We are happy to introduce to you our Resident Graphic Designer, Dan Howell!
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Dan & BT
How long have you been with BT? My first show with Blackfriars was Godspell in 2005, so it has been 13 and a half years!
In what different capacities have you been involved? I started out on stage in 2005, and after a few shows, I began assisting Ray Gust with some design work in the summer of 2010. I took on my current resident graphic designer role shortly after. This was also around the same time I joined the board of directors and spent six years serving in many capacities helping with social media and public relations, and also served as both vice president and president of the board.
"When I am not working on BT shtuff, I am..." Probably sleeping. Kidding! I never sleep! Aside from my work for Blackfriars, I also work full time as the Social Media Community Specialist for RIT Online (the online learning division at Rochester Institute of Technology), I work part time as a personal trainer for a private fitness studio, Max Effort Training, and with my husband, I'm a fur-dad to Albus Dumbledog and Percival Woofric Dumbledog, two Shih Tzu.
Favorite BT memory? This is a TOUGH one.
Getting to know you...
My current Netflix/Hulu/HBO/etc. obsession(s) is/are: Pose on FX, I'm also digging The Break with Michelle Wolf on Netflix
My favorite Blackfriars design of all time is: The exterior banners I created with Jack Haldoupis for The Who's Tommy. There were several vertical banners that hung on the side of the building, but we added them over the course of the season to eventually make one giant banner that spelled out the name of the show. It was a fun challenge, and we got to cover the side of the building in "Tommy Yellow"
The best vacation I've ever been on is: our honeymoon to Québec City. A stunning, historical city we got to explore in the middle of summer with perfect weather.
The fictional place I would most like to visit is: Hogwarts School for Witchcraft & Wizardry. Without a doubt.
I like to start the day by: Heading to the gym. I can't tell my clients to make time in their day to workout without doing the same thing. I also love getting my workout done early and feeling good for the rest of the day.
The movie title that best describes my life is: Sister Act 2, Back In The Habit. No! I'd actually go with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. My reasoning: 1, I love Sci-Fi; 2, I see life as finding people along the way who you can go on adventures with, constantly be surprised by, and most importantly - rely on; 3, Everyone is just trying to figure out what their purpose is; 4, Sam Rockwell.
My go to karaoke song is: I don't really have one since I actually don't like singing in public outside of a show, but Jake Purcell and I do a mean rendition of Maybe This Time from Cabaret.
If I could choose one super power, it would be: As a personal trainer, people always expect "super strength" but I love working out, so where's the fun in that? I would go with the invulnerability. Just seems pretty handy.
Dan as Tommy in THE WHO'S TOMMY
Here at Blackfriars, we don't know what we would do without Dan. His flexibility, passion, and sense of humor have helped to keep our doors open for THIRTEEN of the 69 years in our history. His work, both on stage and on the page (or banner, or brochure, or poster) has been seen by thousands in the Rochester community. Next time you drive down Main Street and see one of our exterior banners, we hope you'll think of Dan. We love you and THANK YOU!