Danny Maseng
Encyclopedia
Don Tourliev "Danny" Maseng is an Israeli-born performer. An actor, singer and writer, Maseng is known as a composer of contemporary Jewish Liturgical music. He currently serves as the Cantor and Musical Director of Temple Israel of Hollywood
.
to an American Jewish mother and a Norwegian-American Lutheran father who came to Israel to serve as a volunteer in the Air Force during Israel's War of Independence and later converted. He rose to stardom in Israel at a young age and was the star of one of the first TV shows in Israel. Maseng came to America in 1971 to star on Broadway
in the musical Only Fools are Sad under the patronage of Golda Meir
.
After his Broadway run, Maseng remained in the States, living in several cities before becoming a practicing Buddhist and student of the late Dainin Katagiri
Roshi in Minneapolis. He later found his way back to Judaism and became involved in the Reform Judaism
movement through the Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute, where he ran the Tiferet Arts program for eight years.
Maseng resides with his wife in Los Angeles, California. He has three sons, Jonathan, Carmel and Jordan.
for the Theater Exchange; and the Minnesota Opera
's production of Carousel (musical)
.
After returning to New York in the early 1990s, Maseng had roles in the Circle Repertory Company
's production of A Body of Water and starred as Da Costa in the revival of the Broadway Musical King of Schnorrers in Los Angeles at the then "Westwood" now Geffen Playhouse
.
In 1995, Maseng debuted his critically acclaimed one man show Wasting Time with Harry Davidowitz at the John Houseman
Theater off-broadway, where it enjoyed a long run and has since toured with it abroad.
Maseng has released a dozen albums and appeared as a guest star on numerous television shows including many of the shows in the Law & Order
franchise, Wild Discovery
and One Life to Live
; and has also done extensive voice-over work for JoS. A. Bank, American Express, Hewlett Packard and Hoehn Motors.
Theater Fellowships for the Foundation for Jewish Camping and also served as the Artistic Director of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute
in California. He is also the founding director of the Jewish Arts Institute, a program run out of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
in Falls Village, Connecticut.
For several years, Maseng served as the spiritual leader for Congregation Agudas Achim in Livingston Manor
, New York. He later served as the Artist-In-Residence/Cantor for Temple Israel of Columbus in Ohio.
In 2007, Maseng was appointed the Patron Artist of the Jewish Institute of Cantorial Arts at the University of Potsdam
in Germany, the first cantorial school in Germany since the Holocaust.
Temple Israel of Hollywood
Temple Israel of Hollywood is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Hollywood, California founded in 1926. Services were originally held in the Hayakawa Mansion before the first Temple Israel building was established on Ivar Street under the leadership of Rabbi Isadore Isaacson. Temple Israel moved to its...
.
Biography
Maseng was born in Tel Aviv, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to an American Jewish mother and a Norwegian-American Lutheran father who came to Israel to serve as a volunteer in the Air Force during Israel's War of Independence and later converted. He rose to stardom in Israel at a young age and was the star of one of the first TV shows in Israel. Maseng came to America in 1971 to star on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in the musical Only Fools are Sad under the patronage of Golda Meir
Golda Meir
Golda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
.
After his Broadway run, Maseng remained in the States, living in several cities before becoming a practicing Buddhist and student of the late Dainin Katagiri
Dainin Katagiri
Jikai Dainin Katagiri , aka Hojo-san Katagiri, was a Soto Zen roshi and the founding abbot of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he served from 1972 until his death from cancer in 1990...
Roshi in Minneapolis. He later found his way back to Judaism and became involved in the Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
movement through the Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute, where he ran the Tiferet Arts program for eight years.
Maseng resides with his wife in Los Angeles, California. He has three sons, Jonathan, Carmel and Jordan.
Theater, music and television career
Maseng directed and starred in productions in Minneapolis, including Cold Storage and The Day they Shot John Lennon for the Genesis Theater; The Secret Rapture and Rat in the Skull with British Actor Richard LumsdenRichard Lumsden
Richard James Lumsden is a British actor, writer, composer and musician. He played Nathan in Channel 4's drama Sugar Rush and on radio he plays Ray in Clare in the Community.-Career:...
for the Theater Exchange; and the Minnesota Opera
Minnesota Opera
The Minnesota Opera is a performance organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded in 1963 by the Walker Art Center, and is known for premiering such diverse works as Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and Frankenstein by Libby Larsen...
's production of Carousel (musical)
Carousel (musical)
Carousel is the second stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II . The work premiered in 1945 and was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline...
.
After returning to New York in the early 1990s, Maseng had roles in the Circle Repertory Company
Circle Repertory Company
The Circle Repertory Company, originally named the Circle Theater Company, was a theatre company in New York City that ran from 1969 to 1996. It was founded on July 14, 1969, in Manhattan, in a second floor loft at Broadway and 83rd Street by director Marshall W...
's production of A Body of Water and starred as Da Costa in the revival of the Broadway Musical King of Schnorrers in Los Angeles at the then "Westwood" now Geffen Playhouse
Geffen Playhouse
The Geffen Playhouse is a not for profit performing arts theater in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Originally named the Westwood Playhouse, UCLA purchased the property in 1993. UCLA's then chancellor, Charles E. Young, appointed Gil Cates Producing Director...
.
In 1995, Maseng debuted his critically acclaimed one man show Wasting Time with Harry Davidowitz at the John Houseman
John Houseman
John Houseman was a Romanian-born British-American actor and film producer who became known for his highly publicized collaboration with director Orson Welles from their days in the Federal Theatre Project through to the production of Citizen Kane...
Theater off-broadway, where it enjoyed a long run and has since toured with it abroad.
Maseng has released a dozen albums and appeared as a guest star on numerous television shows including many of the shows in the Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
franchise, Wild Discovery
Wild Discovery
Wild Discovery was a television series that aired on the Discovery Channel between 1995 and 2002. It was an educational program in a documentary format showcasing animals as the main theme. The show featured a wide range of animals, in locations from around the world, including Brazil and the...
and One Life to Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
; and has also done extensive voice-over work for JoS. A. Bank, American Express, Hewlett Packard and Hoehn Motors.
Jewish career
In addition to his performing and composing, Maseng helped found and run the Steven SpielbergSteven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
Theater Fellowships for the Foundation for Jewish Camping and also served as the Artistic Director of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute
Brandeis-Bardin Institute
The Brandeis-Bardin Campus of American Jewish University is a Jewish retreat located in Simi Valley, California, USA. Formerly known as the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, it is used for nondenominational summer programs for children, teens and young adults....
in California. He is also the founding director of the Jewish Arts Institute, a program run out of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center
Originally incorporated in 1893 as the Jewish Working Girls Vacation Society, the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center was established as a summer camp offering Jewish working women, primarily immigrants in the New York garment industry, an affordable vacation. The camp paid for their vacation...
in Falls Village, Connecticut.
For several years, Maseng served as the spiritual leader for Congregation Agudas Achim in Livingston Manor
Livingston Manor
This article contains information related to Livingston Manor, the 18th century New York estate. Livingston Manor, New York is a town in Sullivan County...
, New York. He later served as the Artist-In-Residence/Cantor for Temple Israel of Columbus in Ohio.
In 2007, Maseng was appointed the Patron Artist of the Jewish Institute of Cantorial Arts at the University of Potsdam
University of Potsdam
The University of Potsdam is a German university, situated across four campuses in Potsdam, Brandenburg, including the New Palace of Sanssouci and the Park Babelsberg.- Profile :...
in Germany, the first cantorial school in Germany since the Holocaust.