Chris Murphy is the Artistic Director and Founder of Ekklesia Theatre. Living in Vancouver, Washington, Chris shares his life with his wife, Amanda, their four-year-old daughter, Phebe, and their two dogs, Olive and Alfredo. Chris serves on the board at North Creek Church and is a student at the Heritage School of Ministry in Vancouver, Washington. Alongside his work in theater, he is also a marketing director and business owner.

Chris comes from a rich theater background, having studied at the renowned Steppenwolf West in Los Angeles, Upright Citizens Brigade, and Antelope Valley College, where he earned a degree in theater. With over a decade of experience as a stage manager and technician, Chris has worked backstage on numerous productions. He has also been an actor and director, serving on the board of directors at Twilight Theater Company in Portland, Oregon, and Palmdale Repertory Theater in Palmdale, California.

Chris has been recognized for his exceptional talent in theater, notably winning an award for directing The Elephant Man at Twilight Theater in 2019. He was also nominated for various acting awards for his work in Shakespeare in Love at Lakewood Center of the Arts in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Some of his notable roles include performances in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Ragtime the Musical, Death of a Salesman, Biloxi Blues, Antigone, and The Comedy of Errors.

In addition to his work in theater, Chris founded and directed the Antelope Valley Comedy Festival and was a house actor at The Second City Hollywood in their weekly sketch show, TMI. He has also taught improv and comedy classes at Journey Theater Arts Group, a Christian youth theater in Vancouver, Washington.

Chris's lifelong passion for storytelling and the arts, combined with his love for the church, inspired him to create Ekklesia Theatre. His vision is to bring faith-based Christian theater to the community, marrying the transformative power of theater with the profound impact of faith. Ekklesia Theatre is the realization of this dream, providing a platform where stories that touch the heart and bring people together can be shared.