Thespi-honest #9: Spring Awakening
Certified theatre nerd here! I’m going to deep dive into every show I’ve seen in NYC and some memorable tours. When I’m asked what my favorite musical is the first thing I say is, “There are so many! I can’t choose!” When push comes to shove I say RENT and Spring Awakening. (I know that’s still not one, but give me a break!)
Spring Awakening
Where: Brooks Atkinson Theatre
When: December 2015
Favorite Song(s): Touch Me, Mama Who Bore Me, Those You’ve Know, Bitch of Living, Totally F***ed
When first breaking into theatre nerdom Spring Awakening was a show that caught my attention. It’s a rock musical with sweeping music and poetic lyrics by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik. I listened to it religiously and found whatever videos I could on YouTube from that original cast. That original cast is iconic. All of them are still hugely successful, and I will see or listen to anything they put out.
Spring Awakening is a show that no matter what emotion I feel, I will go back to that cast album. As soon as I put on that music it reminds me of being a painfully awkward high school freshman. Whenever I gave this show a listen; I would feel powerful, angsty, and a sense of belonging. The themes of growing up and change were things that I desperately wanted. It also reminds me that I equally love musical theatre and pop-rock. The content is tough dealing with sexual discovery, abuse, suicide, abortion, and numerous other subjects. It allowed teenagers to see these subjects and learn. I finally saw it live on tour when I was seventeen. It was so good!
During my senior year of college, a big group decided to drive to NYC to see two shows, and drive home right after. We left at 5 am and returned home the following day at 8 am. In retrospect, we should have stayed overnight. The reason we did this trip was to see Deaf West’s production of Spring Awakening on Broadway. I was intrigued and ecstatic!
Deaf West is a company that weaves ASL with English to create unique theatre for those who are deaf and hearing. The actors in the cast were both deaf and hearing. If a character was played by a deaf actor they had a hearing actor speak and sing for them while they signed. Some hearing actors who were characters signed and sang. I saw a few clips before seeing the show, and I thought the concept was fascinating. I loved this musical so much, so I hoped for the best.
I’m am deeply grateful that I got to see this show. I consider it one of my top five favorite productions of all time! What I ended up seeing felt like a brand new musical. A lot of this show is about communication, and the lack of it especially concerning adults and children. Adding deafness to show the lack of communication was genius. It enhanced the issue of not understanding each other. I thought that using the speaking actor as a shadow self or a physical manifestation of what could not be said was powerful and so smart! The revival strived to make theatre more accessible and inclusive to all those with disabilities. It also was the first Broadway show to include the first Broadway performer in a wheelchair, Ali Stroker. She is now a Tony winner for playing Ado Annie in Oklahoma!
There are many things to laud about this production, but the first is Michael Arden’s direction. I could tell that he left his heart and soul on that stage. There are images from that show that stayed with me. The human tree is one. There is a sequence where one character, Moritz, commits suicide. As soon as he does the stage goes completely white. The scene is tragic and heartbreaking. The following song is a rock-heavy f*** you anthem. Arden made the cast leap from the stage and run into the audience singing, screaming, and playing instruments. Every aspect was perfectly crafted and deeply moving, including the lighting and sound design. I went from crying to cheering in a matter of five minutes. Michael Arden was known as an actor first and transitioned into a director. He did receive a Tony nomination for this show. I also thought the choreography by Spencer Liff was beautiful and symbolic. I can’t imagine the time spent on creating the language and communication needed to make the dancing look as effortless as it did.
All of the performances were strong. A few that stand out were Katie Boeck and Sandra Mae Frank, who played the voice of Wendla and Wendla respectively. Their chemistry was excellent. I thought the concept of the shadow was great for Wendla. On the outside, she shows no fear, while Boeck’s voice and staging show that she’s scared. Another great example of this was Daniel Durant and Alex Boniello, who played Moritz and the voice of Moritz respectively. In the original production Moritz was played by John Gallagher Jr, who had crazy rocker hair and manic energy. What I loved about the characterization of Moritz in this production was Daniel played Moritz as a normal anxiety-ridden teen, where Alex looked like a rocker with crazy hair. It showed who Mortiz wanted to be. Austin McKenzie played Melchoir. Melchoir understands the worldly and sexual frustrations and wants more knowledge. The character shows growth and perseveres through hardships. I loved Austin’s portrayal of Melchoir. He played the arrogance and charm of Melchoir with caring for those he loves. I thought his vocals were impressive as well. Krysta Rodriguez was a great Ilse and Andy Mientus was a perfect Hanschen. If you have time go and find their performance of “Touch Me” on YouTube. It’s one of my favorite songs and Alex Wyse’s solo slays every time.
I could discuss this show forever because it means so much to me. I completely bought into the concept and this production. I loved that in the final moments of the show during the Song of Purple Summer, which is typically an epilogue song, having all the actors walk into an open forest to show that spring will come again was a perfect closing moment to this production. This revival of Spring Awakening shows what theatre can do. It’s not a limited art form. It’s such a beautiful and powerful show that gives a voice to the voiceless in more ways than originally thought.
