‘Mamma Mia’ to Stop by the ASU Gammage: Meet Cast Member Danny Lopez

By Editor November 29, 2016 07:00

By: Carla León Celaya

Have you ever wondered how someone landed their stage role?

From Connecticut, based out of New York, and with Puerto Rican sabor, Danny Lopez is the swing/dance captain on the national tour of Mamma Mia – a musical production that has been seen by 60 million people worldwide, and heard in 16 different languages.

“I kind of started acting accidentally,” says Lopez. “It was my senior year of high school, I would just go to rehearsals to sit down and watch because I didn’t have anything else to do.”

During his senior year in high school, Danny’s cousin was involved in theater and Lopez would show his support in rehearsals. Unexpectedly, someone dropped from the show and with one opportunity the director liked what Danny offered.

“It wasn’t ever anything I really thought I would be doing,” says Lopez. “ I fell in love with it.”

Danny then started to do community-theater and began to foster the newly found passion. Nonetheless, after pursuing it professionally, Lopez took a break and went back to school to study graphic design. He graduated – and once more, he began to pursue theater.

‘Mamma Mia’ Production (Image provided)

“I’ve been with [Mamma Mia!] for 3 years, and this is my fourth,” says Lopez.

While on the road, Danny maintains the show’s choreography on “smooth control.”

“My job is to make sure that the integrity behind the movement is clean and concise and supportive of the story,” says Lopez. “In the rehearsal process, I work with the choreographer, but pretty much I just maintain the show while it is on the road.”

Every year, there are new cast members in the Mamma Mia production. And this year, the North American Tour is presenting its farewell show.

“This cast is great. I love working with all of them, they are super, super great,” says Lopez. “And I guess this year is a little more sad because it is the end of the touring company. It is bittersweet.”

‘Mamma Mia!’ Production (Image Provided)

Danny will miss the positive environment that develops during the two-and-a-half hour show.

“You go in, you have a good time, it makes you feel good and at the end of the show it is kind of like a rock concert,” says Lopez. “Everyone is up on their feet, they’re dancing, they’re partying, they’re singing along,”

Mamma Mia! The Farewell Tour, will run December 6-11 at Arizona State University’s Gammage Theater. If you need more information on dates and times check out the theater website.