Spring Awakening

Set in late-nineteenth century Germany, Spring Awakening concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. The original play was banned in Germany due to its portrayal of masturbation, abortion, rape and suicide. In the musical, alt-rock is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score. During the musical, characters sometimes break the fourth wall to express their motivations and desires directly to the audience.

After a number of workshops, concerts and rewrites over a seven-year period, Spring Awakening premiered Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company on May 19, 2006 and ran through August 17, 2006. The show then opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006 and received favorable reviews. Spring Awakening received eleven 2007 Tony Award nominations, winning eight, including Tonys for best musical, direction, book, score and featured actor. The show also won four Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical. The production is directed by Michael Mayer and choreographed by Bill T. Jones.

While audiences both young and old are raving, the musical contains mature content and is not recommended for children under 13.

Act I

"Mama Who Bore Me" - Wendla
"Mama Who Bore Me" (Reprise) - Wendla & Girls
"All That's Known" - Melchior
"The B*tch of Living" - Moritz, Melchior & Boys
"My Junk" - Girls & Boys
"Touch Me" - Boys & Girls
"The Word of Your Body" - Wendla & Melchior
"The Dark I Know Well" - Martha, Ilse & Boys
"And Then There Were None" - Moritz & Boys
"The Mirror-Blue Night" - Melchior & Boys
"I Believe" - Boys & Girls

Act II

"The Guilty Ones" - Wendla, Melchior, Boys & Girls
"Don't Do Sadness" - Moritz
"Blue Wind" - Ilse
"Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" - Moritz & Ilse
"Left Behind" - Melchior, Boys & Girls
"Totally F**ked" - Melchior & Company
"The Word of Your Body" (Reprise) - Hanschen, Ernst, Boys & Girls
"Whispering" - Wendla
"Those You've Known" - Moritz, Wendla & Melchior
"The Song of Purple Summer" - Ilse & Full Company

In addition to being shorter and having scenes in a different order, the book of the musical has some characterization and plot differences from the Wedekind play.

In the play, Melchior rapes Wendla. In the musical, she first says "no" but then puts his hand on her breast, indicating consent, and then seems to enjoy having sex. In the play, the ghost of Moritz tries to convince Melchior to kill himself but is stopped by the Masked Man. In the musical, Melchior decides to kill himself when he sees the newly-erected grave of Wendla, but the ghosts of Moritz and Wendla convince him not to.

In the play, most of the children, except for Melchior and Hanschen, dislike Moritz. The boys hope that Moritz will get in trouble for breaking into the school records, and Thea says that Moritz is always doing something weird. The other boys also insensitively gossip about the method Moritz used to kill himself. In the musical, the children like Moritz, the other boys are happy for him when he passes his midterms, and everyone is sad at his funeral. In the play, Moritz's father does not cry at his funeral, but in the musical he does. In the play, Moritz slightly regrets not going with Ilse, because she is promiscuous and he wanted to have sex before he committed suicide. In the musical, it is implied that he greatly wants to go with her but is unable to agree for some reason. After she leaves, he expresses his regret by saying "For the love of God, all I had to do was say yes! Ilse! ILSE!..."

In the play, Hanschen is portrayed as nicer than most of the boys and his scene with Ernst is loving. In the musical, there are several references to his peers finding him creepy, and his scene with Ernst is manipulative. In the play, when Hanschen talks to his postcard, he tells it that he's going to flush it down the toilet so he can have control over his masturbation. In the musical, he masturbates as he imagines killing the girl in the postcard.

In the play, Martha is physically abused by her father. In the musical, Martha and Ilse are physically and sexually abused by their fathers. Lastly, the play includes another young male character, Robert, while the musical instead adds the character of Anna.

Skylar Astin (Georg), Lilli Cooper (Martha), Blake Bashoff (Moritz), Blake Daniel (Ernst), Matt Doyle (Hanschen), Christine Estabrook (Adult Women), Glen Fleshler (Adult Men), Emma Hunton (Ilse), Brian Johnson (Otto), Kyle Riabko (Melchoir), Alexandra Socha (Wendla), Phoebe Strole (Anna), and Remy Zaken (Thea). Ensemble and Understudies are: Gerard Canonico, Alice Lee, Eryn Merman, Frances Mercanti-Anthony, Matt Shingledecker, Jesse Swensen, Jenna Ushkowitz.

Director: Michael Mayer; Composer: Duncan Sheik; Book & Lyrics: Steven Sater; Choreographer: Bill T. Jones; Costume designer: Susan Hilferty; set designer: Christine Jones; Sound Designer: Brian Ronan and lighting designer Kevin Adams.

Everyone is talking about this show. Lots of celebrities have been seen in the audience and backstage from Lindsay Lohan (see pic), David Hasselhoff, to the cast of Friends. Names like Rosie O'Donnell have also been linked. The internet is also buzzing with word about this show, unsurprisingly popping up all over social networking sites, due to it's teenage audience. The show is also on tour around America and due to open in the UK in January 2009.

8 Tony Awards:
Best Musical, Best Director (Michael Mayer), Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), Best Score (Duncan Sheik/Steven Sater),Best Book (Steven Sater), Best Lighting (Kevin Adams), Best Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik), Featured Actor in a Musical (John Gallagher Jr.).

4 Drama Desk Awards:
Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Michael Mayer), Outstanding Lyrics (Steven Sater), Outstanding Music (Duncan Sheik)

3 Outer Critics Circle Awards:
Best Musical, Outstanding Direction (Michael Mayer), Outstanding New Score (Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater)

2 Lucille Lortel Awards:
Best Musical, Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams)

2 Drama League Awards:
Distinguished Production of a Musical, Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing (Michael Mayer)

New York Drama Critics Circle Best Musical

Obie Award Bill T. Jones Best Choreography

Jonathan Groff Theatre World Award

Grammy Award--Best Cast Recording

7 Broadwayworld.com Fan Choice Awards:
Best Book of a Musical (Steven Sater), Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Mayer), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (John Gallagher Jr.), Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams), Best Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik), Best Original Score (Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater)

5 Broadway.com Audience Awards:
Favorite Musical, Favorite On Stage Pair (Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele), Favorite Male Breakthrough Performance Male (Jonathan Groff), Favorite Female Breakthrough Performance Female (Lea Michelle), Best Ensemble

Broadway League's Stars in the Alley Fan Favorite Award