New Yorker cycling entire East Coast to support North Country performing arts

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) — A North Country man is "pedaling for a purpose," using his bike to support the local performing arts industry.

Chris Stowell is a designer and electrician in the theater industry who spent the past several years working and living in New York City. There, he became more interested in the cycling community.

However, his career started in Watertown with the local group Stage Notes. Stowell shared that he got his start with Stage Notes Director Ticia Marra when he started taking piano lessons.

"The piano lessons turned into vocal lessons when I became a little older," stated Stowell. "Then, when she began talking about creating Stage Notes in 2009, she approached me with the idea."

Stowell was in the early days of Stage Notes, being in the first production the group ever led, and is now giving back by riding his bike over 3,000 miles. He will ride his bike from Florida's Key West to the top of Maine, essentially the entire East Coast.

Throughout his journey, he will be connecting with his followers through his blog and social media. Supporters will also have the option to donate, or add a song to a playlist for a smaller donation. Stowell says, "it would be great to have music to listen to and know that people that are supporting me are the ones who chose the music for me."

And after one year has passed since the COVID-19 pandemic shut the lights down on Broadway, Stowell shared how he hopes his journey will encourage young performers or those hoping to enter the industry to overcome these unprecedented challenges.

"The theater industry might be a little different after this, but that's something that can be really exciting," Stowell said. "If you're young and getting into theater, it might not be, you know, the way how you saw 'Phantom of the Opera' when you were a kid. But you might be able to experience a brand new way that a production is being done, that we never would have thought of."

Chris takes off for his tour on April 1, and all funds raised throughout his journey will go back to Stage Notes in the Northern New York community.