The inspiration for the new dynamic

The inspiration for the new dynamic “Everybody thinks they’re two worlds, but it should be one world ... Look at the energy,” she added, gesturing to the rest of the cast assembled on the stage at CCA. “This is all my family now.”

The inspiration for the new dynamic came from D’Angelo’s own background. Her paternal grandmother and grandfather were both deaf, and her father grew up living between two worlds.“He had a unique perspective growing up and we’ve talked a lot about it,” D’Angelo said. “I’ve always been really interested in deaf culture.”The interest grew when D’Angelo went home for her grandmother’s funeral earlier this year.

“During the wake, I was really struck by this uniting of deaf and hearing culture. It really moved me,” D’Angelo said in September. “Here was this melting pot that you don’t see very often ... They contributed didn’t necessarily know how to communicate, but they didn’t let that stop themselves from trying. You don’t see that a lot.”