And he has never shied away from what sets him apart in the industry: He is black. Owens has never played coy about his many gifts-the booming voice the immediate, startling connection to his audiences and his deeply articulate showbiz vocabulary. “I feel like I successfully created a new type of leading man for the musical theatre.” These are the words of Larry Owens, the supernova comedian, musical performer, and, as of this summer, uncanny stage star.