He would eventually attend Syracuse University, a school which enabled his pair of pursuits. In 2000, he succeeded wildly at both, winning the men's Lacrosse Division | National Championship, and appearing in the Syracuse Stage production of Born Yesterday. It wasn't until after college, when he passed on a professional Lacrosse contract to accept an invitation to the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Center, that the tango of the passions would come to an end. He trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company while attending NTI and found his niche writing and directing experimental theater. Stessen's first play, Magenta, was produced as part of the esteemed Playwrights Week. After graduating from the intensive program he moved to New York City with theater school roommate John Krasinski (NBC's The Office) to follow his theatrical dream anew. It appeared as though mama had won the battle.

Daniel acted in a handful of shows before he was commissioned to write and direct his second play, Then let them eat cake, at Dartmouth College. He did so under the moniker-cum-art collective, People Food. At the time it seemed catchy, different, and fresh. In the long run it would prove prescient. He began to understand that his art, his ideas, his aesthetic, were in fact larger than he was, broader than he was, more powerful than he could be alone, and that a multitude of creators would be required to realize his maturing vision. Point for pops, that team spirit began to pay off.

Stessen soon became obsessed with realism and the Theatre of Cruelty, creating experimental work that played in both Brooklyn and The Lower East Side. He grew as a spoken word artist in all boroughs of NYC. Just two years removed from the Dartmouth experience, Daniel watched his newly-founded theater company, Tomorrow Mourning, perform Then let them eat cake at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. He brought with him his first book of poems, Contemporary Insanity.

Upon returning stateside, he forfeited his Brooklyn apartment and drove to Seattle, WA -- "just because." One drink short of a rainy Washington life, he was invited to sunny L.A. by John Krasinski, the aforementioned. Funny how easily a boy can turn two weeks of underwear into a burgeoning art career. Funny, at least, that he was willing.

Daniel has since directed a music video for Absolutely Kosher recording artist Chris Garneau, published his second book of poems, More Lonely Than Alone and has had two music video parodies explode on the Internet with his People-Food brethren who are currently in pre-production to install Phaedra's Love, a gripping play by his favorite contemporary playwright, Sarah Kane. Daniel will direct.

Daily, Stessen inspires and is inspired by an army of musicians, designers, tap dancers and transvestites in their collective attempt to forge art and entertainment to the benefit of the masses.