Duane Daniels

Observed

Duane — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:20:30 +0000

Front Rows + Short Skirts = Forgotten Lines

BEAST ON THE MOON presented by Malibar Hill Films at The Marilyn Monroe

Duane — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 02:28:59 +0000

Best show I saw last week is kind of surprising. Considering it’s a small cast, tiny theatre, and over 2 hours. But it is also extremely well acted by Zadran Wali, Olga Konstantulakis and John Cirigliano.I wasn’t familiar with this play or the playwright Richard Kalinoski, so had no idea what to expect as the play unfolded. At times in the first act I was reminded of Maria Irene Fornes “Conduct of Life” and hoped the show wouldn’t be reminiscent of that particular play or genre. There were several moments when I was reminded of “I Love Lucy” and the adjusting to marriage comic presence I was also not in the mood for. Ultimately, it is much more satisfying than either.The excellent direction from Paul Lampert highlights the relationship in a precise way, allowing for sustained interest throughout. The performance by Olga Konstantulakis is one of my favorite from recent shows.The set design (Adam Flemming) and light design (Tom Ontiveros) was also terrific. Great theatre.

TAKE ME OUT @ Celebration

Duane — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 07:21:03 +0000

Swingin’ bats: Sports and theatre have always held a similar place in my heart. Metaphors about the excitement of the crowd, the need to rely upon your teammates and the ability to excel under pressure abound. But then, I’ve never had an audience watch me taking a shower. I digress.The Celebration production is well designed and acted. The love of the game is present throughout the production (though I would have preferred the sound of a wooden bat in the sound design) The tale brings to mind such legendary baseball stories as Roger Maris, Cal Ripken and The Mighty Casey.Michael Matthews directs the ensemble deftly. All the men are terrific but Thomas James O’Leary as Marzak is sensational. We identify with him as he discovers the intricacies and beauty of the great American pastime. Through Oct 31.

NEIGHBORS at The Matrix

Duane — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:18:07 +0000

(more…)

THE WEB at needtheatre

Duane — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 05:50:15 +0000

This world premiere, by Michael John Garces, succeeds in creating enough dramatic tension to sustain an entire season on 24. The cast, under the brisk and inventive direction of Alyson Roux, keeps the momentum hurtling through zippy dialogue and highly-charged fear-inducing twists and turns. The entire ensemble does good work, particularly Stan Kelly, Amanda Zarr and Edgar Landa. The show also has some of the best fight choreography I’ve seen in LA, courtesy of Edgar Landa. Definitely see it. through Oct 17th.

Acting Abroad

Duane — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:42:27 +0000

Teaching at Acting Abroad in France is one of the great pleasures I have. Two years in a row in August I’ve been invited to teach teenagers in contemporary theatre. I haven’t spent much time with teenagers lately, unless you count the ones walking through my neighborhood after school at Hollywood High. The youngsters I’ve met at Acting Abroad have all been driven, compassionate and talented people who love theatre and the arts in general.They come from many places in the U.S. and elsewhere; Austria, Scotland, Finland, Britain and this year a couple from Paris. There are many different levels of experience represented as well. Some are beginners, some have spent several years in theatre training.

Back on stage

Duane — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:01:57 +0000

TE in SD and I’ve been really busy opening SE in LA and bang! The show has started and I’m on stage. The house is full, the lights are bright. I didn’t remember before the show that I needed to remember the show. I had done my pre-show routine: props, guitar, etc. But I hadn’t mentally gone through the show. So I’m like, “that’s cool, I know what to do here. listen and react, don’t think ahead, stay in the moment.” So that’s going fine and I’m enjoying myself and the audience is good. Then I felt it: I was playing comedy. Don’t do that. Play tragedy!Once I remembered to heighten the stakes and feel the drama deeply and personally, the laughs escalated.It’s only funny because you fail so miserably. It’s funny because you need it so badly. The stakes are that high. Life and death high. The audience sees themselves in your foibles.Now, get out there and fail.

Duane Daniels (Biography)

Duane — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 07:07:28 +0000

Duane is new to the LA theatre scene after many years and plays in other places. His most recent LA effort was Kim Porter’s MUNCHED (nominated for 5 LA Weekly Awards and 5 LADCC Awards) with Buzzworks Theatre Company where he serves as Artistic Director. Prior to Buzzworks, he was Artistic Director at The Fritz Theatre in San Diego (91-08). During his tenure there, The Fritz produced over 200 plays, half of them premieres. The Fritz recognized emerging voices in theatre and produced works by writers such as Brad Fraser, Nicky Silver, Maria Irene Fornes and eventual Pulitzer Prize winners Paula Vogel, Donald Margulies and Suzan-Lori Parks. Duane produced several premiers in New York and directed three times at the famed La MaMa Experimental Theatre. Duane is currently a director at The Second City in Hollywood.

Also an actor, Duane is known for comedy, particularly Triple Espresso, which he has performed over 2000 times since ‘97 in extended runs in about 20 different cities in the US and Europe. As a musical performer he has had the opportunity to play the title role 3 times in Sweeney Todd (Garland Award Nomination) as well as the kinetic song and dance show Reunion (Drama-Logue Award). He also was a professional opera singer with the San Diego Opera and Cleveland Symphony Chorus and performed Gounod’s Faust, Il Trovatore and the Verdi Requiem.

Duane now lives in Los Angeles and works as an actor in tv, film, voice-over and commercials and is also an independent film director/producer and an acting teacher. During the summer months he is head of the acting program at Acting Abroad, a conservatory in France. Film critic Michael Phillips labeled Duane “a pleasantly maniacal over-achiever.” He is managed by Redrock Entertainment Development in Burbank.

An LA day

Duane — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:07:03 +0000

Did the worst British accent EVER at an audition today. The director looked confused. After a beat, he said: “Could you try it in a British accent?”

An LA day

Duane — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:05:25 +0000

The audition was going well. We moved on to this argument scene. We started yelling. I felt a scratch in my throat from the yelling. I was trying hard not to cough. My eyes were getting red. Tearing. Fighting. Delaying that cough. “Not without my daughter.” I emoted, tears on my cheeks. Director: “Excellent, …..we’ll be in touch.” I nodded bravely and left.