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Erica
Daniels
Age:
32
Title: Casting Director, Steppenwolf Theatre
University/Training: BS in Speech, Northwestern University’s Department of Performance Studies.
Recent/Current Projects: Anything and everything going on at Steppenwolf: Purple Heart, The Time of Your Life, I Just Stopped By To See the Man, and a collaboration with Congo Square on the Mainstage; The Dazzle and Wendall Greene in the Studio; Winesburg, Ohio at Theater on the Lake; Glengarry Glen Ross in Dublin: Side Man in Vail; Fahrenheit 451 for Arts Exchange Theater District with About Face in the Studio; plus readings, workshops and seeing lots of theatre.
How has your training/college education helped prepare you for a career in theatre?: College involved long hours; amazing associates and peers; a wonderful community with whom to grow, work and play; mentors I could trust and learn from; being away from family and loved ones; and a huge financial burden. Real life is actually very similar. The financial burden is there since you don’t get rich doing theatre, but the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices. In college, I learned that if you do what you love, the rewards will follow.
Why did you choose to ply your craft in Chicago?: New York got too expensive. No, seriously–primarily Steppenwolf. Chicago has the greatest talent pool and 'people pool.’ Chicago is a great place to live and work. I think this is evident by how many people, myself included, go elsewhere only to come back.