By Vanessa Elder
Buffalo native Daniel Croix Henderson has built a career across film, television, and theater. Now, he’s making his Broadway debut in Roundabout Theatre Company’s The Imaginary Invalid in New York City.
Daniel was a dual major in voice and theater at Buffalo’s Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. He went on to the SUNY Purchase Acting Conservatory, where he graduated with a BFA in Acting. After graduating he moved into a friend’s attic in Jackson Heights, Queens to start auditioning, working odd-jobs, and pursing his lifelong dream of being a professional actor. He did several odd jobs – selling jewelry, working party events, bartending, all while continuing to train and meet the intense demands of an acting career. His first break came in The Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in Central Park, where he performed in Kenny Leon’s NY Times Critic Pick Much Ado About Nothing. He broke into film and TV right after starring in: “The Oval” on BET, “Love, Victor” on Hulu, and “Manhunt” on Apple TV. And now, he makes his Broadway Debut in the Roundabout Theatre’s “The Imaginary Invalid” – a razor sharp comedy where he plays Cleante, the romantic and passionate lover, in a production starring the legendary physical comedian Bill Irwin – last seen in Christopher Nolan’s “The Oddessy”.
It was like any other day in chorus class when I first met Daniel. We rose early to sing in a semicircle led by our maestro, Frank Scinta, at Buffalo’s Academy for Visual and Performing Arts. We were high school students studying voice performance, and Daniel was the school’s first-ever dual major in voice and theater. Then, Daniel simply said, “Hi, Vanessa!” And from that day on, we became lifelong friends.
Day after day, we rehearsed, performed in ensembles and shows, and shared rides home, with my dad, Party Squad’s David Elder, driving us because we were practically neighbors. I had a front-row seat to Daniel’s growth as an artist, and nearly two decades later, I’ve had the joy of watching his career flourish. Now, living in New York City myself, I get to celebrate this extraordinary milestone with my dear friend.
In the car rides home and hours of practice through multiple ensembles and shows we became close friends, and worked together on music and theater. And it is such a delight to say that almost two decades later we have maintained a close friendship. (I just attended his wedding in Honolulu Hawai’i in August! It was truly one of the most stunning nights of my life, upon a mountain top overlooking the shoreline of Waikiki. Cinematic and perfect.)
I had the pleasure of sitting with Daniel and catching up in a conversation about this breakthrough moment in his career. I made a trip from Bushwick, Brooklyn where I currently live to his place in the lovely parkside neighborhood Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Vanessa with the Villager (V): Daniel, What is sustaining you as an artist right now? Broadway is intense and demanding; 8 shows a week, which requires a lot of energy and discipline.
Daniel (D): The best thing about this experience is the communal effort – I think we all keep each other going! The joy of doing what I love alongside such generous and exceptional artists gives me an energy and a drive to always continue to improve, and to show up for my cast and our audiences. I also feel deeply sustained by the community of artists, my friends and my family. In the rehearsal process, our director Brandon Dirden asked us to bring photos of people close to us on the wall – to remind me who we’re doing this work for and who has supported us to be here. We carried the photos backstage, and seeing them every day grounds, energizes, and inspires me.
V: I know you’ve been professionally acting for over a decade. How does it feel to finally be on Broadway, and to be welcomed into this community?
D: It’s such an honor! Bill Irwin is a generational talent, and his collaboration with our incredibly gifted director Brandon Dirden has been a gift to be in the room with. I feel so grateful to debut with this company of actors – Rachel Bloom, Brooks Ashmanskas, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Dylan Baker, Hiram Delgado, Crystal Dickinson have all welcomed me, and I am thinking so much about my teachers from Buffalo who guided me on this path over 20 years ago – Lorna Hill, George Davis, Frank Scinta, and so many more.
V: I notice that you’ve made strides on camera, in film and tv, and on stage. Broadway marks a huge milestone moment, what do you think this could lead to for you?
D: I’m passionate about a career acting in film and television, but I’ll always come back to theatre. I feel that now more than ever spaces where we can gather in person have tremendous value. You could never AI prompt the stage.