03/17/2026
It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing of Dan Costain — beloved performer, craftsman, collaborator, and cherished member of the Kaleidoscope family.
Dan helped shape Kaleidoscope in our early years, performing in countless productions including The AlliHippoRhinoCrocoDilligator, Rutabaga Country, The Musicians of Bremen, our international touring production of The Ant and the Grasshopper and many, many more! Over the years he also built sets for many Kaleidoscope productions — including pieces still on stage in our recent production of Thumbelina.
In an article preserved in the Kaleidoscope archives, Dan once reflected:
“Even the bad times have made me learn things I can put to good use.”
From Kaleidoscope’s Artistic & Executive Director Pat Rundell:
“Danny was truly one of a kind. I first saw him on stage in 2000, and a few years later had the extraordinary privilege of working with him in Anne of Green Gables with Kaleidoscope. During our breaks we would tap dance together in the wings, a small glimpse of the joy and playfulness he carried with him everywhere he went.
Over the years I had the privilege of working alongside Danny many times, as an actor, as a designer, and through his work with IATSE Local 168. No matter the role he was playing, Danny brought an infectious spirit to the room. He always had a joke ready, a mischievous sparkle in his eye, and a song just waiting to burst out. But more than anything, he had an enormous heart and a deep love for theatre and the people who make it.
Danny helped build the artistic community we are part of today, and Kaleidoscope owes so much to his creativity, his generosity, and his unwavering belief in the magic of theatre. We are all better for having known him.”
Dan will be deeply missed.
Read our full tribute: https://loom.ly/EIOiwHo
Listen to the title song from The AlliHippoRhinoCrcoodilligator, music and lyrics by Dan Costain, performed by Paul Littich, Ralph Cole, Elizabeth Gorrie, and Barbara Poggemiller: https://loom.ly/6FyKJUs
