Life & Work with Christopher Hartway, Jr.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Hartway, Jr.

Hi Christopher, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hello all! It’s an honor to be featured on this beautiful platform. I’d be happy to share my story with you. I was born and raised in Columbus, OH, where I grew up in a “lil cut” we call Southfield.

 I have been actively involved in the performing arts since I was eight years old, starting off as a dancer. My very first experience on stage was winning my first talent show in elementary school. My mother served as my instructor and manager at the time. I was born to a very creative family. My mother is a writer, educator, choreographer and dancer of many disciplines. My father is an author and multimedia designer specializing in all

visual art forms (and I do mean all). I have two amazing younger brothers who are both phenomenal recording artists, visual artists and music producers. My parents encouraged my brothers and I to consistently perfect and pursue our respective crafts and artistic passions.

I knew at an early age that a life in the arts was inevitable for me. Eventually, I found myself pursuing acting all through grade school and I eventually earned academic scholarships to study Drama at Morehouse College, where I earned my Bachelors, as well as the British American Drama Academy (BADA), where I received a certificate from the Yale School of Drama.

Since then, I have been working diligently to create opportunities for youth, and the young at heart, that share the same dream and aspirations that I had as a child. That’s a little tidbit about my start.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My road has been anything but smooth. Ever since I was a child, I have always been the outlier. I didn’t think the way the other kids thought, I didn’t conceptualize the way the other kids did. I was always the person that dreamed “outside the box.”

My beautiful hometown provides endless opportunities for those interested in corporate, educational, and logistically based careers (and I love that for those kinds of people). But for a revolutionary Performing Artist, not so much. I grew up in a very conservative world, where people felt that they had to conform to a mode or set system of being in order to get along in life. I naturally resist conformity. So, with that, I found myself often misunderstood by my peers and authority figures.

I knew that if I was going to continue to work as an artist, and live in my truth, I would have to find like-minded individuals, and which I did. I also knew that I would have to branch out to other parts of the country to collaborate and connect with creatives that aren’t afraid to “color outside of the lines” a little.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional Actor, Director, Writer, Voiceover artist, Model, and Educator in the worlds of film and theater. I specialize in redefining what it means to be a Black Man in the modern world via artistic expression. I want to open the minds and hearts of people, so that they can see that maleness and positive masculinity takes many forms. It is an evolutionary process. What sets me apart is my original approach to storytelling and leadership. I am most proud of the impact I’ve been able to make in the lives of others, while carrying this passion.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I remember when my siblings and I would create scenes and plays in our basement when we were children. We would find the clothes (old and new) and create our own costumes. We would find paper and markers to create our own masks. We would take furniture, sofa cushions, bedsheets, and all the toys we could find to create worlds and environments for our stories. We would even go as far as to cast our action figures, dolls, and plush toys as characters of our story. We would create a beginning, middle, and end. We invented space to let our imaginations roam free. I bonded the most with my brothers through those times. I developed a relationship with my creativity as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/chartwayjr
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialchartwayjr/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Hartway-Jr/pfbid02MGPtj9eRaZdLF9fSBCGwwSWvEPjTtij9QDMV67YQUyEjt1z2MebnHMsKdtpybEoil/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristopherHartwayJr
• Other: https://abpadance.com/