Christopher Lowell

A native New Yorker, Chris has been a teacher and actor for over 40 years. After graduating from Dickinson College with a double major in theater and French, he went on to get his Masters degree in 18th century French literature from Colgate University.

Since 2004, Chris has performed as Benjamin Franklin coast to coast, making our history come alive for groups as varied as Franklin’s life itself. He has presented at public events, business meetings, and school groups at every level, and been the featured speaker at charitable organizations, libraries, and museums and fund raisers. Chris has emphasized different areas of Franklin’s remarkably diverse life for different groups–his business career, his philanthropy, his scientific achievements, his political contributions, his religious ideas or his views on slavery.

Now retired from university teaching, Chris is able to spend his energy and enthusiasm bringing Franklin’s extraordinary life and accomplishments to an ever widening range of audiences. Chris has also enjoyed presenting Franklin in French to French-speaking audiences. Most recently, at the invitation of the French government, he spoke in Paris at the Chateau de Vincennes, welcoming French and American diplomats, business and civic leaders and members of the press to a dinner honoring the 250th birthday of the Marquis de La Fayette. While in France, he also performed in Grenoble and Orleans, and addressed a class at the prestigious graduate school, Sciences Po.

In March, 2008, Chris was honored for his work as Ben by the Pikes Peak Arts Council. Like Benjamin Franklin, Chris has lived many years in Pennsylvania, loves Paris, and has a particular fondness for Bordeaux wines. Unlike Ben, Chris is decidedly NOT handy with tools, and has had a rather spectacular failure rate at flying kites.