Meet Christian Haines | Actor, Director, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christian Haines and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christian, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I have a love-hate relationship with risk. On the one hand if you don’t risk you may miss out on life’s journey and on the other hand risk can lead to a lot of heartache. I had an experience coming out of grad school that made me really question whether or not I wanted to keep doing what I was doing as an actor. I did not get the response from my showcase in NYC that I was hoping for and I realized that this business was a lot harder and fickle than I thought. After a bit of time licking my wounds I had this revelation that if I’m going to be in NYC I may as well stand up and shout if no one’s going to pay attention to me, and if the only risk I was putting myself in was to be ridiculed I could take that and it’s paid off. I decided to take a risk and just stand up and start a theater company. The company, AMIOS, was a loose association of alumni from the National Theatre Conservatory who wanted to get something done. It’s been one of the best things that I’ve done. I’ve met a lot of really great artists and helped them to have a good time, at least for one night, if not for multiple years and write beautiful pieces or become screenwriters or directors or even start their own theater companies and I’m really proud of that! The lesson for me was that I need put myself in risky situations in this industry. If I “fail” then all the better. The more used to failing you get the easier it gets to keep going. Our company’s mainstay, Shotz, has been done in NYC,SF, LA, Boston, Louisville and soon London.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started a company in 2009 called AMIOS: Art and Music in our Souls, (and subsequently AMIOSWest) and we started doing a once-monthly show called Shotz: 6 short plays. It’s now every few months ’cause producing is exhausting. What I think sets us apart from other short play programs is that we precast our plays and then the playwrights write for two weeks to that cast and three different prompts. The actors and directors then get 2 weeks to find some time to rehearse. In this process the actor gets centered and you always get a fresh perspective that is truly current and of the times. It took a lot of trial and error to get the company running, we made mistakes with programming and sometimes interpersonally, but we just kept at this idea that we need to constantly create. That has kept us going, because we don’t make any money doing this but we do make a lot of great relationships. So it hasn’t been easy but any challenges that we faced how are outweighed by the absolute joy of of being up on stage with our friends performing. What I’ve learned along the way is that having a history to your theater company really matters and once you do your first show you have a history. So don’t ever think that what you’re doing doesn’t matter. That history probably keeps me going more than anything else: the memory of last time and wanting it to be just as good the next time. There are so many stories in people’s heads and that’s what amazes me about being in a collaborative company. We’ve never done work that was written beforehand and the alchemy that comes out of this situation is what really drives me. We’ve done hundreds on Shotz, numerous LongShotz (a rep of 30 minute plays), and a few full-length plays. Our actors have toured regionally, been on Broadway and starred in major series. Our writers have had their Shotz included in short play collections, become filmmakers and work in writers rooms. It’s not because of us that they have done these things, but it’s a feather in our caps to know that they have worked with us and will again.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d start with a hike in Griffith Park. Maybe get up to the Observatory, get a coffee maybe a little snack, hike back down and jump in the pool to cool off. Make some dinner plans to go down Koreatown, get some beautiful Bibimbap or stay in the neighborhood, get some Thai food. Then hopefully we got tickets to go see a show at the Greek or at the Hollywood Bowl. Go over there see a show, maybe go into Los Feliz and get some late night eats maybe a drink or five and then go to sleep. Next morning get up go to the Broad museum or Amoeba records then hop on the train or take a drive to Santa Monica pier get some rides in, maybe get a burger then head home. Next morning A tasty breakfast burrito from Tu Madre followed by an improv show at UCB. Then they gotta go cause the weekend is DONE!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It sounds cheesy, but I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to everyone who I’ve worked with in a creative capacity. My teachers, my fellow actors, actors I’ve directed, writers that I’m working with, people who run spaces, tech directors, front of house… all of them make my life more rich and full. I’m totally grateful for everything that they do. It makes my life more interesting and, you know, there’s nothing better than creative people. The way their minds work amazes me and I’m glad to count myself as a creative in this crazy crazy world. It’s truly important.

Website: https://amioswest.org

Instagram: @shotzlosangeles

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShotzLosAngeles

Image Credits
Headshots are David Muller
On stage shots are Natalie Hon
Screen grab from film is Davi Armanino