About Me
Writer // Theatre Artist // Musician
"whether we write or act, it is not the honor and glory of which I dreamt that is important, it is the strength to endure."
-Anton Chekhov, Nina in The Seagull
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meet daniella
Daniella Ignacio (she/her) is a Filipina American writer, theatre artist and musician, born and raised in northern New Jersey and now based in Washington, D.C. She holds B.A.s in Journalism and Musical Theatre from American University.
Daniella aims to tell stories that embrace diversity, reveal a shared humanity and teach empathy, understanding, and love. She's a multi-hyphenate artist who brings her structured writer’s brain to innovative musical theatre and journalism that champions creativity, curiosity, and change. She wants to imagine better futures for our world, understand the truth, and keep art alive. For her, it’s all about intersections and making the world better through deeply honest and authentic work.
theatre journalism
arts & culture Writer • theatre critic • digital storyteller
As a journalist, Daniella's beats include arts and culture (theatre, music, literature), lifestyle, local news, history, education, social justice. “journalism about journalism,” and human interest features. She pursues truthful stories, uses her platform to thoughtfully amplify bold new voices, explores the meaning of art with joy for poeticism and new learnings that can only come from the experiences of others, and captures the historical record and memory of art.
As a theatre critic, Daniella examines the whys of the world through thoughtful, useful cultural criticism at the intersection of art and outreach work. She questions why things are the way things are, goes beyond the basic language of representation in examining cultural stories, and supports the innate worthiness of art by challenging and championing it.
As a digital storyteller, Daniella loves putting her multimedia skills to use in creative environments, supporting stories through video editing, web design, graphic design, social media, publication layout, and more. She loves editing production highlight reels, programs, and meet the cast videos. Past experiences includes nonprofit comms with Ford's Theatre and Asian American Journalists Association.
Recent bylines: American Theatre Magazine (Contributing Editor), Washington City Paper, Washingtonian (Fall/Winter 2024 Fellowship), The 51st, DC Theater Arts, 3Views on Theater, AAJA Defined, D.C. Theatre Scene (Day Eight D.C. Arts Writing Fellow), The Eagle (Online Managing Editor, Copy Managing Editor, Music Editor). She's started a Substack here. View portfolio here.
musical theatre multi-hyphenate
actor • musician • teaching artist • dramaturg
Daniella loves creating daring new works, reimagined classics, contemporary realism with poetic license, actor-muso and new contemporary musicals pushing the form musically, Theatre for Young Audiences, social justice works centering AANHPI and BIPOC experiences, and shows that make her really nerd out.
As an actor with experience with classical texts and contemporary new works, she prioritizes vulnerability, authenticity, bringing light to the world, and pushing boundaries. She can do a classic soprano ingenue, and she can also do passionate fiery edgy girl/leader types. She loves new work development and staged readings, of which she’s done several in the DC area. Techniques worthy of note: movement-based theatre, actor-musicianship, Shakespeare and heightened text, Brecht, puppetry, and more.
As a musician (music director, soprano with a pop/folk mix, multi-instrumentalist), she loves the comfort, strength, and light of musical theatre. Her vocal heroes are Lea Salonga, Kelli O’Hara, and Lizzy McAlpine. She grew up playing piano and violin and studying classical voice, and is self-taught on guitar, ukulele, and compositional songwriting skills. She's discovered a love for pop/rock piano-conducting in educational, community, and professional environments.
As a teaching artist, she uplifts the next generation and instills love and foundational skills for performing. Specialties include music and vocal instruction, devised theatre, acting technique, and creative drama for any grades K-12. She likes to continue mastering the art of subbing last-minute and sight-reading music. Affiliations include Arena Stage, Imagination Stage, Educational Theater Company, and ArtStream.
As a dramaturg, she provides foundational research that contextualizes and expands storytelling. She loves script reading, making form/content charts, and going down research rabbit holes.
Theatres she’s worked with include: National Asian Artists Project, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center (NMTC ‘24, script reader ‘26), Arena Stage, Imagination Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Keegan Theatre, Devil’s Isle Shakespeare Co., Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, The Puppet Co., Adventure Theatre MTC, Rorschach Theatre, Strand Theater Company, Capital Fringe, Wildwood Summer Theatre, and more.
fun facts
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aries sun, virgo moon, cancer rising
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has SPD, and is specifically a sensory seeker
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INFP with J tendencies in pursuing her wild dreams with some structure
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type 4w3 on the enneagram
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ravenclaw
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daughter of apollo (pjo series)
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fave music genres: powerful singer-songwriters, particularly in acoustic/indie pop and folk.
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fave musicians: joni mitchell, sara bareilles, dodie clark, maggie rogers, lizzy mcalpine, olivia rodrigo
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instruments she has a hold of: keys (w/ MIDI), guitar, ukulele, violin, egg shaker, kazoo, recorder, tom drum
