Danny, the young skateboarding enthusiast, did not anticipate that his inclination towards deception would be transformed into a valuable talent through acting. The teenager who had almost dropped out of high school to pursue a career in music instead discovered a passion for theater.
He stumbled upon a troupe performing in a dilapidated coffee shop in the depressed city of St. Louis and landed his breakout role as Jerry in The Zoo Story. Edward Albee, the renowned Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning playwright, even attended the production. For Danny, this was more than a teenager's dream come true; it was a life-changing experience.
Danny left Saint Louis for Columbia College in Chicago, where he received a Presidential scholarship. He honed his skills through supporting roles in productions such as Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll with The Journeyman Theater, Sirens of Titan with Big Game Theater, and improv shows at Second City.
His career flourished when he became a company member of The Trap Door Theatre and met Michael Pieper, an acting teacher from Second City. Their sell-out shows featured intricate role-playing, such as the young junkie Boogie in the award-winning production of Sugar Down Billie Hoak or the adaptation of Marlon Brando's character Val in Orpheus Descending.
Nobody Dies when It's Sunny, a documentary based on Danny's experience working for the city mortuary in Portland, Oregon, continues to play at film festivals from Los Angeles to Amsterdam.
Danny's journey from a skateboarding hooligan to a talented actor is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance. His experiences have equipped him with the skills and confidence to take on diverse roles and projects, solidifying his position as a talented and versatile actor.
