Executive Resume

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

CREATED non-profit arts organization recognized with 209 awards for excellence over 30 years
INSPIRED over 800 creative teams developing and producing new plays and musical
PRODUCED over 75 plays and musicals in Mainstage Productions and several films
DIRECTED over 50 plays, musicals, films, streaming videos
DEVELOPED over 900 new plays including 350 by teenage writers
PLANNED and led 30 Theatrical Seasons
TAUGHT over 1,000 emerging artists to find their unique creative voice
REALIZED vision in collaboration with world-class artists from Tony Award winners to Academy Award winners as well as young emerging talent in theatre, film, TV and YouTube
ENSURED equity and diversity in artistic participants resulting in recognition from the NAACP and the LA Times as early as 1991
ASSEMBLED teams and collaborated with diverse artists in all disciplines
SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER from individuals to government grants to foundation support
BRAND CREATOR and promoter with experience in branding, marketing, and PR
ARTICULATES VISION to engage local community, audiences and government agencies
BUSINESS LEADER keeping non-profit corporation thriving in challenging economic times

WORK EXPERIENCE

THE BLANK THEATRE 1990 – present

FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Envisions, creates, realizes and supervises all institutional programs and artistic productions
Leads approximately 50 different creative projects annually
Manages all business affairs of the company including staff, budgets and vision

PRESIDENT - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Oversees board development, financial oversight, strategic planning, and shaping of long-term goals in a collaborative setting

MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS

Led over 70 creative teams of productions as “Collaborator-in-Chief”
Planned 30 theatrical seasons - choosing material, assembling artistic staffs, casting actors
Produced and shepherded entire artistic process to multi-award-winning results

YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL

Founded, designed and leads the nation’s only professional competition that produces the work of playwrights 19 years of age and younger
Mentored and produced 350 plays by youth some of whom have gone on to become Tony Award winners and Pulitzer Prize finalists

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

Envisioned, created, realized and supervise a flagship Apprenticeship program
Trained over 200 future Theatre artists from all over the world with hands-on immersion training

THE ART OF ACTING – STELLA ADLER STUDIO 2017 – present

Faculty Member

Teach and developed “Audition Technique” course instilling presentation, preparation, material selection, professionalism, and how to book the job for diverse student body

BLACK CAT 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION February 2017

Executive Producer, Creator

Conceived, produced, hosted large outdoor Festival and rally in support of the 50th Anniversary of the first major LGBTQ civil rights demonstration in the U.S. – “The Black Cat Riots”
Secured participation of partners including LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, U.S. Supreme Court Prop 8 Plaintiffs Paul Kitano and Jeff Zarrilo
Directed “re-creation” of the original 1967 protest and political rally
Generated news stories from NPR Morning Edition, KABC-TV, KCBS TV, KCAL 9, KCRW, LA Weekly, three different stories in the LA Times and over 500,000 social media hits

DANIEL HENNING ACTING STUDIO 2002 – present

Administrator and Instructor

Founded studio and designed several class offerings: Monologue Preparation, Advanced Scene Study, Scene Study Intensives and “The Core” – a unique acting workshop
Instill in students an ability to examine their uniqueness in the work

STAYIN’ LIVE! INITATIVE 2013 – present

Founder and Chairman

Led initiative to create the official designation of “Hollywood Theatre Row” which resulted in an LA City Council resolution passed to declare the first “live theatre district” in LA
Created strong partnerships with two City Council offices (CD 4 & 13), Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, VICA, Hollywood Arts Council, Media District BID, Neighborhood Councils

ACTORS FUND OF AMERICA 2008 – present

Western Regional Councilor

Created new ideas and initiatives to further brand
Consult on issues of outreach to community, liaised with government officials
Aid social media presence as part of Marketing/Outreach committee
Produced video during COVID that had over 2 Million hits and raised throusands of dollars

HOLLYWOOD ARTS COUNCIL 2009 - 2015

Vice President

Co-hosted Charlie Awards (with George Pennacchio) to articulate the vision and excite potential donors and supporters
Created new policies and procedures, hired Executive Director, guided 30 year President in her transition to President Emeritus
Non-profit "guru” on matters of corporate behavior and fiduciary responsibility to Board and staff

ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE

Director, writer, producer, lyricist, actor for theatre and film/TV
Awarded over 70 Honors for Excellence for producing, directing, writing and acting from NAACP, L.A. Weekly, Telly, Ovation, LA Drama Critics Circle, BackStage Garland, Drama-Logue Awards

GUEST LECTURER 1995 – present

University of Nebraska – Lincoln, San Francisco State, Chapman College, Actors Network

ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Lyricist & Librettist for MTV Mini Musical
Film Producer (3D, shorts and documentaries)
Story Analyst for TV production company
Commercial Casting Director
Producer of daily Profit & Loss Report for the Securities Division of Chase Manhattan Bank
Award winning audiobook narrator

AWARDS/COMMENDATIONS

Audie Award Finalist for Best Fantasy for audiobook narration of The House in the Cerulean Sea
California State Legislature LGBTQ Pride Honoree - 2018
L.A. City Council Resolution in honor of Daniel Henning and The Blank Theatre
Hollywood Arts Council Charlie Award - for “pursuing artistic excellence and for nurturing the next generation of playwrights”
2017 Telly Award for "Best Writer" for the Feature Film - The Tragedy of JFK (as told by Wm. Shakespeare)
L.A. Drama Critic Circle Award – “Best Production” and 15 other nominations and 12 other wins
NAACP Theatre Award – “Best Musical” and 11 other nominations and 3 other wins
L.A. Weekly Awards – “Musical of the Year” and 32 other nominations and 7 other wins
Ovation Awards – “Best Musical” and 23 other nominations and 4 other wins
BackStage Garland Awards – “Best Production” and 80 other nominations and 19 other wins
DramaLogue Awards – “Best Production” and 8 other wins
BroadwayWorld Awards – “Best Production” and 14 other wins and nomination
AudioFile Earphones Award - Non-fiction narration for The Journeys of Trees

EDUCATION

New York University, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Drama David Mamet, Wendy Wasserstein, Dario Fo, Elizabeth Swados
Circle in the Square, New York Elinor Renfield, Alan Langdon, Jacqueline Brooks, Terese Hayden
American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco Annette Bening, William Ball, Alan Fletcher
Bloomberg Philanthropies - Arts Innovation and Management Grantee – two year program
LA County Arts Leadership Initiative Program –six month program for selected arts leaders
Landmark Education – Graduate of the Core Curriculum - Leadership empowerment training

UNION AFFILIATIONS: SDC, SAG/AFTRA, ASCAP

Watch Daniel's Opening Remarks at Stayin’ Live! Summit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty3aWbmp3fg