Starting on the court, starring on the stage
Senior point guard Chris Fowler balances theatre with basketball
Southfield senior Chris Fowler greets people after his performance as “Spike” in the play “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” at Bush Theatre on Oct. 18, 2015.
A lot of Central Michigan basketball fans will recognize Chris Fowler for his hustle, heart and determination on the court but, few know of the other half of the senior point guard’s talent.
Fowler has been a member of CMU’s starting five since his arrival on campus. His 533 career assists are the most by a Chippewa in program history. Unbeknownst to some, Fowler also has an interest in performing off the court.
A theatre interpretation major, Fowler made his theatre debut in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” which took place in Bush Theatre from Oct. 8 to 18.
His interest for theatre and the arts initially began in high school when injuries on the court forced Fowler to watch his teammates from the bench. Wanting to avoid idle time, he decided to join his school’s student council, followed by joining the theatre program.
Fowler discovered his acting ability when he joined the program at Detroit Country Day School.
“I had to pick up some other hobbies because I still wanted to go to college and I wanted to put things on my résumé that colleges would like,” Fowler said.
Even though acting and sports might seem like opposite ends of the spectrum for the casual fan, Fowler draws parallels between the two.
“I enjoyed (theatre) because it’s a lot like a sport in terms of the amount of hours you have to put in to be good at it,” he said. “I enjoyed working on the craft, and in college I decided to learn more about it.”
In his most recent role, Fowler was featured as Spike, Masha’s dimwitted and younger lover, in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” a 2013 Tony Award-winning play.
Before Fowler’s acting gig on Saturday, his day began in the gym at McGuirk Arena in the annual Maroon and Gold Scrimmage.
Playing in front of an intimate setting of family and alumni, the Southfield native was in full game mode with acting and theatre taking a back seat. Fowler said it’s easy for him to separate and evenly balance playing basketball and acting in theatre.
“There’s enough hours in the day to get everything in that I need to get in,” he said. “Whether that means you have to wake up earlier or go to sleep later — I’m just present all the time.”
On a typical day, basketball practice runs from 1 to 4 p.m., while rehearsal starts at 6 p.m. and usually wraps up at 10 p.m. Fowler said he encompasses a 24/7 mentality in everything he does.
Head Coach Keno Davis has spent countless hours in games and practices watching Fowler excel and grow as a student-athlete and leader.
He’s just as proud of his point guard’s basketball abilities as he is of his acting abilities.
“Whatever he does, he does to the best of his ability,” Davis said. “Whether that’s on the court, in the classroom (or) on the stage, he’s somebody that excels at what he does because of the amount of time and dedication he puts into it.”
Given Fowler’s natural ability as an athlete and performer, Davis said it’s not a stretch for the 2015 runner-up for the Mid-American Conference’s Player of the Year Award to also succeed away from the hardwood as well.
“It doesn’t surprise me, getting to know (Fowler), that he would be able to get honors outside the basketball court,” Davis said.
With nothing but positive things to say about the theatre program, Fowler said he has thoroughly enjoyed his time acting at CMU.
“People who are in the cast with me have really made it a lot of fun,” Fowler said. “They’ve treated me like a theatre student and not a basketball player. I’m allowed to have fun behind those closed doors and basically be a different person than I probably have to be (when on) the court.”
He said there are some parallels between basketball and theatre which make the two similar.
“There’s a concept in acting, especially in representational theatre, where you don’t break the fourth wall,” Fowler said. “Things that are happening off the stage don’t matter to what’s going on on the stage. You’re focused solely on what’s on stage and it’s a lot like basketball — you don’t want to break that fourth wall in terms of playing in McGuirk Arena and you don’t want to do it in Moore Hall. It’s the same thing.”
From play attendees to those within the basketball program, his dedication is clear.
“I definitely think that it’s a lot to manage being a theatre major and a basketball player,” said Student Basketball Manager Mitchell Olis. “Both require so much time, so I think it’s impressive that he can do both.”
Fowler’s acting talents have even impressed those who don’t follow sports at CMU. Alex Mc Intire, a junior from Lowell, attended Sunday afternoon’s matinée performance of “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.”
“I don’t watch a whole lot of basketball, but he’s obviously a natural (actor),” Mc Intire said. “He steals the show — I think he’s really good.”
While he wasn’t on stage as much as his castmates, Fowler entertained the crowd throughout his performance as Spike. His character was the source of a good deal of humor and had the audience laughing on multiple occasions.
Olis, a junior supply chain management major from Rochester Hills, is in the gym with the team every day. He said Fowler is great at anything he does and is an inspiration.
Fowler still insists basketball is his first priority. After all, he has been on the hardwood a lot longer than he’s been on the stage.
“I enjoy acting (because) it doesn’t cause me any pain,” he said. “(Acting) is always just going to be fun. Basketball can cause me great distress in terms of what I want to do and how I want to do it and that’s how I know I love it, so basketball is the most enjoyable for me. It’s my favorite thing to do — acting is also fun, but basketball is my number one priority.”
