Interview: Danny Quadrino of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at Aronoff Center For The Arts

Cincinnati is in for a sweet treat from Oct. 23-Nov. 4 as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory opens its doors at the Aronoff Center for the Arts as the opener of the 2018-2019 Broadway in Cincinnati Series! The musical is based off the beloved Roald Dahl children's novel of the same name.

I got to talk with Danny Quadrino who plays Mike Teavee in the production about his tour experience, how the rehearsal process was, his dog and more in the interview below!

AS: What drew you to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

DQ: What drew me to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was Charlie's story. In the times that we are in right now I think it is so important to see an underdog come out on top. We all have a little Charlie Bucket in us and following his journey through our show is cathartic and inspiring to watch night after night.

AS: You all are at the beginning of your tour journey, and this is your first tour! Is there a piece of advice that you were given before heading on the road that stands out to you?

DQ: All of my friends who had been on tours before kept telling me not to over pack...but it's so hard not to! I tried my best to not bring every article of clothing I own with me but I don't think I succeeded. As a tour newbie I am really excited to do some exploring in each city so I have a list of places that I want to go to that I research before we get to the next city.

AS: You have some incredible credits on your resume! How have those prepared you for your Charlie adventure?

DQ: Thank you! I've learned so much from each show that I have been part of. Each show has taught me different lessons as well. While doing Birdie I learned how to get through an 8 show week and sustain high energy, with NEWSIES I learned how to keep my physical body in shape to sustain a show that was physically demanding and with WICKED I learned so much about story telling and attention to detail. Charlie is high energy, very physical and the details are so important so thanks to my past credits I felt like I was set up to soar.

AS: In a few of your past Broadway credits, such as Wicked and Newsies, you replaced performers. How has the rehearsal process for Charlie differed since you are originating the role for the touring production?

DQ: This rehearsal process was different from replacing because we put the show together from scratch. Although Charlie was on broadway before the tour...our amazing creative team was in the room for our entire rehearsal process and they were hands on and adding set elements, adding new songs, and creating new moments that were specifically for the touring production..it's a fresh take on the Charlie we all know and love.

AS: You brought your dog, Jackson on the road with you! How's he liking traveling?

DQ: Jackson's KILLING it on tour. He's more popular than I will ever be and he is adjusting so well. Having him with me on tour is a major game changer because it's like having a piece of home with me everywhere I go. Coming home post show and seeing my little guy run to the door with excitement is something that never gets old.

AS: Your character, Mike Teavee is a huge gamer!! Do you have a favorite video game?

DQ: I used to LOVE playing "Crash Bandicoot" for hours on my PS2...I also used to love playing the Power Rangers video game on my nintendo 64 back when you had to blow into the bottom of the video game to make sure there wasn't any dust inside the cartridge so it would work properly.

AS: You also released a beautiful single in 2017! Do you have any plans to go back to recording?

DQ: No set plans to get back into the studio but I do have about 7 more songs that are ready to be recorded and I am working on figuring out how to make a full album come to life. STAY TUNED!

AS: It wouldn't feel right to let the interview go by without asking... since you are in a musical centered around a Chocolate factory, do you have a favorite sweet treat?

DQ: My favorite sweet treat...thats hard one. I love Ice cream, but I think my ultimate favorite sweet treat has to be WILD BERRY skittles (the purple bag) or Haribo Gummy Bears.

There you have it! Don't miss your chance to get your golden ticket and see Danny in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory running from Oct. 23 - Nov. 4!

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