“I kind of always knew I would get into this.”

Freshman Daniel Keeling has been dancing since he was about three years old, acting since the 7th grade and singing for the past year and a half; it’s no surprise he immersed himself into the theater and choir programs at Naperville Central upon entering high school last fall.

According to Theatre Central President Anna Rose Redgate, the drama program offers several opportunities for newcomers to get involved, such as smaller student-written shows  performed throughout the Naperville community and options to be a crew member. Keeling, however, decided to audition for the Fall Main Stage show instead, a show which typically only upperclassman are cast in. Going against the norm, he made the part.

“It’s kind of incredible that someone who has never been in a high school with people who are significantly older than him and have been in more performances was able to step up right away and perform at the same level,” Redgate said.

Redgate recalls getting to work with Keeling in the fall show, “Don’t Drink the Water,” by Woody Allen, which she was also cast in.

“Daniel is a very fun kid to be around, but he is [also] very hard working,” Redgate said. “When someone gives him some sort of direction or note to improve, he always takes the note right away.”

Keeling played a Russian priest in the fall show and has since then performed in the Holiday Show, “The God Committee,” as a guidance counselor. Being cast in two consecutive shows may not be extraordinary, but it is certainly unusual for Keeling’s age group, according to director of “Don’t Drink the Water” Jenna Raneri, who did not even perceive Keeling as a freshman when working with him.

“He is so responsible with everything that he fools you into thinking he was older and that he knew what he was doing,” Raneri said.

Acting, however, is only a fraction of Keeling’s talents, as he considers himself a triple threat. If Keeling can get under the spotlight to perform, well, anything, he will.

“I just like being on stage and performing for people,” Keeling said.  

In all the different mediums Keeling can work in, he does nonetheless have a preference.

“Overall [I prefer musicals] because there just seems to be more energy with the dancing and singing and I just like when you can do all of them together,” Keeling said.

The passion for stagecraft seems to be stem from Keeling’s very core, as if he was wired to perform. Perhaps, this is indeed the case. His mother is a dance teacher and helped choreograph Central’s production of “Tarzan” last year, while his father plays “many instruments,” according to Keeling.

“They both support me a lot and they both got me into [performing],” Keeling said.
Despite Keeling’s numerous performance skills, Redgate hopes to see Keeling continuing in Theatre Central throughout his high school career.

“He is multi-talented, but I can really see him continuing to be in these performances, and possibly being a board member one day,” Redgate said. “I can see him doing some great things.”

Keeling himself could see a future in Theatre Central as well, as he would eventually like to direct the Holiday Show he performed in last December. For now, however, he is working on the school musical “Footloose” and will be both dancing and singing as the character Tony on April 21 through April 24.