Danielle Kennedy is a 2008/2009 Ovation Nominee for Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Greta in FAMILY PLANNING at the Chalk Repertory Theatre.
If you’d like to add a congratulatory message for Danielle (or any other Nominee or Nominated Company), to the Ovation Awards commemorative poster (distributed to all nominees and all attendees at the Ceremony), click here!
What was the moment that first inspired you to pursue working in the theatre?
There are many moments going all the way back to a very little girl creating shows with my cousins down in the basement of our home in Chicago. Always always creating shows, plays, imaginary situations.. But probably seeing Mary Martin perform as Peter Pan on Broadway was that moment when I said: I HAVE TO do this. That “HAVE TO” is part of my being. It’s not just a “want to”. It’s : ”I won’t rest until I do it.”
And that desire to explore humanity, with all of our foibles, has never gone away.
What do you feel made the production you were nominated for particularly successful, either overall or for you specifically?
Family Planning’s success wasn’t just a group effort. It was a work of love created by the writer Julia Edwards who had a personal connection to the piece of work. Larrissa Kokernot the director was the perfect choice to flesh out Julia’s work. She not only has the technical skills of a master director but she has the heart and soul of a woman who loves actors, loves story and the eye to bring the right people together at the right time.Under her directorial care, I felt safe and strong enough to work with abandon.
Because of Larissa and Julia’s partnership in selecting the actors, this cast came together reflecting the same generosity of spirit and care that the writer and director possessed. We absolutely became family. During the year we mounted and remounted this production all of 5 of us went through incredibly difficult life experiences. In the midst of Spring 2009’s production my mother passed away. I was taking care of her in the daytime and coming to the theatre at night. I was so completely devastated with grief when I would walk into the home (yes we did this production in real homes) to prepare for that night’s production. But David, David, Alina, and Elia were like my port in a storm. Each of us gave each other strength. And the sense of vulnerability and loss that I was feeling personally, I tried to bring to my work.
What project or projects are you currently working on?
Currently I am a regular on Justin Tanner’s Webisode aAve 43 and will be in the Justin’s play Oklahomo appearing at The Celebration Theatre this winter–2009.
What do you love most about theatre in Los Angeles?
What I love most about theatre in Los Angeles is there is no restriction on age limits when it comes to creativity. There is an ageless energy I share with actors who are half my age in this town. And they never ever give me the feeling that I am too old, or not cool enough, or talented enough to be a part of their ensemble. There is so much talent in this town. Actors, directors, playwrights, production people. And we do it out of pure love. When you bring people together who love what they do, it is a much different dynamic than doing it for strictly the almighty dollar.
What’s your dream project?
I have three dream projects: Violet Weston–August Osage. Auntie Mame and Hello Dolly. Give me a long run with any of those ladies and I will die a happy camper.
Biography: Danielle Kennedy (Greta-Family Planning) recently played Kitty in Justin Tanner’s Oklahomo at The Celebration Theatre in December 2009, June in Joe Keyes’s play Big Baby that was nominated for best original play-2008 by LA Stage Alliance; Dot in Billy Wright’s Texmas at The Third Stage; Nurse Preen in The Man Who Came To Dinner; Louise in Always Patsy Cline, Patsy in Side Man, Mom in True West, Mrs. Malins in The Dead, Penny in You Can’t Take it With You, Dorothea in Eleemosynary, Giant’s Wife/Mom in Jack in the Beanstalk; Miami in Seduced; Mac in Three Viewings. Films include Casey Stangl’s Award winning short CU@ Ed’s; Breakfast of Champions, Wedding Eve in America, and Mothers Be Good (Sundance-2006) For television: Showtime as Bruce Willis’s Mom in True West, Grey’s Anatomy, CSI-Las Vegas, Criminal Minds, McBride.Currently Kennedy is a regular on Justin Tanner’s webisode-Ave. 43.
For a full list of Ovation nominees, or for information about the Ovation Awards Ceremony on January 11th, click here!
