Christopher Sommers

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Christopher Grantley Sommers (30 June 1977) is an Irish-born actor who moved to Australia.

Contents

Education

He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) from the Queensland University of Technology (2000-2002). He undertook Master Classes at the 16th Street Studio (Melbourne) in 2012 with Ellen Burstyn, 2014 with Carl Ford and with Larry Moss in 2014 and 2016. He also attended a Masterclass with Ivana Chubbuch in Los Angeles in 2016. [1]

Acting career

While undertaking his degree Sommers acted in several stage productions, starting in 2001 in Uncle Vanya. Following his graduation he acted with several major companies mainly in Queensland although he did travel interstate with touring productions. [2]

His first role was in a short film, The Machine, in 2002 and he has since appeared in short film, television series and feature films. [3]

He has worked with Russell Crowe in The Water Diviner (2014), with Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook in Predestination (2014) and John Cusack in Drive Hard (2014). Sommers stars in a feature film a zombie western Bullets for the Dead (set for release 2016) the first film for a joint venture between a Brisbane-based Cathartic Pictures and UK sales agent Stealth Media Group. It is intended to film a number of low budget genre films to be sold internationally. [4]

Sommers has played diverse characters including a scientist, a bush bashing yokel, a soldier and comedy and says that growing older and changing your appearance allows you to play different roles. [5] Sommers also plays a magical halfling professor in the series "The Bureau of Magical Things".

Teaching

Sommers is a co-creator of the 21 Day Actors Challenge. Together with Angela Olyslager and Tanya Schneider they have put together a program to assist actors. The program is online and it includes acting exercises that will help participant be better prepared for stage and film roles. [6] They also run Weekend Workshops. [7]

Reviews

A review by ABC Radio of the 2010 production of Fat Pig at the Bille Brown Studio, Brisbane, described him as "the always interesting Christopher Sommers", adding "In fact all performances were of the very highest quality. Sommers was likewise wonderfully sensitive". [8]

Of the production of Beautiful (2008), the review in Stagediary stated:

... Christopher Sommers, as the mysterious almost sinister left-behind school friend, is the best example of this, and his triumph in this performance is to make his character almost seem like a bad actor who hasn’t learned his lines, until we notice the utter control he has over his movement and his voice. Stage presence doesn’t have to shout “Look at me acting!” – in this case, it’s all done by understatement. [9]

Nathanael Cooper, in the Courier Mail review of Orphans (2011), wrote of Sommers:

The play is not easy to watch. It is troubling and harrowing and one particular scene sees Christopher Sommers absolutely own the audience as he describes, in gruesome detail, some of the darkest sides of life. [10]

Awards

2006 Matilda Awards Emerging Artist [11]

2010 Matilda Awards nominated Best Male Actor in a Leading Role [12]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002The MachineScarred ManShort film
2007CounterJames DaltonShort film
2007 Unfinished Sky Mike Potter
2007 All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane Kane/Negative Man
2008 The Horseman Pauly
2008The PramsEarlShort film
2010 Jucy Nate
2011AttachedMichaelShort film
2012Silver StillettoTrevor FentonShort film
2012Jacob Fights GiantsNeil RockfordShort film
2013CoughBrettShort film
2014 Predestination Mr. Miller
2014SailboatsAdamShort film
2014OuroborosLinden ConnorShort film
2014 Drive Hard Gas Station Attendant
2014Letter to AnnabelleJamesShort film
2014 The Water Diviner Tucker
2014InverseJohnShort film
2014Power StateMartin AndrewsShort film
2015The Fear of DarknessDetective Constable Gardiner
2015Actor's ApocalypseSocial Services OfficerShort film
2015The GirlfriendSteveShort film
2015Bullets for the DeadJames Dalton
2015BrothersPolice OfficerShort film
2016The Insect & the AlienOwenShort film
2017EmporiumKentShort film
2017 Australia Day Desk Sergeant
2017Slaughter at Lonesome RockSergeant Matthew CooperShort film
2018A Picture of Other PeopleParamedicShort film
2019A Guide to Dating at the End of the WorldKen
2019 Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan Group Captain Peter Raw
2019BurdenThe ManShort film
2022 Elvis Horace Logan
2023 The Portable Door Arthur Tanner

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004 Love Bytes Neal4 episode
2006 Monarch Cove MechanicEpisode: "Episode 11"
2007 The Starter Wife Clarity Harbor Staffer #2Episode: "Hour 3"; miniseries
2008 The Strip Barry BarringtonEpisode: "House of Ill Repute"
2011 Sea Patrol Jason MerrittEpisode: "Dead Zone"
2011 Terra Nova EarlEpisode: "Genesis: Part 1"
2012 Fatal Honeymoon Inmate 1Television film
2013 Reef Doctors LiamEpisode: "Episode 5"
2014Parer's WarDr. Bill McLeanTelevision film
2015Texas Rising: The Lost SoldierSettlerEpisode: "Chapter 1"; miniseries
2015 Mako: Island of Secrets Mr. JohnsonEpisode: "The Siren"
2016 Wanted DirkEpisode: "Detour"
2016 Hunters Sterling Martinez2 episodes
2017Dirty, Clean & InbetweenJamesTelevision pilot
2018 Harrow Detective Leichhardt2 episodes
2018–present The Bureau of Magical Things Professor MaxwellMain role (18 episodes)
2019 Secret City: Under the Eagle John SmithEpisode: "Broken Bird"
2019NevernightHangmanMain role; miniseries
2020 The End Beau2 episodes
2021 Sweet Tooth SpaghettiEpisode: "Part One"; filming
2021InterfaceLucian5 episodes; pre-production
Key
Denotes television series that have not yet been aired

Theatre

Christopher Sommers as actor unless otherwise stated

Year [2] TitleVenueYearTitleVenue
2001Uncle VanyaQUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane2001 (25 Oct-23 Nov)The Merchant of VeniceQUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane
2002Song of the Yellow BitternQUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane2002 (7-23 Mar)The JungleWoodward Theatre, Kelvin Grove
2002 (23 May - 1 Jun)Building The WallQUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane2003 (10 -13 Dec)StainedDarlinghurst Theatre, Darlinghurst
2004 (24 May-26 Jun)ProofCremorne Theatre, South Brisbane2004 (3-5 Nov)Sleeping AroundBelvoir Street Downstairs Theatre, Surry Hills
2005The OracleBrisbane Powerhouse, New Farm2005 (8 -13 Feb)TranceNewtown Theatre, Newtown
2005 (Apr-Aug)Zigzag StreetTouring Qld, NT, NSW, WA, Vic2006TriviaMetro Arts, Brisbane
2006 (24 Jan -4 Feb)Omon RaBrisbane Powerhouse, New Farm2006 (8 May)HoodsThe Studio (Sydney Opera House),
2007 (8-18 Aug)CloserSue Benner Theatre, Brisbane2007 (23 Oct-3 Nov)The Laramie ProjectVisy Theatre, New Farm
2008 (Apr/May)HoodsNSW, Qld, SA2008 (22 - 23 May)The People Next DoorMetro Arts Studio, Brisbane
2008 (26 Nov-6 Dec)Anatomy Titus Fall of RomeMerlyn Theatre, Southbank2008 (29 Nov-8 Dec)BeautifulThe Loft, Kelvin Grove
2009 (18 Mar-4Apr)The Pillowman (Producer)Sue Benner Theatre, Brisbane2009 (13-22 May)The Exception and the RuleBille Brown Studio, Brisbane
2009 (Jul/Aug)The School of ArtsTouring Qld2009 (18-20 Sep)My Night with Harold (Assistant Director)Metro Arts Warehouse, Brisbane
2009 (26 Oct-14 Nov)The CruciblePlayhouse, Southbank, Brisbane2010 (6 Feb-14 Mar)HamletRoundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove
2010 (7-25 Apr)Blackbird (Producer)Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove2010 (31 May-26 Jun)Fat PigBille Brown Studio, Brisbane
2011 (6-23 Apr)The Ugly One (Assistant Director/Producer)Metro Art Galleries2011 (23 Jun-9 Jul)OrphansBille Brown Studio, Brisbane
2011 (7-27 Nov)PygmalionPlayhouse, Southbank

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References

  1. "Christopher Sommers Resume". IMDb. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Christopher Sommers". AusStage. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  3. "Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  4. "Bullets for the Dead heralds Oz-UK co-venture BY Don Groves 24 May 2013". if. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  5. "Filmmaking in Brisbane : an interview with chris sommers By Willem Whilfield 19 Jan 2016". The Creative Issue. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  6. "Ten top tips - Christopher Sommers 5 August 2015". MEAA. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  7. "Workshop/Resources". 21 Day Actor Challenge. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  8. "Fat Pig reflects the audience By Nigel Munro-Wallis 9 June 2010". ABC Radio Brisbane. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  9. "Beautiful by Alison Cotes [28 November 2007]". StageDiary. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  10. "Review: Orphans at Bille Brown Studio By NAthanael Cooper 28 June 2011". Courier Mail. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  11. "Emerging Artists 2006". Matilda Awards. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  12. "2010 Awards". Matilda Awards Archive. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2017.