Stef Tovar is the Founder and Artistic Director of Route 66 Theatre Company, where he can currently be seen as Noah in the world premiere of A TWIST OF WATER (now at the Mercury Theater). Stef starred along with Johnny Clark in the inaugural production for Route 66--the critically acclaimed and Jeff Award-nominated ON AN AVERAGE DAY in both Los Angeles and Chicago. Last fall, he filmed the movie Contagion directed by Steven Soderbergh, sharing scenes with Matt Damon and Gwyneth Paltrow. Stef spent seven months last year working at Drury Lane Oakbrook, where he was Beinstock in Sugar, and Houdini as well as other roles in the multiple, Jeff Award-winning Ragtime. Stef is a Jeff Award-winning actor whose work includes the Marriott Theatre, Northlight, Apple Tree, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Theatre at the Center among others with roles such as Knute Rockne in Knute Rockne: All-American, Rob in High Fidelity, Kenneth Tally Jr. in Fifth of July and Vinal in Blade to the Heat for which he won a Jeff Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play. Stef spent six years in Los Angeles before returning to Chicago in 2008 when he formed Route 66. His Los Angeles credits include Jamie in the L.A. premiere of The Last Five Years, George in Sunday in the Park with George, Kip in Wonder of the World, Homer in Floyd Collins, Che in a national tour of Evita and numerous commercials and films including The Gymnast and Employee of the Month (with Matt Dillon). Stef can be seen recently in commercials and ads for Country Financial. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and even more proud to be the father of Sam.
