Daniel Breaker

Daniel Breaker
Born (1980-06-02) June 2, 1980 (age 44)
Manhattan, Kansas, U.S.
EducationJuilliard School (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
Years active2002–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2008)​
Children2

Daniel Breaker (born June 2, 1980) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Donkey in Shrek the Musical.

Career

Beginning his career in 2002, immediately after graduating from Juilliard, Breaker has performed in Off-Broadway, London, and U.S. regional theatre productions. He performed in five plays at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. His first major role was the Youth, protagonist of the Off-Broadway premiere of Passing Strange, for which he won an Obie Award in 2008. He was then nominated for a Tony Award for the show's Broadway transfer, in which he again played the Youth; he also played this role in Spike Lee's filmed version of the musical.

One of his most recognizable roles was Donkey in the original Broadway production of Shrek the Musical, which ran from November 2008 through January 2010. He starred alongside long-time Broadway stars Brian d'Arcy James, Sutton Foster, John Tartaglia, and Christopher Sieber. For his portrayal, Breaker earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.[1][2] His voice can be heard on the original cast recording of the show.

He has also appeared in the plays Well and Cymbeline.[3] In 2009, he co-hosted the Obie Awards.[4]

Breaker previously played Mafala Hatimbi in The Book of Mormon on Broadway. He also appeared as the King of Navarre in The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of the Love's Labour's Lost musical.[5] He played Aaron Burr in Hamilton in Chicago and joined the musical's Broadway cast.[6]

Breaker has also been a guest star on TV.[7][8] Since 2021, he has been part of the supporting cast of the Peacock show Girls5Eva. Breaker stars as the Jester alongside his former Shrek the Musical co-star Sutton Foster in the 2024 Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress.[9]

Personal life

Breaker has been married to theatre director Kate Whoriskey since 2008. They have two children.[7][10]

Stage credits

Year Title Role Theater Notes
2003 Pericles Pericles Red Bull Theater
2004 Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine Agent Duva/Flow/Dealer/Addict #2/Ensemble Playwrights Horizons Off-Broadway
2005 The Tempest Ariel Shakespeare Theatre Company
2006 Well Jim and others Longacre Theatre Broadway
2007 Passing Strange Youth The Public Theater Off-Broadway
2007–2008 Cymbeline Gentleman Lincoln Center Theatre Broadway
2008 Passing Strange Youth Belasco Theatre Broadway
2008–2010 Shrek the Musical Donkey Broadway Theatre Broadway
2011 By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Leroy Barksdale/Herb Forrester Second Stage Theater Off-Broadway
2012 The Performers Lee Longacre Theatre Broadway
2013 Love's Labour's Lost King Ferdinand of Navarre Delacorte Theater
2014–2017 The Book of Mormon Mafala Hatimbi Eugene O'Neill Theatre Broadway
2017 Hamilton Aaron Burr PrivateBank Theatre
2017–2020 Richard Rodgers Theatre Broadway
2024 Judgment Day Father Michael Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Once Upon a Mattress The Jester Hudson Theatre Broadway
2024–2025 Ahmanson Theatre Los Angeles

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Limitless Campaign Manager
2012 Red Hook Summer Cliff
2013 He's Way More Famous Than You EMT
Shrek the Musical Donkey
2015 Sisters Airport Bartender

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Zach Episode: "The Pilgrim"
2009 Great Performances Youth Episode: "Passing Strange"
2011 Unforgettable Mark Episode: "Lost Things"
2014 Submissions Only Dean Klausen 5 episodes
2014–2016 Mozart in the Jungle Virgil 16 episodes
2017–2018 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Agent Dunleavy 2 episodes
2020 Helpsters Artist Andrew Episode: "Camper Cortez/Artist Andrew & Detective Dudley"
2020–2023 Billions Roger 'Scooter' Dunbar 34 episodes
2021–2024 Girls5eva Scott 12 episodes
2022 The Good Fight Randy Elkin 5 episodes

References

  1. ^ Miller, Winter (December 28, 2008). "Swamp Creatures Step Out". The New York Times. New York.
  2. ^ Parker, Eloise (December 15, 2008). "Behind the scenes with Daniel Breaker at 'Shrek the Musical'". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  3. ^ "Daniel Breaker". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on 2017-06-11.
  4. ^ "Martha Plimpton and Daniel Breaker to Host 2009 Obie Awards". Broadway.com. March 17, 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-06-09.
  5. ^ "Daniel Breaker, Colin Donnell, Rebecca Naomi Jones & More Set for COMEDY OF ERRORS and LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST in the Park!". BroadwayWorld. April 24, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-04-27.
  6. ^ Levitt, Hayley (March 10, 2019). "How Hamilton's Daniel Breaker Built a Burr for the Ages". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Bernardo, Melissa Rose (July 27, 2009). "Daniel Breaker on Fatherhood, Donkey-hood (in Shrek) and His Strange New Movie". Broadway.com.
  8. ^ "Daniel Breaker". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  9. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (July 8, 2024). "Ana Gasteyer Will Rule Over Once Upon a Mattress". Playbill. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  10. ^ Fierberg, Ruthie (March 7, 2016). "If Daniel Breaker Weren't An Actor, He Would Be A..." Playbill.