you don’t have to do anything, by Ryan Drake. Directed by Ryan Dobrin at HERE Arts Center
“Will Dagger is becoming an indie-theatre darling. He’s compelling to watch, imbuing his characters with a quiet earnestness that floats beyond the figurative footlights of the stage.” Talaura Harms, Playbill “Dagger can be totally menacing in one moment and then soft as a scolded kid in another, and he keeps you off balance with Clark’s confessions and manipulations.” Jackson McHenry, Vulture “One of the best performed shows in New York right now…[Dagger’s] insinuating softness makes you feel like you’ve accidentally touched a rat.” Helen Shaw, The New Yorker
Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekhov. Directed by Jack Serio for O’Henry Productions.
“Wonderfully funny…” Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times ”A performance rich with subtlety and crafty, sneaky invention––not least of which are his finely executed interludes on acoustic guitar, adding shades of feeling and nuance to the proceedings.” Howard Fishman, Artforum ”As a farmhand who feels too deeply for people who rarely acknowledge his presence…makes a memorable virtue of the character’s servile role.” Peter Marks, The Washington Post
Corsicana, by Will Arbery. Directed by Sam Gold for Playwrights Horizons.
“When Arbery gives Christopher an immensely long aria of self-discovery, Dagger makes it seem like falling off a building headfirst. Or really, heartfirst.” Jesse Green, The New York Times ”Dagger has a wonderful, funny tone, and his odd, syncopated rhythms work well in counterpoint to [Dierdre] O’Connell’s insistent kindly alto.” Helen Shaw, Vulture ”Dagger has developed a genuine-feeling sibling relationship with Brewer, and he commands the audience's attention with a beguiling second-act monologue.” Zachary Stewart, TheatreMania ”Will Dagger is ideal as Christopher, in whom a wistful hopefulness and heartbreaking sense of futility uneasily cohabit.” David Barbour, Lighting & Sound America ”Dagger feels so authentic you never once catch him acting.” Frank Scheck, New York Stage Review ”Will Dagger has a remarkable energy, both beaten down, but optimistic. He performs a bravura monologue in the second act that opens up and folds back in on itself several times. It’s a masterful piece of writing, but you never feel the work of the playwright. Dagger expertly manages to make the complicated text feel like it’s coming from him as he delivers it, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.” Lane Williamson, Exeunt NYC
The Antelope Party, by Eric John Meyer. Directed by Jess Chayes for Dutch Kills at The Wild Project.
“Subtly menacing” Carey Purcell, Time Out “The entire cast is solid, but the awkwardly ambitious Shawn (Will Dagger) earns extra laughs and respect.” Derek McCracken, Broadway World “Dagger’s wimpy Shawn is a believable beta male whose desperation for social standing leads him to dark places.” Juan A. Ramírez, The New York Times ”Will Dagger impressively tackles the sharp shift from fawning dweeb to abusive fascist.” Adrienne Urbanski, Theatre Is Easy ”The standouts in the cast [include] Will Dagger as Shawn, a milquetoast who develops increasingly Hitlerian tendencies.” David Barbour, Lighting And Sound America ”Will Dagger perfectly embodies the sad-sack Shawn, seemingly insecure and unassuming but who quickly becomes a steamrolling bully to overcompensate for his lack of spine and to gain the upper hand.” Christopher Caz, TheaterScene.Net ”Dagger’s Shawn is convincingly terrifying as a leader of the Antelopes.” Joseph Donica, Thinking Theatre NYC
Among the Dead, by Hansol Jung. Directed by Ralph B. Peña for Ma-Yi at HERE Arts Center.
"The constant here is Jesus, hilariously played by Will Dagger." Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times "Will Dagger as Jesus has excellent timing and a light touch." Donna Herman, Front Row Center "Will Dagger does a divinely diffident job as a low-key Messiah." Jane Dentinger, NY Theatre Guide "Always charming" Gabriella Steinberg, Theatre is Easy "Hilarious" Saima Huq, Stage Buddy "Brilliant comedic timing by Will Dagger." Cindy Marinangel, Times Square Chronicles
Pucker Up and Blow, by Daniel Reitz. Directed by Paul Schnee at The Players Theatre.
"Dagger is exceptional: funny, sweet, frustrated and frustrating. He breathes enough life into every scene to keep the whole play afloat." Adam Feldman, TimeOut New York "It’s a testament to Dagger that David’s attempts to navigate through this minefield with dignity intact are keenly felt." Shani R. Friedman, Theatre Is Easy "Will Dagger as David went above and beyond the call of duty in a captivating performance. Dagger's raw emotional journey was one for the ages." Michael Block, Theater in the Now "Brilliant performance by Will Dagger as David!" Theatre Reviews Limited "Dagger's sincerity in his discomfort elicits a satisfying mixture of laughter and sympathy." Jacob Horn, Curtain Up "Delightfully nuanced actor Will Dagger, who I expect has a stellar career ahead of him..." Hy Bender "Will Dagger is an understated dynamo." Rob Lester, Nite Life Exchange
Verano Place, by Katie Atchinson. Directed by Josh Hecht at Kraine Theater.
"The hilarious Will Dagger steals every scene he’s in, including set changes." Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times
Napoleon in Exile, by Daniel Reitz. Directed by Paul Schnee at 59E59.
"In Will Dagger’s extraordinarily sympathetic performance, he is also urgent, ashamed, odd, lovable, scared and desperate...Mr. Dagger makes it indelibly his own." Laura Collins-Hughes, The New York Times "The outstanding Will Dagger and Henny Russell take us on a heartfelt rollercoaster of laughs and tragedy. The piece is a great vehicle for Mr. Dagger’s talent, as he gives the audience an honest, empathetic, beautifully flawed Corey." Jonathan Alexandratos, ThePublicReviews "Russell's dry wit and restrained delivery melds in counterpoint with Dagger's tireless precision." Christopher Kompanek, TimeOut New York "[Henny Russell and Will Dagger] have a wonderful chemistry. Both inhabit their roles beautifully, Russell with a level of understatement and simplicity that is consistently affecting and Dagger with a detailed appreciation for autistic behaviors and the emotional gaps many people on the autism spectrum experience." Gay City News "The piece rises or falls on the performance of the son Corey and Will Dagger is outstanding, capturing the physical tics and emotional inhibitions of the syndrome without surrendering to stereotype. Dagger makes Corey funny and smart but also fearfully aware of how unable he is to function in the world on his own." Broadway & Me "Will Dagger’s performance...goes beyond acting in its authenticity." Victor Gluck, TheatreScene "[Dagger and Russell] have a wonderful rapport, and you feel the awkward, but unconditional, love the characters share." Elisabeth Vincentelli, NYPost "Russell and Dagger forge a convincing, multilayered rapport." Ethan Kanfer "Played convincingly" The New Yorker "Genuine acting" Emily Gawlak, StageBuddy "Natural and charming" T and B on the Aisle
Praise for Children of the Future Age, written and directed by Knud Adams at TheatreLab.
"Flat-out captivating" Heather Lee Rogers, NYTheatre "Will Dagger does an excellent job carving out Tyger, the rambunctious and petulant first mate to Cole's captain." UptownFlavor
Praise for Six Windows Presents A Hero Of Our Time, by Will Arbery. Directed and conceived by Will Dagger at Medicine Show Theater.
"Funny and heart-warming…The players are all amazing in this production!" - The Glass "Something new and fresh and a twist on the meta-theatrical plays people have seen before…You will leave feeling as though you intruded on people's personal lives and feel like you want to go back in the hopes of finding something you missed the first time." - Bleep Magazine