Peter Dunne

Peter Dunne is a young man who appears to have been born to be on stage. When I saw him as Younger Brother in the Lewisville Playhouse production of Ragtime I was more than impressed. Peter had such power and poise in the role that I was astounded to learn that he was only 19 years old and a student at UTA. At 19, Peter has the presence and skills of a veteran actor and is also a dynamic vocalist. Take a few moments to read about the sensational Peter Dunne and get ready to watch his star rise.

When was your first time on stage?

I’ve been on stage for pretty much my entire life. When I was younger, it was for cello as my family had a sort of classical “family band” for many years. We would tour around Texas, and I had some of the most fun I’ve had in my life. After that, I thought I was done performing until my friend recommended I audition for a show with him. This would result in getting my first musical theater gig playing Gaston in Beauty and the Beast in 2021.

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

I began acting much more seriously after I performed as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables and was struck with how invigorating it was to try and put myself in the headspace of such a complex character. I’ve loved acting ever since and character study/development is one of my favorite parts of it.

Who is your greatest mentor?

My greatest mentor is probably Kevin Cahoon. Although I only knew him for a short time, I consider his direction and support essential in my growth as an actor. He directed my last show in Houston and cemented my love for Footloose as well as he gave me a great acting role model to help shape my future acting career.

What role have you enjoyed the most in your career so far?

I’ve enjoyed almost every single role I’ve done, but my favorite would have to be Ren McCormac in Footloose. I loved getting to know the character and since Ren is close to my age, I related to many feelings he had in the show. This show also challenged me in many ways, not only vocally but it was also the first heavy dance role I ever played. Because of this, I’m extremely grateful for the role and the challenges I had to overcome to make it something I was proud of.

Do you have a dream role?

My dream role would have to be any role in Outsiders. I saw the production on Broadway, and I was floored instantly. The heart and the spirit of the show, as well as the brotherhood you feel between the Curtis brothers makes it feel raw and real. It’s been months since I’ve seen it and I still think about different scenes from the show. The music too has some of my absolute favorites.

What person(s) would you like to be on stage with?

If I could choose anyone to perform with, I would choose Jeremy Jordan. His performance in Newsies was one of my favorites for years and I’ve seen the pro shot numerous times. I also saw him when he performed as Jay Gatsby back in January and his performing skills are truly one of a kind.

What performances have you seen that impressed you?

I’ve seen a good number of outstanding performances but one that really stands out is when I saw John Cardoza as Christian in Moulin Rouge. I went into the show completely blind and was shocked by how good the show was. The effortlessness of his acting and singing drew me in and kept me guessing throughout the whole show. I actually utilized different things I liked about his performance as Christian and tried to incorporate them into my role as Younger Brother in Ragtime.

What are your career goals?

My career goal is to be on Broadway someday. There’s something truly special about live performances and the different aspects of the show they genuinely bring out. Not only that but I just love acting. There are so many interesting and complex characters that I would truly love to play and almost make my own.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I think people would be surprised that I love doing flips. From a young age I taught myself a variety of different flips and would do them pretty much anytime I was outside. Even though I’m much bigger then I used to be, I still very much like to do flips and have been teaching my younger brother flips for the past few months.