Janet Dacal

Janet Dacal
Born Los Angeles, California
Residence New York City, New York
Occupation Actress, singer, performer
Years active 2004—present
Known for Carla, In the Heights (2007)
Alice, Wonderland (2011)
Home town Los Angeles, California
Awards Drama Desk Award (In the Heights, 2007)

Janet Dacal (born in Los Angeles, California) is a Cuban-American actress, singer, and performer in musical theatre. She received the Drama Desk Award for her performance in the Broadway musical In the Heights.

Early life

Dacal's parents are from the La Vibora neighborhood of Havana, Cuba, though she was born and grew up in Los Angeles. In an interview, Dacal said, "My mom says that when I was four, I would grab a brush and pretend to sing songs into a microphone . . . I was the little girl of the family, and they loved to see me dance around and make people laugh."[1] Dacal moved to Miami when she was 17, where she appeared in a production of Four Guys Named Jose…and Una Mujer Named Maria.[1]

Career

In 2004, she made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Good Vibrations.[2] Dacal then created the role of beauty salon worker Carla in the 2007 off-Broadway musical In the Heights, for which she won a Drama Desk Award.[3] Dacal reprised this role for the musical's 2008 Broadway transfer.[4][5]

She has appeared in a Musicals Tonight! concert in New York City,[6] and also performed with the cast of In the Heights at the "Broadway in Bryant Park" festival in July 2009.[7] She returned to In the Heights on February 19, 2010, as Nina Rosario, playing her last performance in August 2010.[8][9]

Dacal appeared in the Off-Broadway production of Byzantium. Regionally, she has appeared in Frank Loesser's Senor Discretion Himself at Arena Stage and in a South Florida production of Five Course Love, for which she received a Carbonell Award nomination.[10]

At the 2011 Outback Bowl, held on January 1, 2011, in Tampa, Florida, Dacal performed "The Star-Spangled Banner".[11] She participated in the Young People's Chorus fundraising gala, titled Dreamer, at the Frederick P. Rose Hall in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on March 7, 2011.[12]

Dacal then starred in several out-of-town tryouts of the musical Wonderland, for which she received encouraging reviews.[13][14][15] The Sarasota Herald-Tribune wrote that she had "a strong voice and presence."[16] Dacal reprised her role as Alice in the Broadway production of the musical at the Marquis Theatre, which began performances in March 2011.[17][18] However, after negative reviews and bad ticket sales, the production closed on May 15, 2011.[19]

Recordings

In 2007, she provided background vocals for the album Mi tiempo by Chayanne.[20] Dacal can also be heard on the cast recordings of In the Heights (2008) and Wonderland (2011).[21] In an interview, she stated that she hopes to collaborate on a solo album with Wonderland composer Frank Wildhorn, although no official plan has been made.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 "Janet Dacal Broadway.com Interview". Broadway.com. September 4, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Good Vibrations Opening Night Cast on Broadway - Information, Cast, Crew, Synopsis and Photos". Playbill Vault. Playbill Inc. February 2, 2005. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  3. ↑ "In the Heights Will Play Broadway's Richard Rodgers Starting February 2008" playbill.com
  4. ↑ Jones, Kenneth."In the Heights Is in the "Hits" Category; Producers Recoup Investment", playbill.com, January 8, 2009
  5. ↑ “Janet Dacal” broadwayworld.com. Retrieved February 14, 2011.
  6. ↑ broadway.com, February 8, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Photo Coverage: '106.7 Lite Fm Presents BROADWAY IN BRYANT PARK 2009' Begins Performances!" broadwayworld.com, July 11, 2009.
  8. ↑ ""American Idol" Winner Jordin Sparks Will Play Nina in Broadway's In the Heights" playbill.com
  9. ↑ "Dacal Will Return to In the Heights — in a New Role; Del Rio Also Joins" playbill.com
  10. ↑ Biography playbill.com
  11. ↑ "Broadway Performer Janet Dacal to Sing National Anthem for OB 2011", outbackbowl.com, December 20, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Young People's Chorus of NYC Holds DREAMER Gala, 3/7", broadwayworld.com, February 14, 2011
  13. ↑ Wildhorn's WONDERLAND Heads to Broadway Apr. 17, 2011; Gregory Boyd Directs broadwayworld.com, August 3, 2010
  14. ↑ Fleming, John."'Wonderland' is better, but…"St. Petersburg Times (tampabay.com), January 7, 2011
  15. ↑ Tatangelo, Wade."'Wonderland' returns to Tampa" bradenton.com, January 6, 2011
  16. ↑ "REVIEW: Alice gets stuck in musical ‘Wonderland’" herladtribune.com
  17. ↑ "Frank Wildhorn's Wonderland to Open on Broadway in April 2011" playbill.com
  18. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "Frank Wildhorn's Wonderland Musical Will Play Broadway's Marquis Theatre" playbill.com, September 8, 2010.
  19. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (May 10, 2011). "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore; Broadway's 'Wonderland' to Close May 15". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  20. ↑ Katie Hasty, "'NOW' Remains No. 1 As Bright Eyes Debuts High", Billboard.com, April 18, 2007.
  21. ↑ "WONDERLAND Cast Heads into the Recording Studio, 3/6", broadwayworld.com, March 6, 2011.
  22. ↑ Hetrick, Adam."DIVA TALK: Chatting with Wonderland's "New Alice," Janet Dacal", playbill.com, March 25, 2011.
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