2010 in Review - Looking Back, Looking Ahead

Well, 2010 did indeed bear some lovely fruit. While I’m not wealthy as a result, it nonetheless was a year in which I was, again, grateful for the lovely opportunities that were both actively sought out by myself and that miraculously came my way, as if from the sky. I also want to take this time to thank my friends and family who continue to support my work. I cannot express my thanks enough to you.

So here’s a little retrospective of what happened (artistically) in my life in 2010;

Jan/Feb –
THE NARROW WORLD successfully premiers in Los Angeles, produced by Fresh Baked Theatre Company; a very nice, energetic, hilarious and poignant production, and a great excuse for my first trip to Los Angeles.
(I also got to have a fun metro encounter with a large woman in a pink windbreaker)

March/April –
THE CRUCIBLE – playing Rev. John Hale. One of the highlights of my acting career thus far, and a stellar production, directed by Heather Siobhan Curran at Gallery.

Also did some Voice Over work for the International Baccalaureate, thanks to my friend Mark Bellusci.

April –
The first public reading of THE DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE OF PRIVATE PITTS, at the WorkShop. A great reading, directed by Kathy Gail MacGowan

June –

Gallery did another stellar reading of my yet to be produced masterpiece (he said modestly) GRAPHIC NATURE, directed by Heather Siobhan Curran.

Performed with Mind The Gap in BritBits 7 in an amusingly dark piece called THE PILOT, with Mia Moreland, directed by Paula D’alessandris.

July –
Performed my solo show THE HYENAS GOT IT DOWN as part of the 11th Annual Midtown Internat’l Theatre Festival, directed by Aaron Gonzalez. It went on to receive 2 MITF nominations; Best Performer in a Special Event and Best Production.

In July, I also had the privilege of becoming an official member of the WorkShop Theatre Company in midtown. Thank you, Scott Sickles, Kathy Gail MacGowan & Anne Fizzard.

***June and July also saw my wife - Judy Alvarez - give 2 standout performances in back-to-back successful productions of CANDIDE, adapted by TJ Rogers, at Gallery, and in Ebe Ensemble's production of ROMEO & JULIET, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

Within the months of June-through-September, I also wrote 2 new plays; the 10-minute brit comedy THE ART OF TEA and the full-length THE GOLDEN YEAR.

October –
Made my WorkShop Mainstage debut as Frank in Ken Jaworowski’s INTERCHANGE, directed by Thomas Cote’. Another lovely experience. The piece went on to be a NY Times Critics Pick and, as a result, sold out the duration of its run. Also the 10-minute version of my my one-act SPELL received an acclaimed public reading at Seattle Rep’s Poncho Theatre.

November-
The first NYC reading of my play THE OLD WIFE’S TALE at the WorkShop. Another great success.

Also got to rip a new a-hole to a theatre company out in Arizona that advertised a play of mine without my consent. Problem solved! Writer wins! Production does not happen.

December –
Appeared in a lovely English romantic one-act duet A WEEKEND IN FILEY, by Jennifer Fell Hayes, directed by Kathy Gail MacGowan and co-starring Anna Emily Wood. The nicest experience I’ve had as an actor in a one-act festival. It was part of the WorkShop’s COLD SNAPS 2010.

I also was fortunate to have some publications this year;

The 10-minute version of SPELL is published in the NorthWest Playwrights Alliance 10-Minute Anthology, published by Western Washington University.

My one-act THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF MRS. CARTWELL is now published in the 2009 Estrogenius Anthology. I'm particularly pleased about this one;

http://www.createspace.com/3486037

...AND I have 2 poems (Morning Glory & Within the Depths of New York Harbor) published in Cloudbank: A Journal of Contemporary Writing;

http://www.cloudbankbooks.com/

Lastly, I’ve been fortunate enough to make a bit of side money doing Headshot photography. Should you be in the market, feel free to check out my website at

http://danieldamianoheadshots.blogspot.com/.

What's up in 2011 you ask? Well, for one, I'll be playing the plum role of the volatile son Damis in Paul Weidner's adaptation of Moliere's classic TARTUFFE, directed by Charles E. Gerber. This will run on the WorkShop's Mainstage from Jan 13th-29th. Details to come.

Again, thanks so much to everyone who has been generous enough with their time to continually support my work and thanks to those whom I had the great pleasure of working with and whom I hope to work with again. Onward and Upward, always!

Be well...and a Glorious, Prosperous, & Healthy-frickin' New Year to All,

Love,
Danny