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Artists Registry
New York NY United States
Artist's Statement
"On The Day and The Days That Followed"
A Play
by Dan McCormick
I, like all Americans, in fact like the entire world, was forever changed on September 11th, 2001. As a playwright and actor, I had an absolute emotional, physical and spiritual need to express something, anything, about what was happening around me at that time. The end result is my play "On The Day and The Days That Followed."
From a production point of view, it was written specifically to give a voice to the actor on a subject that none of us would have ever thought possible. With a one hour performing time, it was intentionally written where a limited number of actors could play multiple roles or if a producer was so inclined, he or she could expand the number of actors quite substantially, thus making the play something else entirely.
In March, 2002; the six month anniversary of the World Trade Center tragedy, "On The Day and The Days That Followed," was stage-read to a full house in Pace University's Schaeberle Theatre with a multi-ethnic cast; just blocks away from where our lives were changed forever. It was truly a unique experience for all involved.
We had guests from as far away as France, to others who came in from Florida and still others who drove up the turnpike from Philadelphia. And of course, most were from the great city of New York. And with the overwhelming response we received from the staged reading, it made us realize the absolute universality of the subject matter. And furthermore, the absolute need for good theater to honor it … always. "On The Day and The Days That Followed" has subsequently been performed in full-length and edited thirty-minute versions by schools in Nebraska, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
- Dan McCormick
More thoughts from Jim Tracy-Original Director of The Pace University stage reading:
Rarely do artists get to work on something that impacts the world's beliefs. What happened on 9/11 was a cataclysmic event and Dan and I talked daily about what was going on around us. I knew he was doing volunteer work close to "Ground Zero" and urged him to be a witness by writing about that which was surrounding us. He worked on four drafts, until we felt he had the words we hoped actors could bring to life. They did, in a staged reading exactly six months from the day; two blocks from "Ground Zero" at Pace University. Dan and I feel this piece has to be approached with an innocent eye. White is black, female is male, adult is child, Muslim is Catholic ... In other words, our family has to speak in a universal language. I feel Dan's vision for "On The Day and The Days That Followed," is to present a theatrical voice for all people to hear, see and question why this happened. But more importantly, what we can all learn about each other so perhaps we can eventually have World Peace.
Resume
The Bio of Dan McCormick
Dan McCormick is a diverse actor and a prolific writer who resides in New York City. Having grown up just outside Philadelphia, Dan graduated from Drexel University with a Business Degree before moving to Los Angeles to pursue his true passion as an actor; studying at the prestigious Stella Adler Academy and later with the Moscow Art Theatre in Boston. From the excellent training he received, Dan became a member of the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association and has worked with Oscar, Tony and Emmy winning and nominated actors and writers on both coasts; including Andre’ De Shields, Danny Aiello, Brian Murray, Robert Forster, Danny Grimaldi and Louis LaRusso II.
Inspired by the great plays and playwrights he so fervently admired in acting school, Dan’s career naturally segued into writing plays of his own; now having written dozens of full-lengths and one-acts that have been mounted in New York, Los Angeles, Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Ohio. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and The Actors Studio Playwright/Director’s Unit and Workshop headed by Estelle Parsons and Carlin Glynn. And he has lectured and taught playwriting and acting on both the college and high school level. Upon completion of his first novel "The Return of Devin Darby," which is currently under publication consideration, Dan began studying piano; eventually writing the book, lyrics and co-writing the music for his first musical "The Myth of Dreams-A Rock Operetta." He is a member of ASCAP and has subsequently written the lyrics for over eighty rock, pop, country and folk songs. Two of which, "This Is Tin Pan Alley" and "Canyon of Heroes" can be found on iTunes.
For much more details on Dan or to discuss his 9/11 play "On The Day and The Days That Followed," please visit his website at: www.DANSVERVE.COM