Category Archives: Beginnings

Entries related to my biography and development as an artist.

Seasons Greetings

Posted on December 7, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

We dressed our tree. Our windows have lights. Even our trellis is dressed. I prefer to call it a Solstice Tree. And since this is a very Queer home, our tree angel is a vintage Billy doll. He’s very anatomically … Continue reading →

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Performing at the Piscator Awards

Posted on November 1, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Michael Lahr von Leitis presenting Cole Escola with the Piscator Award I had the pleasure and privilege of performing October 23 at the Piscator Awards, a dinner and fundraiser at the swanky Upper East Side Lotos Club benefitting the arts … Continue reading →

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Reflections at the AIDS Memorial

Posted on October 25, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

After completing the No Kings march last Saturday, Ed and I took a break at the Aids Memorial in the Village before going for dinner and taking in a double feature at Newfest (we saw the queer animal documentary “Second … Continue reading →

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The New Actor Reel Page

Posted on October 2, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

A new page has been added to the Notes from a Composer banner: Actor Reels. Here is where I will be periodically adding clips and edits from my work as an actor. I have been acting in a fair amount … Continue reading →

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Comedy and Tragedy on the Bathroom Wall

Posted on September 17, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

It occurs to me that the title of this post may suggest we will be looking at particularly dramatic graffiti in public bathrooms, but no, sorry to disappoint on that account. I am sharing pictures of small tragedy and comedy … Continue reading →

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My Time as a Resurrected Corpse

Posted on September 12, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Adventures in Acting in Short Films As previously stated I have been cast in a number of short films lately. One of the more fun and “bloggable” shoots was for “Resurrection”, which filmed in Ithaca. I play a recently deceased … Continue reading →

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A Dulcimer, A Fountain, and a Kiss

Posted on August 21, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

I’m touristing most two-fistedly in Rome at the moment (next stop Florence), which leaves me near to no time to blog, but will give me much material for future Two-fisted Touristing blog posts. I’ll give you a little taste with … Continue reading →

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Me as Poe (or) Poe as Me (or) The New Musicabre

Posted on August 12, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

A Little Sneak Preview at Coming Attractions I just got my hair cut, finally. The length it had before had been uncomfortable in the summer heat. But I couldn’t cut it earlier because I needed my hair long for my … Continue reading →

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I Take the Colbert Questionert

Posted on August 5, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Now that the Cowardly Broadcasting Service has caved to economic AKA political pressures and cancelled the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the chances of me ever taking the Colbert Questionert on the air are close to nil (they never were … Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday, Ed – Evocation XXXII

Posted on July 12, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

It is Ed’s birthday today. And for the 32nd time in 32 years I have composed a viola/piano duet for my husband, a tradition that will continue until we reach the morbid part of the generally expressed marriage vow (Although … Continue reading →

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Our Japanese Maple Shows Off Its Red Leaves

Posted on May 11, 2025 by dannyashkenasi
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Return to NOSFERATU with the NOSFERATU Gang

Posted on February 13, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

The other day I was happy to “succumb to the darkness” yet again for a revisit to Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu”, this time with members of the “Nosferatu” gang, fellow actors in a stage production of “Nosferatu” in which I played … Continue reading →

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Brooklyn from the Sky

Posted on December 1, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

An annotated bird’s eye view of NYC’s best borough. After we took off from New York City’s La Guardia airport on our Thanksgiving trip, the plane flew over the city and I got this great view of Brooklyn, my home … Continue reading →

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Tell-Tale’s Original Script?

Posted on November 25, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

When a very faithful adaptation gets an award for originality… Recently my first Edgar Allan Poe musical short film adaptation “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” received an award for Best Original Screenplay from the East Village New York Film … Continue reading →

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Escape from my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on October 18, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

Cy was a bit of a bore, and Rothko rather withholding, but that Jackson, now he had a mind, he was fascinating, if out of his gourd… The 11th installment in the cartoon caption series (find all the others here). … Continue reading →

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GORDON PARKS captures INGRID BERGMAN at a fraught time

Posted on October 3, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

This Spring I was enjoying a sprawling exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum featuring select works of many African and African-American artists, when I came upon this photo of Ingrid Bergman. A photo that by itself vibrates with meaning and emotion. … Continue reading →

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