National Tour of Spring Awakening
The Tony Award-Winning Show Travels the Country
Writer Steven Sater, composer Duncan Sheik (hit 90s pop singer), and director Michael Meyer got together in 1999 to create a musical version of Frank Wedekind’s 1891 German play of the same name. Seven years later when the show opened on Broadway, people took notice. In 2007, Spring Awakening was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won eight, including Best Musical.
The Story
Viewers are immediately pulled into the show as they meet Wendla, the lead female. Though the story takes place in 1890s Germany, there is no doubt that any teenager can relate to what Wendla is feeling. She begs her mother to tell her the truth about how a woman gets pregnant. Appalled and embarrassed, her mother chooses to eliminate pertinent details.
Then come the group of teenage boys, all disturbed by the sexual dreams causing them to lose sleep. They all look to Melchior, everyone’s admired friend, for advice. He has found a book about the female body and methods of sexual interactions. When he uses his research to write an “essay” for his friend (with illustrations!), all hell breaks loose.
The show intriguingly spans topics of teenage angst from masturbation to suicide, from homosexuality to teen pregnancy, and from issues with authority to sexual abuse.
The Music
Lyrics to songs like, “The Bitch of Living,” and “Touch Me,” are incredibly honest. Anyone who has been a teenager at any point in their life cannot hear these songs without thinking, “Yes! That is exactly how teenagers feel!” The fact that the 19th century kids break out in 21st century rock is really irrelevant because their feelings obviously transcend the times.
The boys sing about just how much being a teen sucks in, “The Bitch of Living.” The girls sing about their crushes in, “My Junk.” Characters sing about falling in love in, “The Word of Your Body.” Then there are more tragic songs like, “The Dark I Know Well,” and “Don’t Do Sadness.”
But the highlight of the music is when Melchior’s essay is discovered by the headmaster and he is confronted. The kids all sing, “Totally F*****,” pretty much summing up how all teens feel if they’re caught doing something forbidden.
The Actors
Though they don’t earn as much respect, touring companies tend to be just as wonderful as the Broadway casts. Often, one or more of the original Broadway cast members go on the national tour. Happily, this was the case in the Midwest show reviewed here. Kyle Riabko (Melchior) and Blake Bashoff (Moritz) reprised their Broadway roles on the tour. Riabko’s soulful voice and good looks made it easy to believe all the girls crushed on him. Bashoff looks like a young Jon Cryer, and is just as good an actor, not to mention a fantastic singer.
The female actors amazed as well. Christy Altomore was spectacular as Wendla. However, the standouts were Sarah Hunt (listed as “a recent high school graduate,”) as Martha and Steffi D (a Canadian Idol finalist) as Ilsa. These two women have such incredible voices that their moving duet, “The Dark I Know Well,” nearly stole the show.
When Children Ask Questions…
If ever a case has been made for sex education, this show is it. Truly, the moral of the story is talk with your children! Well written and greatly acted, Spring Awakening is sure to be a classic for decades to come.
Learn more about Spring Awakening.
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