PHOENIX, AZ.: Downtown Phoenix’s Space 55 announced Thursday that Duane Daniels would succeed Shawna Franks as the black-box theatre’s artistic director. Former artistic director of the Buzzworks Theater Company in Los Angeles, Daniels arrives at Space 55 from New York, where his work was most recently produced at LaMaMa in the East Village.

Daniels, an accomplished actor, is also known for his performance as Van Clemmons in the television series Veronica Mars.

“Daniels brings his adventurous programming, quirky sensibilities, a taste for the unusual, and an innate understanding of alternative theatre to Space 55,” said board member Tim Eigo.  “He’s a perfect fit for the personality and style of our theatre in downtown Phoenix.”