​Dani Miller

I've been hooked on musical theatre since the age of 4, when I played a baby goat in The Sound of Music. Since then, I've been part of more than 30 productions. Some of my favorite roles include Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street, Natalie in Next to Normal, the Baker's Wife in Into the Woods, Martirio in The House of Bernarda Alba, Lucy in 13 the Musical, Trebonius in Julius Caesar, Dr. Benjamin in Waiting for Lefty, and the title role in Snow White. I'm a senior in the BFA in Musical Theatre program at Ohio Northern University. I grew up outside of New York City. When I was 10, I moved to Charlottesville, VA, where I now live.

 

When I’m not busy with theatre, I like to study people and their personalities. I’m a good listener and observer. I can usually figure out fairly quickly what people are thinking or feeling or why they are behaving a certain way. (This skill also helps me with my acting.) I think people find me friendly and approachable and are willing to share their deepest and most personal thoughts. I enjoy helping them solve their problems. If I couldn’t work in theatre, I think I’d be a good therapist. 

 

For a school project, I used the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to analyze the personality types of my classmates. Now, it’s become kind of an obsession: I can’t meet people without trying to guess their MBTI. Theatre fits perfectly with my Myers-Briggs personality type: ENFP (Extraversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception). ENFPs are enthusiastic, imaginative, and spontaneous. We are a good match for artistic careers that support our creativity and values. Theatre lets me explore new ideas without a lot of boundaries. There are so many ways to interpret a song or scene and get inside the mind of a character.

 

Creating theatre is always challenging and satisfying to me. It also fulfills me in a way that nothing else does. Theatre has become like my second family, a community that surrounds me with kindness. It’s also a lot of fun; there’s nothing like the thrill of being on stage and connecting with an audience.

 

I’ve been told I have natural instincts for acting, make good creative choices, and bring passion and excitement to the stage. I think what sets me apart, however, is my ability to take direction and use it to improve my performance. I’m a hard worker and team player and have great respect for my fellow actors. I know my “type,” but also like to play characters that challenge people’s perceptions of me.

 

I’m interested in makeup. Just like a singing voice has tone, color, and volume, so does makeup. I see it as another tool to tell a story, set a mood, or communicate an emotion.

           

Theatre offers so many ways to not only express myself, but also help others, especially young children. When I was 13, I started a children’s theatre company. On school breaks, we play theatre games and put on musicals in my basement. The kids also perform at a local assisted-living community. I’ve also directed children’s productions at a local community theatre. As a director, I enjoy the challenges of bringing a story to life and helping actors do their best work. One of my most rewarding experiences was as assistant director of an autism-friendly production of Annie, which included special accommodations for sensitivity to sounds and lights. I see myself in the kids I work with. Someday I would love to teach theatre professionally and expand what I started a few years ago by running a bigger and better children’s theatre company. I get excited watching kids experience the magic of theatre in the same ways I have, learning about themselves and each other.

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I have an offbeat sense of style (I wore Crocs to my high school prom and graduation) and an eclectic sensibility when it comes to home decor (I proudly display my collection of toy pigs). Though I tend to march to my own drummer, I admit to being susceptible to the latest trends (Anyone know where I can find a cow Squishmallow?)