ABOUT.

I am an actor, director, playwright, stage manager, sound designer, and educator.

Originally from Dallas, TX. Ex-Catholic. Little Monster.

When I was a young gay boy in catholic school, my parents “accidentally” gifted me Scary Movie on DVD for Christmas in 2000. My life was changed. I found Scream, which enthralled me with its style & the myriad references to a genre I was soon to fall deeply in love with.

The horror genre was a solace in my early years of catholic school, it often felt like a secret. As I grew up, I discovered a deeper appreciation for a genre that has historically tackled & reflected the socio-political issues of each decade. Horror is and has always been political. Creating art and being a good person has become a radical act… as if the scariest thing in the world was connecting with someone different than you! I seek to question the things that scare us and what those truths reveal about ourselves.

I moved to Chicago in 2022 after feeling unseen, misunderstood, & not taken seriously in the South. Forging a path for myself, I immediately started classes at The Neo-Futurists & Black Box Acting; deepening my craft & honing my work ethic. After completing THE ACADEMY at Black Box in 2023, I dove into stage management, then back to performing. I sought out rehearsal rooms of artists that I wanted to learn from. I began making connections & collaborating with storefront companies across the city, focusing on developing challenging yet transformative new plays.

NOW:

I’m ready to forge my own horror theatre.

I seek to explore every form of horror on stage. The horror of the human experience, how it shows up in the queer community, and the horror that lives within us all.

My work is Bold, Queer, Risky, Loud, & Hyper-Physical.

I’m inspired by the films of Dario Argento, David Cronenberg, Brian DePalma, Wes Craven, & David Lynch, 80s slashers, Italian giallos, 2000s J-Horror, Aphex Twin, Kelela, Boards of Canada, KAYTRANADA, Cutting Edge Haunted House, Anne Bogart’s essays, Martha Stewart’s cooking videos, Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal, Lady Gaga’s artistry, the resilience of Tinashe, Sisyphos Berlin, and Chicago’s underground house & techno scene.

FUN FACTS!!!

I am colorblind, red/green

I am a Sagittarius!

I did not get into Berghain :(

I played the alto saxophone for 4 years

I LOVE physical media!! (I own over 250 horror movies on DVD/Blu-Ray)

I have a cat (pictured below), her name is Kitty <3

PRESS.

“Owen plays Chris with an unsinkable, high-velocity sort of energy. Despite the circumstances Chris is unreasonably carefree, diving into his passion for Kubrick.”

Solieli Rodrigue, Chicago Theater Review, Kubrickian (2026)

“Schwartz’s ensemble is strong […] Ragazzone and Owen bring a beautiful authenticity to the scene. In this pressure-cooker of a world, they create a relationship that you want to see succeed.”

Lauren Katz, Buzz Center Stage, Kubrickian (2026)

“Taylor Mercado Owen’s performance of Chris is one of charisma, flightiness, and a deeply compelling physicality.”

Taylor Stageberg, Chicago Theatre Substack, Kubrickian (2026)

“Taylor Mercado Owen is excellent as the sexy elf Carlos, Mrs. Claus' confidant.”

Richard T. Green, Talkin’ Broadway, The Real Housewives of The North Pole (2025)

“Carlos the Elf, played by Taylor Mercado Owen, […] He’s charming, centered, and a great foil to the surrounding madness.”

Frank Meccia, Around the Town Chicago, The Real Housewives of The North Pole (2025)