Spotlight On… Brenden Dahl, Actor and Comedian
Brenden Dahl is an aspiring actor and recent addition to MacGuffin’s, This Side Up Comedy Improv Troupe. He has appeared in Fully Committed, Romeo and Juliet, The Music Man, Much Ado About Nothing, A Chorus Line, The Fiery Furnace and Wicked. He’s currently playing Robin Starveling in Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream opening May 6, 2016.
MacGuffin Questionnaire for Brenden Dahl
- What is your favorite word? I love the word ‘sonder’, which is the realization that every other person you see lives a life as vivid and complex as your own. It is a rare and highly specific word that I have yet to hear or use in conversation, but it is fascinating and powerful nonetheless.
- What is your least favorite word? I hate the word bed. It feels far too hard and consonant to represent such a soft, majestic, wonderful object.
- What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Seeing a person do something extremely well and make it appear effortless.
- What turns you off? The opposite: seeing a person struggle to do something they don’t enjoy.
- What sound or noise do you love? The cacophony of many string instruments tuning and warming up.
- What sound or noise do you hate? Balloons rubbing together.
- What is your favorite food and drink? Mangoes and unsweetened iced tea.
- What are your favorite names? Lucas, Autumn, Claire, Blue Ivy (mainly because anything from Beyonce’s mind is gold)
- What is your idea of happiness? The idea that what you do on a day-to-day basis makes some sort of impact on the world around you, and a sense of pride in yourself.
- What famous quote resonates with you? I like this quote from Walt Disney: “You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
- Name a recent theatre piece or film that moved you. I saw Fun Home on Broadway a couple weeks ago. The atmosphere was so intimate, it felt like an intrusion on the character’s privacy. Because of this, the emotions felt so raw that the themes of the show really stuck with me.
- Name something you learned at MacGuffin. Don’t be afraid to be bold with your acting choices, it’s always better to have a director tell you to tone it down than to do more.