Meet actor Daniel Wilke!

Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up? How long have you been involved in theater? Where have you performed, and what were some favorite roles?
I kind of grew up everywhere in southern Indiana. I bounced from place to place but spent the majority of time in the Bloomington area.

I’ve been acting and in theatre for just under 3 years. I started out at Muncie Civic Theatre and absolutely fell in love with acting and decided it was what I wanted to do. Up until this show, my favorite role was probably Captain Phoebus in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, that production is still in my top 3 favorite experiences.

How did you find out about Red Velvet? What intrigued you about the script and the character?Donna asked me if I would be willing to design the set and help with the show, and I was happy to do that. A couple of weeks after the auditions, she asked if I could send in a video audition for Ira. And the rest is history, I suppose. This is one of the few scripts that I have sat down and read multiple times. It just grabs you and won’t let go. It’s such a relevant story, but I guess that in and of itself is a tragedy.

What did you know about Ira Aldridge before being cast? What have you learned about him during the rehearsal process?
Nothing. Didn’t have a single clue who he was, nor his significance in theatre. Now, I feel like I know him like a relative and as I keep digging and learning, I believe I will know him as well as I know myself. He is a deeply complicated and flawed individual, but I suppose some of the greatest people are.

What parallels (if any) do you see from Ira’s life and your own? 
Bias and self-doubt are very real parallels. I think we both feel that we have the necessary instincts to fully bring any character to life, if given the chance, but have this voice in our heads that tells us we can do better and be better. We may also both be a little full of ourselves at times.

Are you approaching this role differently knowing that Ira is a historical figure?
Absolutely. There’s a weight to it for sure. I’ve played a version of a real figure before, but it never felt…right. With Ira, it’s like being able to connect with a part of my ethnicity that I haven’t been able to with any other role. It’s startling sometimes because the more I learn about Ira, the more I try and get into the headspace, and I think that translates on stage both for his redeeming qualities and the flaws he had.

What message do you hope audiences will take from the play?
I think the message is, we’re not there yet. We’ve made strides within society and on stage, but there is still a barrier for people of color to be able to have a voice. Especially now. The setting of this show is nearly 200 years ago, but it could very well happen, and certainly does, in modern times. We are considered radical for wanting to have a voice and to have the audacity to actually use it.

Southbank presents Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti at Shelton Auditorium April 24-May 4. You can buy tickets at the Shelton Box Office, which opens two hours prior to curtain on the day of the performance ($29 general admission; $24 for students/seniors/military), in advance at the Clowes Memorial Hall Box Office (Wednesday-Friday, 10am-4pm), or online. Note that Ticketmaster fees only apply to purchases online.