Letting the Paint Dry
Tony Award-nominated actor and multidisciplinary artist, Daniel J. Watts has appeared in nine Broadway productions, including Hamilton, Memphis, and TINA: The Tina Turner Musical, earning a Tony nomination and Outer Critics Circle Award for his portrayal of Ike Turner.
Beyond Broadway, Watts is a storyteller, poet, dancer and creator of The Jam, his acclaimed series blending stand-up, storytelling, spoken word, music and dance.
That multidisciplinary spirit drives his TEDxBroadway talk, “Letting Paint Dry.” While literally painting with his feet, Watts reflects on the abrupt pause of the pandemic and a mentor’s observation that he never seemed to “let the paint dry.” What emerges is a compelling exploration of stillness, reflection and allowing ourselves time to process what we’ve created before rushing toward what comes next. Sometimes moving forward begins by standing still.
