Tim Howar

He began his career on stage at age 18 playing the Artful Dodger in Oliver! (Stage West's 100th production, Edmonton) just after winning the Grand Prize in the Youth Talent International Competition in Memphis, Tennessee - he is still the only Canadian to hold this award - and then went on to appear in the Canadian productions of Broadway shows Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (cover Joseph), and Miss Saigon in Toronto (cover Chris). He played the title role in The Who’s Tommy (Toronto and Canadian National tour) in 1996.

Other Canadian productions include Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival, PEI), Guilliame /cover Arnaud in The House of Martin Guerre (Toronto), Screamin’ John McGee in Rock and Roll (Theatre New Brunswick), Barnaby in Hello, Dolly! (Edmonton), Martin in Outrageous (Toronto), and Joel in Anything That Moves (Toronto).

In 2018 he recreated the role of Freddie Trumper in the London revival of Chess for the English National Opera at the London Coliseum.. From 3 September - 8 December, 2018, he will play the role of the Phantom in the Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

In September 2016 he married Musical Director Jodie Oliver at Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. They have one son, Hamish, born in April 2018. Howar left midway through the opening performance of the musical Chess when his wife gave birth.

In 2009, he was asked to join legendary rock-band Mike + The Mechanics as co-frontman with Andrew Roachford, and has spent the past few years recording and touring around the world singing hits such as “All I Need is a Miracle” and “I Can’t Dance" to sell-out audiences and arenas. Their latest album of new material Let Me Fly was released in 2017 and stayed in the top 10 for over 8 weeks on BBC Radio 2. They continue to tour and play at festivals and gigs around the world. He is currently working on another MATM album set for release in 2019 on BMG, as well as a solo album.

He moved to the UK to play Michael in the new musical Peggy Sue Got Married at the Olivier Theatre in 2001, and decided to stay in the UK after being asked to originate the role of Stuart Clutterbuck in the Rod Stewart musical Tonight's the Night (2003, Victoria Palace Theatre). In between, he also did Ragtime at the Cardiff International Festival. Following this, he played the role of Ozzie in On the Town at the ENO (London Coliseum and Théâtre du Châtelet). He returned to New York to play Roger in the Broadway production of Rent for the 10th Anniversary production, from January 30, 2006 through July 29. He stayed in New York for 3 more years, before returning to London after landing a record deal with his rock-band Van Tramp. UK credits include Latin Fever (West End and UK Tour), Shoes (Sadlers Wells and Peacock Theatre), and Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages (2013, Shaftesbury Theatre and Garrick Theatre).

Howar was married to Ruthie Henshall from 2004 and divorced in 2009. They have two daughters, Lily and Dolly.

He then went on to play Marius in Les Misérables (1988 US National tour and Toronto) with Colm Wilkinson for over 2 years, playing most every state in America (except Alaska!).

He is also a regular guest soloist for concerts around the world, including Raymond Gubbay concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, Friday Night is Music Night for BBC Radio, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Abbey Road 80th Concert, the Halle Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Belgium and France, the London Philharmonic, London Concert Orchestra, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, and BBC Concert Orchestra.

Timothy "Tim" Howar (born 24 November 1969) born in Canada, is a Canadian born English actor and singer who is currently with the pop-rock band Mike + The Mechanics.