Dwsa - Blog Posts

Daniel Durant looks like he would fit in so well in an apocalyptic drama/video game reminiscent of The Last of Us or even an HBO series!!!

Kudos to whoever hired him for the ASL edition of the HBO series!!! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋😍🥰

Hey, girl!!! How are you???

Saw @feelssogoodinmyarms do this and now I want to because I also miss this show dearly.

(By @winter-asleepening)

1. how were you introduced to the show?

A friend introduced me to it in middle school which was around the time DWSA was on Broadway.

2. Seen a production live?

No, I wish.

3. Dream role/character you relate to most

Ever since I first listened to the musical I’ve always wanted to play Ilse. She’s just such a strong character and Blue Wind is my go to (Theatre) karaoke part.

4. Favorite male character

Moritz! I’m also a Georg enjoyer.

5. Favorite female character

Ilse, and specifically Treshelle Edmond/Kathryn Gallagher portrayal of Martha (love Lilli though)

6. Deaf West Revival or Original Broadway Cast?

Okay I the first Spring Awakening bootleg I watched was of OBC, but I feel more connected to DWSA version/cast because they were on Broadway during the time that I first discovered Spring Awakening. I love both so much but I gotta say DWSA for this one. That cast was groundbreaking and so excellent.

7. Favorite song

Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind and Touch Me

8. Least favorite song

The Mirror-Blue Night- probably just because I listen to it the least.

9. Favorite quote/line

The lines leading up to The Song Of Purple Summer:

“Listen to what’s in the heart of a child

A song so big in one so small

Soon you will hear where beauty lies

You’ll hear and you’ll recall

The sadness, the doubt

All the loss, the grief

Will belong to some play from the past

As the child leads the way to a dream

A belief

A time of home through the land.”

10. Favorite TV performance

DWSA at Seth Meyers

11. Favorite cast members

I’m a big Andy Mientus fan, also anyone who knows me knows that I love Kathryn Gallagher so much. And Daniel Durant. (Every DWSA cast member holds a special place in my heart, I can’t choose a favorite.) Favorite OBC member is John Gallagher Jr.

12. Favorite cast member moment

Heaven Touch. Or every Periscope.

Do you write fan fiction?

No I’m boring lol

14. Do you make fan art?

No, but I love seeing the beautiful fan art this fandom makes! I feel like I should start. I’ll try to start.

15. Do you cosplay?

No, again I know I’m boring.

16. Don't do Sadness or Blue Wind?

Blue Wind

17. Word of your body or the Reprise?

Reprise

18. Touch Me or My Junk?

Touch Me

19. Explain the song of purple summer

Fun question! It’s a metaphor for change after hard times. Purple Summer is the inevitable good thing that comes after the inevitable bad thing. No matter how harsh and cold the Winter may be, Summer always follows. Just like how no matter how harsh and cold life may be, something good will follow. The play itself is about harsh times and horrible things happening to these children- and then the play just ends… only it doesn’t. The Song of Purple Summer is Spring Awakening’s finale because it tells the audience: “Hey, what you just watched was gut wrenching, but the story isn’t over. Change is coming, Summer is coming. You won’t be here to see it, but it’s happening.”

Thanks again @winter-asleepening for making this! Much love to all my Spring Awakening fam 🤟🏻💜

🥺😭🤧💔🖤🕊🤍

can we talk about Spring Awakening real quick

The fact that Ilse opens “The Song of Purple Summer” is an incredibly important and meaningful detail that escaped me when I first listened to Spring Awakening.

Ilse is one of my favorite SA characters (and one of my favorite musical theatre characters in general), largely because she is 100% coded as the symbol of hope and escapism throughout the show…until we actually get a chance to meet her and let her breathe and let her talk and we realize that she traded one type of pain, one type of abuse for another. She’s subverted in this really clever way when we discover that she’s just another teenager, another human, and she’s hurting just like everyone else in the show.

Really, she’s almost as ‘broken’ as Moritz is, just in different ways.

And the fact that it’s not Wendla, not Martha, but Ilse, the symbol of hope whose humanity brutally shatters the illusion of “escape” for the rest of the young characters, the fact that she’s the one who gets to sing this gorgeous metaphor about carrying on and putting your pieces back together, that is beautiful.

Daniel is still killing it, and he's even doing opera now!!!

Beethoven's Fidelio with Deaf West and the L.A. Philharmonic is a truly amazing spectacle!!!

Moritz Stiefel's AU Dating Profile

Name: Moritz Stiefel

Age: 15

Occupation: Artist, Rock Star

Favorite Musical Artists: Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Burning Pool, David Bowie, Bon Jovi

Likes: Working hard at school, being friends with Melchior Gabor, spending time with his friends

Dislikes: Being Abused by His Father, Failure (he's scared of feeling like he failed).

Love Language: Quality Time

Part 5 of the adorableness of Daniel (sorry for the delay...)

51. Daniel was just this cute little puppy when he started acting professionally after moving to Los Angeles in 2012. He has come a long way since then.

52. Also, big news for those who don't know, Daniel is a soon-to-be married man!!! Can't wait for the wedding!!!

53. Congrats are also in order for Daniel after he gave an absolutely gorgeous and fabulous performance of the national anthem at last month's Super Bowl!!!

54. A service dog got to meet Daniel when he came to visit his beautiful fiancée Britt in Morristown, New Jersey for DWTS: Live!!!

55. Look at those green eyes!!!

56. And Daniel's smile always makes me smile!!!

57. I honestly feel like a proud mom every time seeing Daniel and Britt continue to kill it both individually and as a couple!!!

58. Seriously, Daniel & Britt are both living my dream life right now!

59. Seeing Daniel dance on DWTS with Britt truly inspired me in more ways than one! ✨️ Team Sign to Shine always and forever ✨️

60. I feel like Daniel and I would be really good friends, like best friends!!! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋🥰😍 We would support and encourage each other!!!

Tomorrow, Daniel Durant performs pregame at Super Bowl LVIII with an exciting performance of the national anthem!!!

🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋🥰😍 I can't wait!!! Who else is excited? ✨️ Team Sign to Shine always and forever ✨️

Daniel & Britt ✨️ Team Sign to Shine ✨️ appreciation post to celebrate their engagement!!!

Look how happy they are!!!

Cutest family engagement ever!!!

Britt's ring is so beautiful, and so are they!!!

🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋🥰😍 ✨️ Team Sign to Shine always and forever ✨️

My answers to the Daniel Durant tag:

1. How were you introduced to Daniel?

I just barely knew about Daniel before he was announced as a contestant on Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars in 2022, but now I'm a lifelong fan!

2. Moment that made you fall in love with Daniel?

The moment that made me fall in love with Daniel was when he got a sweet and touching message from his CODA mom Marlee Matlin on Good Morning America to promote the then-upcoming season of DWTS!

3. Character you relate to most/have strongest connection with?

Ooh... that's a tough question. I think I'd say maybe Leo, mainly because he's strong, and he loves his family. Plus, how hot is he?

4. Favorite Daniel and Marlee moment?

I can't pick just one.

5. Favorite Daniel & Britt moment?

Literally, all of them! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋😍🥰 ✨️ Team Sign to Shine always and forever ✨️

6. Daniel moment that made you want to give him a hug?

I always feel really bad for Daniel whenever he gets emotional, tears up, and/or starts crying because he's high up there on my hug list, but one that really stuck out to me and still continues to make me really emotional to this day would probably be when he told Britt a really heartbreaking story about how his birth mother left him when he was just a baby and revealed that she tragically passed away from cancer.

7. Favorite character?

All of them for different reasons.

8. Most heartbreaking scene in his whole career so far?

Check out my X for Day 13 of the 24 Days of Daniel challenge that I did leading up to his birthday.

9. Favorite quote/line?

"Who Wouldn't Want More Moms?"

10. Favorite TV performance?

All of his dances on DWTS with Britt, especially their Jazz!

11. Favorite CODA Daniel moment?

When he tells his on-screen sister that he and their parents will be fine without her and to follow her dreams. Such a true message.

12. Favorite Deaf West Spring Awakening Daniel moment?

The scene before the song Touch Me.

13. Favorite Lori and Mary moment with Daniel?

There are far too many to count. Daniel has 2 of the absolute sweetest moms in the whole world.

14. Favorite Daniel and Alex moment?

That's like choosing between my children. I don't have a favorite because they're all amazing!

15. Favorite Switched at Birth Daniel moment?

Definitely in the series finale when Marlee's character takes Matthew in off the street.

16. Genre/role you'd love to see Daniel take on?

I'd be excited to see him in any role, to be honest, because I'd still be rooting for him even if he was playing a villainous character. It's an unconditional fan love thing, you know.

17. Silliest Daniel moment?

I will never not laugh when Daniel is silly.

18. Cutest Daniel moment?

There are way too many to count or even pick. Daniel is always so cute.

19. What does Daniel mean to you?

Daniel is part of the reason that I chose to major in ASL in college, and I can't imagine my life without him in it.

20. Special (belated) birthday message to Daniel?

Happy birthday to the cutest, funniest, most kindhearted person that we're so lucky and grateful to have on this Earth with us, including but not limited to Britt Stewart. Happy birthday, Daniel Durant! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋😍🥰 Keep killing it and being the amazing person you are, Daniel, and never ever forget how much we love you!!! ✨️ Team Sign to Shine always and forever ✨️

Belated Daniel Durant birthday tag (sorry, I've been busy). Feel free to repost with how you would answer these questions. Love y'all. 🤟🏻

1. How were you introduced to Daniel?

2. Moment that made you fall in love with Daniel?

3. Character you relate to most/have strongest connection with?

4. Favorite Daniel and Marlee moment?

5. Favorite Daniel & Britt moment?

6. Daniel moment that made you want to give him a hug?

7. Favorite character?

8. Most heartbreaking scene in his whole career so far?

9. Favorite quote/line?

10. Favorite TV performance?

11. Favorite CODA Daniel moment?

12. Favorite Deaf West Spring Awakening Daniel moment?

13. Favorite Lori and Mary moment with Daniel?

14. Favorite Daniel and Alex moment?

15. Favorite Switched at Birth Daniel moment?

16. Genre/role you'd love to see Daniel take on?

17. Silliest Daniel moment?

18. Cutest Daniel moment?

19. What does Daniel mean to you?

20. Special birthday message to Daniel?

Sweet birthday message for such a sweet person!!! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋😍🥰

Happy Birthday to Daniel Durant! 🤟🏻💜🎉

It’s been so fun watching Daniel’s career blossom since doing Deaf West Spring Awakening. Can’t wait to see what he does next!

I'm thinking about doing a Daniel Durant tag here on Tumblr for Daniel's 34th birthday!

Please feel free to give me some ideas for questions for the tag!!! 🤟🏻

Daniel Durant's dump from yesterday (October 7th) was a cultural sigh of relief for any fan who was concerned about him not posting much this year, particularly during the summer...

The view of them down by the cruise ship!!! We won!!! ✨️ Team Sign to Shine always and forever ✨️

A couple who goes on adventures together stays together!

Britt was more than happy to let Daniel see her in a white dress, which was quite possibly a wedding dress, let alone pose for a photo with him. Take that, silly, outdated superstitions that have no power over them whatsoever!

Looking good as always!

Daniel just being as adorable as ever! 🤟🏻💙💜🫶🏻💗💕💋🥰😍

The only complaint I have about Alex & April's wedding is that Daniel couldn't make it, but it's fine. I'm sure that Daniel sent his love.

I was hoping that Daniel Durant was going to be there as one of Alex's best men, but I'm sure that he was there in spirit.

🤟🏻🤍🕊🖤🦋🥺😭🤧

I can’t believe this. Alex and April’s first dance song is Up from Sing Street. I never thought of it as such a romantic song until now. This is so freaking cute.

Where are my fellow DWSA/Sing Street fans? We gotta celebrate. I feel like my two worlds are colliding.

Video from @brundlesky on Instagram (Sky Lakota Lynch’s Instagram story)

Daniel N. Durant and Alex Boniello collaborated to create an absolutely iconic version of Moritz Stiefel in the Deaf West production of Spring Awakening (I think John Gallagher Jr., the OG Moritz, would be proud of them)!!!

Daniel and Alex's brotherly best friend bond is so amazing to see. Who else wants to see them work together again someday? I know I do! I know that Britt and April would definitely be in the audience watching and supporting them and being the most amazing partners/spouses/sister-in-laws EVER!!!

I love how Daniel talks about how Alex has become like a brother to him during the process of doing the show together! It's so cute!

I imagine that Britt and April are probably really proud of Daniel and Alex right now.

Not just talented actors playing 2 sides of a similar character, but also adorable uncles and soul brothers to each other.

Wouldn't it be amazing if Daniel & Britt and Alex & April double dated? Not only would it be an adorable DWSA Moritz reunion, but it would also be a new bonding experience for the ladies in their lives!!! 🤟🏻💜💙🤍🕊🖤💗💕💋🫶🏻🎶

Shoutout to whoever it was that casted both Daniel and Alex as 2 different sides of the same character of Moritz in DWSA!!!

They said that Alex's role as the Voice of Moritz is serving as Moritz's inner rock star, but I would argue that Daniel and Alex are both rock stars!!!

The show in it of itself was an amazing opportunity for both deaf and hearing actors to work together and for both deaf and hearing audiences to get to experience things equally together, which I love about accessible projects like the movie CODA, and, as someone who has autism, I personally think there should be more of those kinds of projects that are accessible to everybody, and I mean, EVERYBODY, regardless who they are or what accommodations they have for certain things.

Dude, the foreshadowing with Daniel reaching for the gun in Alex's hands was so powerful and it just started to shatter my heart into literally a thousand pieces at least and made me feel even worse for Moritz. 🥺😭🤧 Poor baby lost hope on going on with life...

Long story short, if y'all told me that Daniel and Alex were brothers who were separated at birth, I would have absolutely no problem believing you!

Appreciation post for the talented sweetheart and cutie that is Mr. Daniel Nicholas Durant (born December 24th, 1989)!!! Part 1:

1. Aww... Seeing him cry or tear up makes me really sad, but also, how incredibly sweet of both of his moms to send in a video message to tell him how proud they are of him and how much they love him. "Who Wouldn't Want More Moms?" Title of his autobiography/memoir that would SO be on my reading list. It still makes me sad and a little bit angry that his birth mother left this poor thing behind when he was just a baby, but unfortunately, it's a true story for quite a lot of people, which I personally can't (and don't even want to) imagine. I'm glad he's in such a good place now, though. I love how proud he is, not just that he's deaf, but also that he was adopted as a really young (and I can imagine quite cute) little guy. I would love to, at some point, have kids of my own, but I would want to adopt them/become a foster mom, and it wouldn't matter to me what they would look like or what their background was because I would love them all equally and unconditionally. If I ever adopted a deaf child, I would totally incorporate deaf culture and sign language into the family because I just love love, no matter what kind it is.

2. He signs so beautifully and eloquently, so it reminds me of royalty. Who else would love to see him play a Disney prince?

3. How precious was little Daniel at the age that he was back when he was so carefree just having the time of his life just chilling in his mom's car and jamming to NPR Talk Radio (lol). It's so funny and cute! Kelly Clarkson Show, please have him back at some point!

4. Happy, giggly, bubbly, cute Daniel is one of my favorite versions of Daniel, along with rock star Daniel and sharp dressed Daniel.

5. He just looks so comfy and cozy in that bed/sofa thing in the picture above.

6. I love these boys' friendship so much! Adorable on and offstage brothers, and they both brought Deaf West Spring Awakening's Moritz Stiefel to life SO BEAUTIFULLY!!! I'm still very sad that production has closed, and I really wish that they could bring it back!!! 🤍🕊🖤🥺🤧🦋

7. And here's gamer Daniel! Whoo hoo! Sorry to sound like a video game cheerleader, but he looks so intensely cute playing video games, and I love that for him.

8. Daniel with Mama Bear Marlee is so effing cute!!! I love their friendship and rapport so much!!! Anytime they play mother and son or a relationship resembling that, it just makes my heart so happy and warm.

9. A cute couple that dances together stays together! I will never not be grateful for them and all the magic they brought to DWTS in Season 31, and I love Daniel & Britt so much!!!

10. Above all, Daniel is such a multi-talented actor and human being. Any character that I see him play makes me prouder and prouder of him each and every day!!! (I just want to say that Daniel is still doing great!)

Part 2 incoming...

XOXO, Sarah

Deaf West Spring Awakening Moritz Stiefel has to be one of the cutest musical theatre characters of all time. This poor boy deserved better than to be treated like he was a failure. Frau Gabor did something right in treating him with such love and appreciation and in offering to help him receive better treatment from his parents.

Daniel Durant's journey has been quite an amazing sight to behold, from Deaf West Spring Awakening to CODA to Dancing with the Stars and beyond. @dwsavideos, I would love to see a longer video from you on this adorable and talented sweetheart at some point!!!

Daniel Durant is just so talented and adorable, and I will continue to say it until the day I die, and even after that. He's just so gosh darn precious, and there's no doubt that he's going to be one of the cutest dads ever one day!!! 🤟🏻💖💕💗🫂✨️🫶🏻

something something abt boys in love with the world who kill themselves