Author Archives: dannyashkenasi

About dannyashkenasi

I'm a composer with over 30 years experience creating music theater. I'm also an actor, writer, director, producer, teacher and general enthusiast for the arts.

P&P – Day 2 – Blood on the Floor

Posted on October 7, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

On day two of the shoot for “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” there was blood on the floor. My head got conked. A gash opened just below my hairline. And droplets of blood rained onto the floor … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE SUBTITLES 1 – Brazilian Portuguese

Posted on October 3, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

“The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre“, my musical short film adaptation of the short story by Edgar Allan Poe, was seen in over 80 film festivals all over the world. Most festivals, regardless of where in the world they took … Continue reading →

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NEUSCHWANSTEIN – King Ludwig’s Fairy Tale Castle

Posted on September 22, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

On a high hill flanked by the Tegeler Mountain in the Bavarian Alps sits Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig’s “Fairy Tale Castle”. King Ludwig didn’t look far to build his fantasy castle. Hohenschwangau Castle, where Ludwig was raised, lies just across the … Continue reading →

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P&P – Day 1 – Home Invasion

Posted on September 13, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

It was our first day of shooting. I was nearly naked, in a too small bathtub of cooling water, being watched by a crew of a dozen or so people, most I’d met for the first time today. And this … Continue reading →

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The Obama Portraits at Brooklyn Museum

Posted on September 6, 2021 by dannyashkenasi
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The Broken Castle of Heidelberg

Posted on September 2, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

Before I visited I did not know that Heidelberg’s grand castle complex is actually a ruin. In 1689, after decades of warfare, the French army blew up and set fire to much of the castle so that no army may … Continue reading →

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P&P – The Revealing of the Cake

Posted on August 23, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

Thank You to the Crew of “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” addendum When I’d uploaded my original thank you post to the crew of “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” I didn’t yet have the … Continue reading →

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Some Mile High Fun …

Posted on August 16, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

… No, not THAT kind of Mile High fun On a recent overseas flight, I found the airplane’s bathroom as tiny as such facilities usually are, but this one also had small mirrors facing each other, allowing for repeating images. … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE at HALLOWEEN HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Posted on August 11, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

There’s another chance to see my musical short film Edgar Allan Poe adaptation “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” this Friday at a live film festival screening in Orlando, Florida. “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” will be screening courtesy … Continue reading →

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Landing in JFK …

Posted on August 7, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

… with the sun shining against a scratched up window. We were arriving in NYC. JFK airport was just below us. But we were clearly too high to land directly. The plane would circle out south of Long island over … Continue reading →

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Beautiful and yet Painful to Watch

Posted on August 3, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

How a Tell-Tale Compliment Became a T-Shirt Dare My friend Dean Jackson recently watched “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” and sent me a message about his reaction to my short film. I don’t make a habit of repeating on … Continue reading →

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Danny Looks into the Lens

Posted on July 30, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

A Pit & Pendulum On-Set Tidbit We were shooting a moment where I am mostly in profile. So, before each take, Jason Chua, the cinematographer, would ask “Danny, could you look into the lens?” to get me to squarely face … Continue reading →

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BEST ACTOR at the DENALI FILM FESTIVAL

Posted on July 22, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

Hi Danny!  We hope this finds you well! Congratulations! You won Best Actor in the 2020 Denali Film Festival! Please visit the laurel center for your winner laurel!  It was an honor to feature your work! Please be in touch … Continue reading →

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A Thank You from Hair We Share

Posted on July 17, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

Dear Danny, On behalf of the staff and the board of directors of Hair We Share we want to thank you for joining our “Track Your Ponytail” program. It means so much to us and the person who will receive … Continue reading →

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TELL-TALE at DENALI

Posted on July 15, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

“THE TELL-TALE HEART – A MUSICABRE” plays at the DENALI FILM FESTIVAL July 15-18 streaming on-line Alaska’s Denali Film Festival (click here to go there) had accepted my short film musical Edgar Allan Poe adaptation “The Tell-Tale Heart – a … Continue reading →

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EVOCATION XXVIII – for Ed’s 62nd Birthday

Posted on July 12, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

Today is Ed’s birthday. And like every year since our first together, I will present him with a viola/piano duet I composed. They are all called Evocations. This year it’s Evocation XXVIII. Ed will probably blanche at the double stops, … Continue reading →

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