USU theater graduate has toured the nation
Lee Daily, a graduate of Utah State University’s theater program, has returned to Logan after working in New York City, Pennsylvania and California. Daily, who attended USU between 1991 and 1996, actively worked in the theater department — not only as an actor, but also in costume design.
While at USU, he appeared in several shows including “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” “Sweeney Todd” and “King Lear.”
“The department is still small enough to give individuals a lot of experience on stage,” Daily said. “The most valuable training comes in first-hand experience.”
The program at USU also helps train actors in technical theater as well, he said.
“The department pushed actors to find a technical area they enjoyed so they would have a job alternative when they got out into the real world,” he said.
Daily also worked for the Old Lyric Repertory Company.
“I have worked there for seven years,” he said. “Even after I left Logan, I came back.”
Daily was involved with the Lyric production of “Forever Plaid,” which also played at the university following the summer season.
“I loved it,” Daily said of his experiences at the Lyric. “I love the summers here.”
Nancy Hills, a professor in the theater department, has worked with Daily at USU and through several seasons at the Lyric.
“Lee is an extraordinary talent — equally at home with the profoundly dramatic and the silly,” she said. “He is loved by audiences.”
Hills said he had a knack for costumes as well as acting, which provided for additional work once he left the university. Daily moved to New York City, where he spent three years working as an actor and in costumes.
While based in New York, he worked with Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, Penn. and other regional theaters. It was at Walnut Street that he acted in Maury Yeston’s “Phantom.” He also performed in a showcase production of a new play, “The Ghost of Firs Nikolaich,” which tells the continued story of characters from the “Cherry Orchard.”
“I loved the energy of the city,” Daily said. “I loved having so much theater at your fingertips.”
He also went on tour with a national production of “Show Boat.”
“I loved touring because we saw so much of the country and met so many interesting people,” he said.
The tour visited 30 of the 50 states and went into Canada during its run from September 2000 to April 2001, and Daily rode more than 16,000 miles on the bus, he said. He also worked for Barbara Matera Limited, a costume designer, as a shopper and also in crafts.
“It was a great job — a lot of work though,” he said.
While Daily was employed there, the company worked on the “Lion King.” Many of the stars also came in to get personal items designed. He met Liza Menelli, Betty Buckly and Patti LaPone, among others. But after three years, he decided to move back to the West.
“Living as an actor and working from contract to contract without a steady job was very hard,” Daily said. “I needed to slow down.”
He moved back to Orem where his family is from. While visiting Logan, he was offered work at the Ellen Eccles Theatre and has now moved back. He has decided to make Logan his home for a while, he said.
In addition to working with technical aspects at the theater, he was cast in the upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol.”
“I’m excited to be in ‘Christmas Carol’ because it is a Logan tradition,” Daily said.
This production has been performed at USU for years, but he was never able to take part due to being cast in other shows, he said.
“It is a great cast and will be a very good show,” he said.
–justinsb26@hotmail.com