8 questions for Kyle Hatley

There are only 3 more weeks of Danny Casolaro Died For You! And in the spirit of journalistic investigation, before its extraordinary six-actor cast departs the TimeLine stage on December 21, we’ve got six unique interviews with them to share. First up, Kyle Hatley, making his TimeLine debut in the title role of Danny Casolaro:

1 — When did you first know you wanted to become an actor? After football practice one day in my sophomore year of high school, my friend Joe Vescovo dared me to audition for the school play, which was Dracula. I got cast as Renfield. As I got older, my passion for football transitioned into a passion for the theatre. But to me, it’s the same thing. Team work. Minus the smell of freshly cut grass.

2 — What’s been your favorite moment working on the show so far? The best moment was when Danny Casolaro’s sister came to see the play. Nick [Bowling], our director, informed us that she was there after one of our previews and we got to meet her. Meeting her was a powerful moment in the process, reminding us that as exciting as this story is, it’s based on real people’s lives and what they lost.

3 — What’s it like backstage? A locker room! We have a damn good team, both the guys and [stage manager] Jinni Pike and her team. There’s a lot of talent back there and a lot of kindness and a helluva lot of spirit. We’ve got each others’ backs and we give each other hell. It’s hilarious back there, but during the show it’s incredibly focused.

4 — What do you think happened to Danny? I think he was murdered. I understand how he could have taken his own life, but I think his obsession with the story is what drove him, and to suddenly cease his investigation seems uncharacteristic. Tommy has a line: “Danny became part of the story.” I think that’s an honest way to look at it. He was onto something, and it was bigger than he was. It was bigger than all of us. And it consumed him.

5 — Would you want to be friends with Danny Casolaro? Absolutely. He drinks wine, I drink whiskey, but somehow I can see us sitting on a porch somewhere in the south drinkin’ till the sun came up. We both have obsessive personalities, but I think we’d hang that up for the night and just get drunk together.

6 — How does the intimate space at TimeLine affect your engagement with the audience? I prefer intimacy, both as an actor and as a director. I love it when the audience is surrounded by the story. It allows a shared experience of both the telling and the viewing—we’re all in it together. Our proximity to each other informs the spirit of the evening. Whether it’s a vocal audience or an audience that’s listening intently, we provide each other a balance and it’s our job to maintain that balance. But our proximity also allows things to be a little more human scale—a tiny breath can speak volumes in the space, without being exaggerated or over-projected to achieve a universally understood human moment.

7 — What’s your favorite conspiracy thriller TV show?  24. Ordinary people have panic attacks. Chuck Norris has Jack Bauer attacks.

8 — Of the conspiracies in the show, which one fascinates or concerns you the most? There’s a moment when Danny playfully says, “What about UFOs, how do they factor into it?” And Mark as Riconosciuto says, “If you only knew how unfunny that little comment is …” and the way Mark delivers it—every single performance it gets me.

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To read Kyle’s biography, visit our website …