE TO THE HEAT, also directed by Gary Griffin. His Los Angeles credits include George in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, Jamie in THE LAST FIVE YEARS (L.A. premiere); Homer in FLOYD COLLINS (L.A. premiere), Kip in WONDER OF THE WORLD and Che in a national tour of EVITA.
Stef's film credits include Widows; (with Colin Farrell) directed by Steve McQueen; Kenny in Employee of the Month directed by Mitch Rouse (with Matt Dillon, Steve Zahn and Christina Applegate), which premiered at Sundance in 2004; Dan in the award winning The Gymnast and the sequel out now on Amazon Prime, The Aerialist, directed by Ned Farr and Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh, giving some very bad news to Matt Damon as Dr. Arrington. On television, Stef was seen as Daniel Schwartz the premiere season of Chicago Fire as well as Boss for Starz; the 2018 season finale of Empire; as Bob Callaway on Proven Innocent for CBS, "White Donor" on Showtime's The Chi and as Elliot Meyers on NBC's Chicago Med. Stef is represented by Stewart Talent in Chicago, and Spire Artists Management in Los Angeles. Stef is the proud father of Sam.
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