By Manning Harris
fmanningh@gmail.com
In May of 2007 I saw a new breakthrough musical play on Broadway called “Spring Awakening.” I was so moved by its power and magic I saw it twice—in one week. Yes, I am one of “The Guilty Ones,” the name true fans of the show call themselves.
Three weeks later “Spring Awakening” won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. In March of 2010 I saw a touring company do the show at the Fox; they were fine, but I was too far back in that cavernous space to be as thrilled and moved as I should have been.
Great news: Actor’s Express has catapulted Atlanta theatre into the fall season with a thrilling, captivating production of the show using their intimate space where every seat is a good one. The show will run through October 1; your job is to get tickets fast, for “Spring Awakening” could well be the most successful show in Express history. The first weekend was sold out, and that was before scintillating reviews (like this one) were even out. The guilty ones can smell a knockout version of “their” show a mile away, and this is it.
In Germany in 1891 Frank Wedekind self-published a play about adolescents discovering their sexuality in the absence of any parental guidance or discussion concerning this “forbidden” topic. It was banned for 15 years, then finally produced in a heavily censored form with the subtitle “A Children’s Tragedy.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same, as the bromide goes. So here’s your caveat for the show: “Spring Awakening” contains mature themes, sexual situations, partial nudity, and strong language. Now that that’s clear, we can marvel at the beauty of this award-winning play.
Lovely young Wendla (Kylie Brown) asks her mother where babies come from, but her mother (LaLa Cochran) cannot and will not talk about it. The scene is played whimsically, but its repercussions are very serious indeed. When Wendla meets the charismatic, intellectual Melchior (Jordan Craig, who resembles a young Jake Gyllenhaal), they sing “The Word of Your Body” even as Melchior ponders how shame and ignorance are the source of much human misery. (There are some moments I can only describe as “shimmering” in this play; this is one; “The Song of Purple Summer” is another.) But Melchior’s enlightenment is not welcomed by his tyrannical teacher (Robert Wayne). He and Ms. Cochran play all the adults, and they both offer excellent, multifaceted performances.
Perhaps the central tragic figure is Moritz (Greg Bosworth); his friendship to Melchior is his sole anchor in this unfriendly world; it isn’t enough. The songs—this is very important, especially if you think you don’t like musicals—function as interior monologues. The songs are “what is unspoken, what is hidden—the real story,” according to lyricist Steven Sater, who also wrote the book. Duncan Sheik wrote the music; they both won every award in sight. Freddie Ashley directs, passionately. Choreography is by Sarah Turner, whose “Totally F—d” number electrifies. The show smartly retains the 1890’s provincial German setting; but rocks out with hand held mics in the songs. It works.
Where did these good-looking, talented young people come from? Jordan Harris plays a savvy Hanschen; Stephanie Friedman totally nails the sadder but wiser Ilse; Martha (Christen C. Orr) reveals a scary world we shrink from. Bernard D. Jones, Jimi Kocina, Nick Arapoglou, Kathryn Foley, and Angie Zhang are all outstanding. The cast seems thrilled to be doing this play, and it shows. I wish Joseph P. Monaghan III had done a bit more with lighting; since the set is smaller, more subtle, moody lighting becomes crucial. The three leads (Mr. J. Craig, Ms. Brown, Mr. Bosworth) are superb.
See this show; you’ll thank me when you’re 50 (or something). I’m not kidding.
For tickets and info, visit www.actorsexpress.com.
As another of the guilty ones, I have to agree and disagree. This show is great, but has the ability to be exceptional. I saw the Non-Equity tour in Nashville, and that cast had such a raw energy that this cast doesn’t have. That cast also was mostly 18 year old kids, which this cast isn’t. Totally F***ked on that tour had so much more energy and in your face attitude that the express cast doesn’t have.
As another of the guilty ones, I have to agree and disagree. This show is great, but has the ability to be exceptional. I saw the Non-Equity tour in Nashville, and that cast had such a raw energy that this cast doesn’t have. That cast also was mostly 18 year old kids, which this cast isn’t. Totally F***ked on that tour had so much more energy and in your face attitude that the express cast doesn’t have.
I agree in that ideally, the show would be cast with brilliantly talented 18-year-olds. Of course, the wonderful Jonathan Groff (Melchior) was but 21 when I saw the B-way show and he was flawless–casting is everything. As for energy, if the Express’ “Totally F-d” had had any more energy, yours truly would have gone through the roof! Thanks for writing.
I agree in that ideally, the show would be cast with brilliantly talented 18-year-olds. Of course, the wonderful Jonathan Groff (Melchior) was but 21 when I saw the B-way show and he was flawless–casting is everything. As for energy, if the Express’ “Totally F-d” had had any more energy, yours truly would have gone through the roof! Thanks for writing.