Danae is a director, choreographer, and theatre-maker currently based in Florida.
She is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of The Hat Theatre Collective, a professional theatre ensemble in Bradenton, FL. Previously, she served as the Associate Artistic Director for McLeod Summer Playhouse in Carbondale, IL.
2022
April-May 2022: Danae conceived, created, wrote, and directed The Players Centre's "Broadway on the Bay" at the Selby Gardens. Her Broadway-style revue and concert, called The Sarasota Divas, featured 5 leading ladies and was a walk-through memory lane of their roles, shows, and experiences at The Players.
2021
September-October 2021: Danae directed a new one-act play, "That Kiss" by D.C. Cathro, starring Sarasota favorites Kathryn Parks and Tahlia Byers. It was a part of Theatre Odyssey's annual one-act play festival - and won first place!
July - August 2021: Danae directed a new play, "O.U.T." with playwright Derek Sikkema, as part of The Players Centre's New Play Festival. The play won second place!
2019
July 2019: Danae directed & choreographed The Drowsy Chaperone at McLeod Summer Playhouse. This production was the All-Southern High School Theatre Project collaboration with Carbondale Community Arts.
June 2019: Danae directed & choreographed the Illinois Premiere of Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical at McLeod Summer Playhouse's intimate Moe Laboratory Theatre.
March 2019 - May 2019: Danae was a tour director/actor with Prairie Fire Children's Theatre. She toured around the upper midwest (Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin) to direct & teach youth in an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.
January - March 2019: Danae directed & choreographed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with The Players Centre of Performing Arts in Sarasota, FL.
2018
June - August 2018: Danae directed two shows during McLeod Summer Playhouse's summer season: 9 to 5, The Musical and Once Upon a Mattress.
January - March 2018: Danae conceived, created, and directed an original Broadway Revue with Blue Valley West High School. She also guest directed and coached students in Oklahoma!, also at Blue Valley West. (BVW is her alma mater)
2017
Danae served as the Associate Artist for the McLeod Summer Playhouse season, assisting the directors and choreographers on the four-show season: Into the Woods, Pinkalicious!, Sister Act, and Singin' in the Rain. She also served as Dance Captain.
Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director & Choreographer for Sweet Charity at the Players Centre in Sarasota, FL. She also served as the Assistant Director for 50 Words Film, which has been seen at several film festivals including the Sarasota Film Festival.
She is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of The Hat Theatre Collective, a professional theatre ensemble in Bradenton, FL. Previously, she served as the Associate Artistic Director for McLeod Summer Playhouse in Carbondale, IL.
2022
April-May 2022: Danae conceived, created, wrote, and directed The Players Centre's "Broadway on the Bay" at the Selby Gardens. Her Broadway-style revue and concert, called The Sarasota Divas, featured 5 leading ladies and was a walk-through memory lane of their roles, shows, and experiences at The Players.
2021
September-October 2021: Danae directed a new one-act play, "That Kiss" by D.C. Cathro, starring Sarasota favorites Kathryn Parks and Tahlia Byers. It was a part of Theatre Odyssey's annual one-act play festival - and won first place!
July - August 2021: Danae directed a new play, "O.U.T." with playwright Derek Sikkema, as part of The Players Centre's New Play Festival. The play won second place!
2019
July 2019: Danae directed & choreographed The Drowsy Chaperone at McLeod Summer Playhouse. This production was the All-Southern High School Theatre Project collaboration with Carbondale Community Arts.
June 2019: Danae directed & choreographed the Illinois Premiere of Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical at McLeod Summer Playhouse's intimate Moe Laboratory Theatre.
March 2019 - May 2019: Danae was a tour director/actor with Prairie Fire Children's Theatre. She toured around the upper midwest (Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin) to direct & teach youth in an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.
January - March 2019: Danae directed & choreographed The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with The Players Centre of Performing Arts in Sarasota, FL.
2018
June - August 2018: Danae directed two shows during McLeod Summer Playhouse's summer season: 9 to 5, The Musical and Once Upon a Mattress.
January - March 2018: Danae conceived, created, and directed an original Broadway Revue with Blue Valley West High School. She also guest directed and coached students in Oklahoma!, also at Blue Valley West. (BVW is her alma mater)
2017
Danae served as the Associate Artist for the McLeod Summer Playhouse season, assisting the directors and choreographers on the four-show season: Into the Woods, Pinkalicious!, Sister Act, and Singin' in the Rain. She also served as Dance Captain.
Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director & Choreographer for Sweet Charity at the Players Centre in Sarasota, FL. She also served as the Assistant Director for 50 Words Film, which has been seen at several film festivals including the Sarasota Film Festival.
Polkadots! The Cool Kids Musical
McLeod Summer Playhouse
June 2019
Directed and Choreographed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Jenna Mee Dosch
Scenic Design by Ronald Naversen
Costume Design by Krissy Sneshkoff
Lighting Design by Michael Frohling
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Photos by Carrington Spires
McLeod Summer Playhouse
June 2019
Directed and Choreographed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Jenna Mee Dosch
Scenic Design by Ronald Naversen
Costume Design by Krissy Sneshkoff
Lighting Design by Michael Frohling
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Photos by Carrington Spires
The Drowsy Chaperone
McLeod Summer Playhouse
All-Southern High School Theatre Project
July 2019
Directed and Choreographed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Kevin Smith
Scenic Design by MK Hughes
Costume Design by Nicole Watts
Lighting Design by Mark K. Varns
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Photos by Carrington Spires
McLeod Summer Playhouse
All-Southern High School Theatre Project
July 2019
Directed and Choreographed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Kevin Smith
Scenic Design by MK Hughes
Costume Design by Nicole Watts
Lighting Design by Mark K. Varns
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Photos by Carrington Spires
...Spelling Bee
The Players Centre for Performing Arts
February 21 - March 10, 2019
Directed and Choreographed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Rick Bogner
Assistant Direction by Derek Brookens
Scenic Design by Ralph Nurmela
Costume Design by Georgina Wilmott
Lighting Design by Cody Basham
Managing Artistic Director: Jeffery Kin
Photos by Don Daly Photo
The Players Centre for Performing Arts
February 21 - March 10, 2019
Directed and Choreographed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Rick Bogner
Assistant Direction by Derek Brookens
Scenic Design by Ralph Nurmela
Costume Design by Georgina Wilmott
Lighting Design by Cody Basham
Managing Artistic Director: Jeffery Kin
Photos by Don Daly Photo
9 to 5, The Musical
McLeod Summer Playhouse
June 15 - 24, 2018
Directed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Kevin Anthony Smith
Choreography by Darryl Clark
Scenic Design by Mark Kent Varns
Costume Design by Casey Watkins
Lighting Design by Michael Froehling
Stage Management by Kevin McCarty
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Dance Captain: Katelin Coursey
Photos by Carrington Spires
McLeod Summer Playhouse
June 15 - 24, 2018
Directed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Kevin Anthony Smith
Choreography by Darryl Clark
Scenic Design by Mark Kent Varns
Costume Design by Casey Watkins
Lighting Design by Michael Froehling
Stage Management by Kevin McCarty
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Dance Captain: Katelin Coursey
Photos by Carrington Spires
Once Upon a Mattress
McLeod Summer Playhouse
July 26-29, 2018
Directed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Kevin Anthony Smith
Choreography by Darryl Clark
Additional Choreography by Danae DeShazer
Scenic Design by Grenville Burgess
Costume Design by Jen Gillette
Lighting Design by Will Couer
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
McLeod Summer Playhouse
July 26-29, 2018
Directed by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Kevin Anthony Smith
Choreography by Darryl Clark
Additional Choreography by Danae DeShazer
Scenic Design by Grenville Burgess
Costume Design by Jen Gillette
Lighting Design by Will Couer
Managing Artistic Director: J. Thomas Kidd
Sweet Charity
Players Centre (Sarasota, FL)
January 2017
Directed by Helen Holliday
Choreography by Kelly Burnette
Asst Direction/Asst Choreography by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Michelle Neal
Scenic Design by Jeff Weber
Costume Design by Jared E. Walker
Players Centre (Sarasota, FL)
January 2017
Directed by Helen Holliday
Choreography by Kelly Burnette
Asst Direction/Asst Choreography by Danae DeShazer
Musical Direction by Michelle Neal
Scenic Design by Jeff Weber
Costume Design by Jared E. Walker
