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[0:00] Joe Rosko: Hey, what's going on? Welcome to Built For The Stage Podcast. This is Joe Roscoe, founder and host of Built For The Stage, Broadway's number one fitness platform with clients and over 20 Broadway shows, the West End in London, Australia, Tokyo, Disney, collegiate theaters across the country and stages everywhere. We are your one-stop shop for all things theater and fitness. Check us out, BuiltForTheStage.com, to do a two-week trial with none other than yourself on an interactive fitness app. BuiltForTheStage.com, special thanks to BPN, Broadway Podcast Network, for producing this episode. All right, let's get on to our special guest. Special guest as always, catching up with them before we hit record.

They've had a busy past year. You currently can see them in this little skit called WICKED on the way that is broad. And they're playing the ever so endearing and fan-favorited role of Boq. They've been in the show a few times, but they're returning now as their first primary principal track as Boq, so that's exciting for them. Congratulations. You've also seen them in The Who's Tommy, Newsies. They made their probably debut in Bye Bye Birdie. Seen them at Paper Mill recently. You've seen them in New York City Center. They've been everywhere. We're going to chat about it. We're also going to get to know them as well. He once was a Built For The Stage member. He no longer is. We won't hold it against him. But please welcome to Built For The Stage podcast, Daniel Quadrino.

[1:54] Daniel Quadrino: Hi, Daniel. You dragged me already. I put you under the bus right before you even got on to say anything. I only said it because I remember working with you and how cool of a person you were. And I was thinking, ah, he'll think it's funny.

[2:11] Joe Rosko: No, I do. I'll put it out there. No, I love it. Hi, thanks for having me. Hi, welcome to the show. We're having a cup of coffee here together at 11:30 a.m. on a Tuesday. So you were dark yesterday. No show yesterday, right?

[2:31] Daniel Quadrino: No show yesterday. You're not one of the weird Broadway shows that have shows on Monday and break the rules and all that stuff. Our schedules change at WICKED. So like right now we're on the, I call it the normal schedule, just the eight a week, two Wednesday, two Saturday. But in the summer we change. I don't know what we change to and when, but I do know all of August I have two days off and I'm very excited.

[3:00] Joe Rosko: Oh, okay. Two whole days. Congratulations. Two whole days. Where are you going to go? Are you going to go anywhere? Are you going to escape the city?

[3:07] Daniel Quadrino: I'll probably go at least to the Hamptons or like, you know, something out East a little bit. I have family. I grew up on Long Island. So somewhere on the beach, whether it will be a drive or a quick flight, I don't know, but I will be getting a tan.

[3:24] Joe Rosko: There you go. Okay. First topic of conversation. You're from Long Island. You lived on Long Island, not in Long Island. Let's get it right, people. Let's get it right. Am I right or am I right?

[3:33] Daniel Quadrino: I mean, I think I say, what did I, what do I say? I live on Long Island. I think I say I live on Long Island.

[3:41] Joe Rosko: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This is like a, this is a big thing. Like I have friends that live in like the Ronkonkoma area.

[3:55] Daniel Quadrino: Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, it's always like, Hey, you better say on, there's actually also a Jerry Seinfeld, like stand up sketch about how he's like, you don't go, uh, in the plane, you go on a plane, you don't go on, you're on the subway. You're not in the subway. You're on Long Island. You're not in like, yeah.

[4:25] Joe Rosko: Okay. So, okay. So you're a little bit closer to the Manhattan area though, from Long Island. You're not like way out on Long Island. Where are you? What part, what part of Long Island?

[4:35] Daniel Quadrino: So I grew up on, on, I grew up in East Rockaway, which is, um, 40 minutes from here. So I would take the train in with my family, like all the time. And we have, you know, family who lives in Brooklyn and the Bronx area. So like, I kind of say I'm a New Yorker born and raised because I spent so much time here, even before I like lived in the city full time.

[5:01] Joe Rosko: Got it. Were you near Rockaway beach?

[5:07] Daniel Quadrino: Um, so like, that's like probably like 25 minutes. Cause that's like closer to Queens. So I'm on like, everyone always thinks when I say East Rockaway, then it's Queens, but it's like really Oceanside Rockwell center area. So it's a little bit.

[5:16] Joe Rosko: Yeah. Okay. Nothing makes sense on Long Island.

[5:24] Daniel Quadrino: I know, I know. I used to live, uh, in Long Island city, like actual Queens by Astoria. But anytime I would say that to like a non-New Yorker, or maybe, I don't know, a Long Islander, whoever they'd be like, Oh, you live on Long Island. I was like, no, it's actually this whole other.

[5:36] Joe Rosko: Yeah. Yeah. You get it. Okay. You grew up doing theater or like when you decided to be on Broadway and then you just got on it or how did that all start?

[5:48] Daniel Quadrino: Well, okay. So I have a, I started doing theater kind of quote unquote late, I'd say, because I didn't start doing like shows like until middle school, but I had a neighbor who her grandmother was like, uh, like she did the Rockettes like back when she was younger. And like my brother and I were very artsy people just in general. Like we love, you know, Disney music, anything, you know? So we would put on, we would put on shows in our front yard with our neighbors. And yeah, so very, I wasn't made fun of.

[6:25] Joe Rosko: Were these self written shows or were these shows that you like, put, put on the catch according to like, you know, Beauty and the Beast. And we'd be like, go, you're playing this part, you know, we would just do it. Oh, but yeah, it was fun. One, other, a non, a non written one was we would play Spice Girls with our neighbors. And I was baby because I was the youngest. And I have my little Spice Girls dolls sitting on the on my shelf looking at.

[7:00] Daniel Quadrino: Oh my gosh. This keeps getting the episode can just, it could just end right here. Like that was that's all we needed to come here for doing a Spice Girls show in your front yard. Now as an adult, just looking at your dolls.

[7:06] Joe Rosko: So the Spice Girls up on an older boy. Yeah.

[7:13] Daniel Quadrino: I love it. I found them at a thrift store, a thrift store and I had to buy them. Like I had.

[7:18] Joe Rosko: Yeah, like there's no way I can get in there. Of course you did. I can't blame you. So anyway, my the neighbor saw us doing something and she was like, Oh, like and like signed me up for this like random dance class at rock. And she told my mom and I was like, I don't want to go to this that sounds stupid. It was an all boys jazz class. And I went and I fell in love with it immediately. And I took I started then and I took like six different dance classes like a week for like a long, long time from like probably like second grade to like seventh grade. And then I kind of like tapered back. And that's when I finally did my first full length musical Hello, Dolly. I played Ambrose Kemper in as a seventh grader in my middle high school because my town is so small that it's seven through 12 at the high school. So.

[8:13] Joe Rosko: Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's when I got bit by the bug.

[8:19] Daniel Quadrino: Did the seniors at least just still pick on the freshmen or would they actually pick on the seventh graders? That would be a scary situation, I think.

[8:28] Joe Rosko: Yeah, well, they had like two wings, right? So like, I didn't see any of the upper class, like upper upperclassmen until I got to like musical rehearsal. And those are like the nice ones. Not saying more nice, but no, I get it. I get it. Okay, so that was really, that's amazing. That's an amazing story. Like, I see you accepting an award someday. And you'll have to thank that neighbor from across the street.

[8:50] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, in Maryland. Like, yeah, that's Madeline. That's a you know, that's like a part of your origin story right there. She's a big part.

[9:03] Joe Rosko: Okay, so you, you went to college for musical theater or what what happened?

[9:09] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, yeah. So I, so I finished my senior year of high school, I was doing Bye Bye Birdie. And then I was applying to schools, but I took my SATs like the week I booked Broadway. So I was like, I don't need school, like no matter no matter what I was like, I don't need school. Turns out you do kids. If you want to go to a school that you need good grades to get into, you need school. Right. So I, I went to a school in Brooklyn my freshman year, and then I transferred in to Pace University, my sophomore senior year for musical theater. Yeah.

[9:42] Joe Rosko: Wait, so you booked Bye Bye Birdie in after high school, like right after high school?

[9:47] Daniel Quadrino: Um, I spent my first six months of my senior year doing Bye Bye Birdie in high school. Yeah, yeah. You're one of those, you're one of those school student Broadway kids that brought their homework to behind, you know, backstage and did all that.

[10:01] Daniel Quadrino: We would do. So it was at the now Sondheim theater, but it was the Henry Miller there, the Henry Miller theater when I was when I did Bye Bye Birdie. And we would have tutoring upstairs in the mezzanine level, like during tech, and everybody was like doing their homework and like, not doing their homework, on our like MacBooks, like playing on photo booth, like I can vividly remember all of us just like messing around and our tutors being like, you have to do your homework. We had a good time.

[10:34] Joe Rosko: Beside the tutor, you weren't having to fall in line with like a child wrangler, you know, as an 18 year old, right?

[10:40] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, no, I was, I just see you. I needed to be honest.

[10:52] Joe Rosko: Yeah, tell us, tell us why. What kind of shenanigans were you doing?

[11:00] Daniel Quadrino: We were just so like, we were just a bunch of kids just like being like, just performing on Broadway, which is like, I think for most of us. I think there was like, six, there's 12 of us. And I want to say more than half. It was our Broadway debut. So we were all just like, like about everything, you know, like, yeah, in a good way. And I'm sure it was refreshing. But like, I really did learn a lot from the adults in that cast. Um, there's some like heavy, heavy hitters in that cast. And it was just like, I really grew up. I didn't grow up fast in a sense of like, I like lost my childhood. But like, I grew up and like learned how to be a professional so quickly doing that. Because like just watching everybody like I'm such a sponge in those kinds of atmospheres. I learned what's the most on the job.

[11:46] Joe Rosko: What's one or a few things that you picked up on in that show and from who that you know, to this day, you still are doing as a part of your like professional, you know, habits?

[11:53] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, I mean, I would just say being kind to everybody. And I think that that was like, a really like that was instilled in us from like, the top down, like, I couldn't just name one person, but like the ensemble, like the people like the woman who played my mother, Colleen Fitzpatrick, she was just in Kimberly Akimbo, she stood by for Victoria Clark. And the guy who played my dad, sadly, he passed away. A couple of years ago, his name was David McDonald. They really like we each had a family, right? Like there's a family of like, there's the turquoise family and the yellow family and the orange family and that, you know, and like my family, like they treated us like their actual kids and they like really did like, teach us and like, there's David.

And they just kind of taught us how to like, go about this crazy business. Because like, all three of us in my family, it was our Broadway debut. And they like really took us under their wing and just were like, you know, it's like you learn, you tip your dressers, you learn like all the all of these things that I know, in my like, I will teach people which is crazy. It's very crazy to be on the other side of that. When you're like, I'm not the young one anymore, A and B, I'm the one that people come to when they have a question or they don't understand something or they want to talk to somebody in management, but they don't know how to go about it or something like that. It's like, when did I become the adult?

[13:25] Joe Rosko: Yeah, yeah. Well, now you're the adult.

[13:31] Daniel Quadrino: Professionally, but you're still playing a young high schooler on stage right now.

[13:36] Joe Rosko: Yeah.

[13:38] Daniel Quadrino: But I will, I will.

[13:39] Joe Rosko: Oh, sorry. They're called. Are you a first year freshman though, as Boq? I can't remember. Are you, are you just entering like the two leads?

[13:45] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, we're all kind of.

[13:50] Daniel Quadrino: The two leads. I call Elphaba and Glinda the two, the two leads.

[13:53] Joe Rosko: Oh yeah. No, it's, it's very true though. Like we are there. I know, but like, you know, the two leads, I don't know their character names, but those two, those two girls, that, that, that princess, that pink princess, and then that bad green lady, like those two people.

[14:10] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah. All right. So speak, yeah. Speaking of making fun of myself and the most iconic musical theater show in history, almost. So let's talk about the movie. Cause you had been in the show before the movie and now you're in the show after, I was just curious, has the movie brought on an even more increased fandom to the show? Do you, can you notice like you being a part of the show at one point before the movie and now like, what's the new craziness that's going on?

[14:35] Daniel Quadrino: So the, I mean, the show's always been sold out and like huge, a million fans like all the time, but I've noticed this time being back that there's so many young, young kids like dressed as Elphaba or Glinda in like a bubble dress or like in a witch hat or like, and it's like a lot of people's, it's always been a lot of people's first show, but like the movie has introduced the show to an even broader audience. And like Wicked was a household name, I think before, you know, because the show has been open for so long on Broadway, but now it's like every single person knows about Wicked and like wants to, or not necessarily wants to know about it. But like, I will say it's been a, there's been a resurgence of like kids coming and it's their first Broadway show and it's the one that like makes them fall in love with theater, right?

So like that's been really, really special because I remember I skipped my chorus concert in eighth grade. I faked sick with my family because we had tickets to Wicked and I turned to my mom at intermission. I was like, I have to do this one day. So like getting to do it is super full circle.

[15:50] Joe Rosko: Oh, that's awesome. Okay. So when did you, when did you enter the show as, you know, primary Boq, like principal lead with Wicked? When was this?

[16:00] Daniel Quadrino: I think it was March, March, March 3rd, I think.

[16:04] Joe Rosko: Okay. And you, and you didn't.

[16:06] Daniel Quadrino: Three months now.

[16:08] Joe Rosko: Okay. Got it. So recently, and you didn't enter alone. You actually went into the show with another Bye Bye Birdie alum, Ali Trim, who plays Glinda in the show. So yeah, tell us first, let's just keep it about you right now. What was it like? And you're like put in and like your first time up there, were you feeling prepared or were you like, I'd been on Broadway before, but I'm still scared out of my mind. Like what was the experience like?

[16:35] Daniel Quadrino: It was kind of a mixture of all those emotions because I had done the show before. And I, I originally did the show in 2015. And I was part of the ensemble. So like, I know the show so well, right. And I covered Boq when I was there the first time. And I, you know, it's weird with Wicked because it never leaves your body. So much so that I left in 2017. And then I was on tour with Waitress post pandemic. And I closed the tour. And the week I'm home from Waitress, I'm like, Oh, I'm gonna have like, the rest of the summer to like, just relax. I get a call from my the now retired PSM over there. We have a new one. But Mary Beth called me and was like, Hey, like, could you come in for six weeks?

And like, could you potentially start tomorrow? In my old in my old track, and I was like, so like, I went back and I had rehearsal upstairs, like the day of my first show. I'd like maybe like an hour and a half. And like, I just was doing the show like, and she's like, you're scaring the crap out of me. I'm like, it's so weird how muscle memory is such a real thing. And it was something about being in that building and transporting me back. But then this time, being back and being in rehearsals, it was really awesome. Because when I was first put into the show, I went in with one other person. But this time, I went in with four other people. So like, our put in was great, because it was like, a Glinda, a Nessa, an Elphaba, a Morrible and myself.

So it was all of us in costume, all of us like, and they actually did. I had two days of a put in I had one day, just the dress rehearsal that we were in costumes. And then the second day was everyone was in costume. No, it was full orchestra. And we were all in costume again. But like, I've never had to put in where there was a full orchestra, full orchestra, which was really exciting and awesome, because like, I got to hear all that stuff. And you know, all those tricky entrances musically, before I had to do it in front of an audience. But it was weird, because I the whole time I was like, I know this part so well, I know this role so well. But I was trying to erase all of that and just start fresh.

And it was really fun to do that. Because other than Allie and myself, everybody else was new to Wicked. So like, you know, the associate director and everybody was like, we're leaving on YouTube for a little bit. But we also want you to start fresh. So it's been really cool.

[19:01] Joe Rosko: So what kind of so give us the dish on you and Allie on stage. How many inside jokes are you doing on stage without anyone in the audience knowing? Go ahead. Tell us all right now. Ready?

[19:14] Daniel Quadrino: We do have a weird backstory that Glinda and Boq have met before. They I went to summer camp in the Upper Uplands and we met once before. And so in Schist Parlor, I'm always trying to get her like attention. Like, remember that one time? Remember, remember camp? And then backstage, it is like, there's a lot of times like where, like an act to right before I come on for March of the Witch Hunters, she's coming out of the quick change booth as I'm going in, but I'll get there early. And I'll try and like, you know, like, not scare her, but like, just be like, hi. And like, we just have as many moments as we can together. But like, we are constantly laughing offstage and like, trying and struggling not to break on stage with each other.

Because it's just every time we like, yeah, that's what I want. That's what I want to hear. Yeah, that's what I want to hear. Let me hear about these moments about when you're about to break. You kind of dodged the bullet. You're like, I always say remember that one time. And I know there's got to be. I know there's got to be some crazy stuff you're saying when you say remember that one time when?

[20:29] Daniel Quadrino: Oh yeah. When what? I'm trying to think. I'm trying to think. I can't get fired here.

[20:36] Joe Rosko: Oh, come on. It's okay. You already did the show a couple times. Like you had your fun. It's all right. If you get fired, no big deal.

[20:41] Daniel Quadrino: Well, we call each other flamingos when we have forever. So like for opening, she gave me like a little pink flamingo like trinket dish. So I'm like, trying to sneak flamingo in. But it's also great because like, Boq is so in love with Glinda that like anything I do, like makes it look like I'm like, you know, it's great that I get to be in love with like, infatuated with someone I love and admire so much on offstage. So I think our relationship is really clear on stage. And it's fun for her to be like, we like she gets to like lead me on, which is kind of fun. You know? Yeah, I'm trying to think. Let's keep going. But I'm sure that there is absolutely something but I'm drawing a blank right now. And I'm not trying to dodge the bullet. But I am drawing a blank.

[21:25] Joe Rosko: All good. All good. Well, I brought I brought up how you and Allie used to work together. And then you were at some point, you said you were on tour getting off tour after the pandemic. What show was what we're touring with?

[21:38] Daniel Quadrino: So I did the like, there was a like, short engagement tour of Waitress and I played Ogie.

[21:44] Joe Rosko: Right? Yeah, yeah. I love I love that role.

[21:51] Daniel Quadrino: Ogie. So I so I wanted to bring it up because I was just in my head saying damn, like Danny's been in every he's just working. He's working his ass off. So I wanted to ask like, obviously, talent aside, how as a high schooler, do you make your Broadway debut, but then not just fall off the face of the earth because you're a young kid that had talent. But as we know, your high school self, a lot can change with you. Yeah, just you know, a couple of years, you can be totally different person. And then just because you had success in a career at one point and in your young life doesn't mean it's just going to carry over. So what besides your talent has like, been a testament to your consistent booking of all these shows?

[22:34] Daniel Quadrino: I think determination for sure. I'm not giving up and kind of not letting like any one like any specific like, no, that I got like, determine me away. Because also after Bye Bye Birdie, I was in a weird age, I was like, too young to play like children. But I was, I mean, I was too old to play children, but too young to play like, high school, like, like, like college and stuff like that. So like, after Bye Bye Birdie, I didn't really, I, I did like workshops and readings. But like, I didn't my next big job was Newsies, which was my senior year of college. But I was auditioning for Newsies from my like, soft, my freshman year of college till my senior year, like, and I auditioned 24 times before I got it. And they ended up telling me in the room that I booked the job, which was insane.

[23:34] Joe Rosko: What, uh, what had you? What kept you coming?

[23:37] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, I was blowing my nose while I was speaking.

[23:40] Joe Rosko: Right. Um, okay. So 24 times, like, what was it your agent that was like, you know, you got to keep going back in for this. You are close. Like, it's not a waste of your time. What kept what kept you going back?

[23:57] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, like, I knew that this show like, so like the first, the first round was at Paper Mill, like, and I made it to the end on my own for Paper Mill, not on my own. But like, I made it to the end. And I was like, Okay, and I just didn't go my way. So I was like, damn, but they told my agents like my, my technique, my dance technique wasn't strong enough. So like, I was like, Okay, cool. At least that's something to work off. Right. And then, then it went to Broadway, went in again, but like, none of the tracking worked out. And then I kept going in every time someone left anytime someone left, which was also like, it was great. They kept wanting to see me, right. But it was also really hard on my spirit to be like, All right, let's go in again and probably not get it.

And like, let's just, you know, I can't really change anything. I can keep working on my technique, but I can't change my facility and who I am, like, just like what I what I do, like, I know that I know that I could do it, but like, whatever. So it wasn't until like, the actual last time that I went in, I was like, it was the last my last first round, I'll call it. My last first round, I was like, you know what, if I don't get it this time, I just have to walk away. I have to walk away from Newsies. And it's like, you know, I'll close the book and be like, it was cool. But this show is not for me. You know, I think I just have to do that to protect my piece. I go in. There's a first round, then there's a second round, and it's like whittled down.

And then like, there was one final callback, and it was me and three other guys. And then I got a call that next day, or like next week, I don't know the exact timeline. And they were like, Hey, can Danny go take like a week of ballet for his technique? Like we just are still like, you know, we don't know. We don't know.

[25:36] Daniel Quadrino: A week. A week. Can Danny, can Danny go fix all of his problems with one week of ballet? Yeah. His legs here needs to be here. No. So I was like, sure, whatever and did that. And then I was thinking it was gonna be me in the same three guys. It was me. They had auditions all week. And it was me and three other guys at the end this last time. And I remember being on the fourth floor of Pearl Studios. We do our final audition. Every single person is behind the table like every Disney person, every creative like it was, and I'm at the elevator, I finished the thing and I'm like, Okay, I finally did it. I'm done. Okay, like if I don't get it, it's we're moving on to the whatever next show will be because this isn't the last show.

I'm at the elevator and they're like, Danny, can you come back? They want to talk to you. And I was like, Okay, and I thought they were literally going to be like, Hey, we appreciate all your hard work. But you know, I think it's still a no. I think I think it's time that we just like stop. You know? I don't know, not torturing you. But like, you know, we don't want to bring you in like we finally like it's not gonna work out. And Jeff Calhoun, the director was like, we just have one more question. And I was like, Okay, yeah, like at this point, like they wanted me to be a fucking newspaper, I would have been a newspaper in the show. And he was like, How would you like to be a newsie? And I like just fell on the floor, sobbed. Like, that felt like a movie because that was

[27:02] Daniel Quadrino: Does not happen. You do not get told in the room ever that that happens. And like, I really do always tell that story, especially when I'm teaching, because it really shows you that you can't let, like all to know is like, let you stop wanting to do this. Like if anything, it fuels you and makes you want to work even harder to get that. So I think, I think that answered the original question you asked me. Yeah, I went on a 17 minute tangent.

[27:29] Joe Rosko: No, that's, that's, that's what we're here for. Speaking of teaching and what you tell your students or people that are taking class with you. What, like that being used to the no or expecting the no or the no is more part of this industry than the yeses. So you better get used to it. Yeah, what, what other messages or you can go even deeper onto that? Do you typically over and over and over again, these certain themes recur with you when you're talking to your students? Yeah, just just to help anyone listening to the episode right now that might benefit from it.

[28:05] Daniel Quadrino: Absolutely. I kind of adopted something that my dad would tell me, especially during my Newsy saga, that it's not a matter of if it's just when it's on. And you know, I try to tell people it's all a puzzle. And sometimes you are going to not be the right shape for the puzzle. And that's okay. You know, and I, I really I do a lot of song interpretation classes, especially with like middle to like young high school students, because that's the time when everyone is like, I remember being told like, No, you have to do this, you have to do that you have to be this you have to be more but you have to be bulkier you have to do and it's like, I think especially now, I like to try to help my students be like, you don't need to be anyone but yourself.

And that's who you need to bring into the room because they want to see you and what you do with it. Not what what you think that they want you to do. Like, don't put yourself in a box. And I, I, I really like to see a lot of my, I do a lot of work with Broadway workshops. So like, a lot of times our classes are like, either a week or two weeks, and I see them every day. And the growth from day one to the last day is so inspiring. And I really do. And it's like, almost like, yes, the acting, yes, the singing, but for me, I want to see them do it. I don't want to see them try to be anybody else. And their work is better when it is like that.

[29:37] Joe Rosko: So that's what I said it instill. Yeah, it becomes that like, Leonardo DiCaprio movie Inception, where there's like five worlds or like, I don't know, The Matrix or something. It's like, no one wants to see you trying to be someone else trying to be a character. Like, you can't, you can't wrap that all in your brain. Like no one's going to get that. No one's going to be able to receive that and you're not going to be able to display it successfully. So you might as well just be yourself for sure.

[30:09] Daniel Quadrino: Absolutely. Yeah. Okay, so you walked your dog before this who who's, who's Danny off the stage? So what kind of dog he got? Or like, what are we doing? That's not wicked musical theater related?

[30:21] Daniel Quadrino: Oh, hell yeah. Um, Jackson is a cavapoo. He's 10 years old. I've had him since I got him right before I joined wicked the first time actually. Okay, there you go. Yeah. So I've had him for 10 years. So a lot of my non non working time is with him, you know, um, I like to go to the gym, but like, you know, I work out, but then I really love especially now, like, if I can do anything outside, I like to be outside as much as possible. Like, you know, when I'm not working, I love to like, hike and, you know, find national parks and do things like that and spend a lot of time outside and just doing anything that makes me happy that isn't like, that isn't singing and dancing. You know what I mean?

Because like, I will say like, we get offered tickets to like shows sometimes on the day off. And it's really hard for me to say yes, because like, I need a day to recharge. And sometimes recharging consists of me sitting on the couch playing video games or watching, doing anything that has nothing to do with theater, you know. So I like to spend a lot of time and it's hard right now, because my partner is also in a show smash, and our schedules are the same, but they're so busy right now doing like press and TV things. So it's like, when we both have the same day off, we're like, yes. And we like to do stuff together, you know, find new food in the city do, you know, I'm seeing smash not this Friday. Wait, two Fridays from now, I think. I don't know. But I'm on my way.

[31:58] Joe Rosko: David Joe's on his way to smash in two weeks. So you'll see him.

[32:02] Daniel Quadrino: Yeah, I loved it so much. They are working their asses off up there. It is hilarious. Robin is a friggin star stars. Everybody's a star. But like, what Robin is doing on that stage. I've never, it's never been done like her before. So it's I'm excited for you to see it.

[32:23] Joe Rosko: I'm happy. I'm happy to hear that. Like, she's obviously already Broadway royalty. But yeah, I think like, this is like her center coming out party, because she's already, like I said, been a star, but I'm excited to like, see her in like, quote unquote, her show, I guess, right? You know, it's like, like that, that no, I know what you mean? Yeah. Yeah. Because she's obviously been a lead in other things. But this is like, the Ivy Lynn story. And it's like, yeah, it's amazing to see the journey she goes on. Everybody is so good in the show. I really like it. I know I'm a little biased, but I really like it. Like and I loved the TV show. And it's just Yeah. So go see smash. All right.

[33:04] Joe Rosko: Last thing I want to rewind to your video game playing what what video games are we frequenting? What are you always playing?

[33:08] Daniel Quadrino: Um, I have been playing tears of the kingdom since it came out. And I'm like, maybe a fraction of the way through, I get I will go through phases, and I'll play a lot, right? And then I get like, really frustrated. And I'll look up something like, like a walkthrough, because I like need to move on. But right now, I'm stuck. I don't know if you play when I'm stuck in this one thing. I'm stuck in the depths. And it's like very dark, and I don't know how to get out. So I like have put that down. And what am I playing? What else do I play? Um, any any of the and you're gonna laugh me when I say it, but Mario games, I play like the Super Mario. Yes, I know.

[33:51] Joe Rosko: Stop.

[33:51] Daniel Quadrino: No, I I've just I have Nintendo Switch. So I've been playing Mario wonder and Mario Kart, like, constantly over and over and over.

[34:02] Joe Rosko: Mario wonder is really good. And then the first game I ever played on the switch was Odyssey. And I like have re I like not recently, but like I replayed it like last year, and it's just so good. So if you haven't played that, you should definitely get that.

[34:17] Daniel Quadrino: The messed up thing about Mario wonder is that you can beat the game without beating all the levels. So like, you're done with the game. And then you can just keep playing other levels. And I did it. But I'm like, yeah, well, this is like the the competitive person in me was like, I shouldn't have been able to win the game until

[34:32] Daniel Quadrino: Oh, I know. Yeah, I call myself sometimes like sometimes in those games. I'm like, I say that I'm a coin slut, because I need every single thing. I'm like, I need everything. I need everything.

[34:50] Joe Rosko: You should start streaming and like showing people like every single

[34:54] Daniel Quadrino: No, because I definitely have never succeeded in that. But like, I will try. Oh, and we played recently, not again, not recently. But there's this co op game called it takes two. That was really, really good. Um, the storyline is weird. And it's kind of like, it's about these two parents, a pair of like a husband and wife, and they're like at therapy, and they're like, we're gonna get a divorce. And then like, they get turned into like toys, and then they have to work together to get out. And then it's like, Oh, maybe we won't get divorced. So I'm like, it's a, it's like a weird thing that maybe it's like, maybe people shouldn't get the worst. We're like, people should do what they want to do.

Like, don't let this video game. Wow, I feel like that was like, if a, you know, a young person plays this game, and their parents are like, maybe going through the process of doing it. That's gonna play some mind games with that kid being like, wait, wait, the video, right? That you should do is, if I win this game, I could show my parents not to split up. And that's messed up. We kind of had a really long conversation after it kind of about that being like, wait, it was a fun game. But I don't I wish the story was different. So it was fun. But yeah, they should have like a disclaimer, like before and after the person plays like warning.

[36:16] Joe Rosko: This does not

[36:18] Daniel Quadrino: we are you can get divorced if you want.

[36:21] Joe Rosko: Yeah. Well, on that note, Daniel, that's the perfect ending to our conversation. Thanks so much for being on bill for the stage podcast.

[36:26] Daniel Quadrino: I'm screaming.

[36:34] Joe Rosko: Never did you think no one could have written that better than that just happening right now. I mean, you couldn't have written that out better. Yeah. And see amazing.

[36:45] Daniel Quadrino: Oh my god. No, but no, but but seriously, yeah, it's fun to chat get to know you a bit. Really inspired by your consistency like that. I think this I don't know if this is going to be episode like 265. I don't know talking to so many. Yes, talking to so many performers. And having been in the business, I already knew this. But like talking to you and everyone else, it's just I don't know, it's just very admirable, very crazy that y'all are wired in such a way that like, you can just keep making this happen. You know, it's it's ups, it's downs. It's no sturdy ground. It's just making it happen day in and day out, whether you're in the show or trying to book the next like so yeah, standing standing up to you.

Congratulations. And being in this iconic show, playing a lead on Broadway, like fast forward 3040 years from now, you're going to be like, the coolest old person ever. And like, you know, this show wicked like, I was the lead munchkin up there. Like, like, come on, come on. Seriously, though. It's silly to say, but you know, I don't know, think of any iconic show that's no longer running, but musical theater history. And if you meet someone that was in this, that show, that's, you know, amazing. That's going to be used.

[38:13] Daniel Quadrino: Oh, I mean, I did. I did wicked with Michelle Park, who is now in just in time, but she was the original Maisie and Cisco. And I yeah, I right. I'm gonna show with amazing Maisie. I grew up listening. That was a show we performed on the lawn a lot. We did Cisco a lot.

[38:32] Joe Rosko: I cannot I cannot wait to share this front yard performance story of Daniel's childhood. Always hear like, oh, in the living room in the basement in my bedroom, but never have I heard that we put the productions on front yard. You know, the drive by musical theater, you know, someone driving by your street and they get a free, you know, snippet of your show right there. Maybe they pull over. Maybe it's like the maybe it's the drive theater. Yeah, it's the musical theater version of like a lemonade stand. Instead of selling lemonade, they pull over, they give you tips, you know, like, oh, I love your show and bars. Yeah.

[39:17] Daniel Quadrino: Wait, that's great. That should be an actual like comedy sketch where someone has a lemonade stand. But instead of saying lemonade stand, it's like 16 bars for sale. Yeah. Amazing. Yeah. 32 will cost you extra, but I'll give you exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Or they're there. Yeah. They're bartering. They're bartering. It's like, you can have 132 or two separate 16s or an eight and eight of a ballad with my biggest belt.

[39:46] Daniel Quadrino: Exactly. I'll give you two contrasting and a five, eight count dance, but nothing.

[39:52] Joe Rosko: Yeah. Oh, my god. Hilarious. Well, thank you so much for having me. This was awesome.

[39:57] Daniel Quadrino: My pleasure. Thanks so much, Daniel. All right. Hopefully you stuck around for that entire conversation because I don't know the last two, three minutes of us just going back and forth on craziness was amazing. So special thanks to Daniel Quadrino. Make sure you follow Daniel on the gram at Danny Quadrino. You can find that in the description of this episode. All right. I'm Joe Roscoe from bill for the stage actors or athletes train like one later.