Spring Awakening

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to see the musical Spring Awakening, while it was in Rochester at the Auditorium Theatre. While it of course wasn't the original Broadway cast, I'm sure I would've preferred it that way. The likes of Jake Epstein, Christy Altomare, and Taylor Trensch blew me away as the leads. But perhaps I should elaborate on the actual story before rambling about their mind-blowing musical talent.

Spring Awakening is based off of a German play of the same title written in the late 1800's. It revolves around teen angst and sexual discovery, exploring such issues with alternative rock and a select few soft folk tunes. The actual play was banned from the stage for 100 years, for its insanely dark and controversial nature. Adolescents, forbidden from learning anything but Latin and arithmetic, have to deal with their mamas giving them "no way to handle things", and the have to figure out everything for themselves. However, wondering aloud is a sure path to damnation, so everything is kept under the carpets.
Wendla, played by Christy Altomare, is an all too innocent teenager, who pleads to her mother to tell her where babies come from("Mama Who Bore Me"). Her mother in turn doesn't acknowledge sex at all, just to protect the chasteness of her daughter. However, the end result will harm her. Meanwhile, Melchior, played by(I apologize in advance) the DELICIOUS Jake Epstein, of Degrassi fame, is another student who reflects on the shallow narrow-mindedness of school and society("All That's Known"), with an intent to change things. He knows all about the mysteries of the human body, thanks to his supportive mother, who encourages sexual discovery. Melchior implores his distressed friend Moritz, played by Taylor Treschen, to take in his erotic dreams with optimism("The Bitch of Living"), and spends an afternoon teaching him about girls and interactions with them. Other students, like Hanschen and Georg, and girls Anna, Thea, and Martha express their desire to learn about sex, and their wish to explore their bodies("My Junk" and "Touch Me"). Wendla and Melchior find each other in the woods, and reminisce about old times, when boys and girls were allowed to enjoy each other's company. They realize the physical attraction the have for each other("The Word of Your Body"), but do not act upon it- yet. Meanwhile, Moritz discovers that he has passed his midterm examinations, but is denied to move on to the next grade, since the adult teachers have debated and decide that they cannot pass everyone. Wendla's friend Martha, played by recent high school graduate Sarah Hunt, reveals to her friends that her father has been sexually abusing her("The Dark I Know Well"), and relates to Ilse, played by Steffi D, who has recently fled a home full of sexual abuse. Meanwhile, Moritz, desperate to escape the wrath of his parents, writes to Melchior's mother, asking for money to help him flee to America. When she firmly but nicely denies, Moritz is enraged at her- and himself("And Then There Were None"). Then, Wendla and Melchior meet spontaneously in a hayloft("The mirror-Blue Night"). In the original play version, Melchior rapes her, but in the musical, Wendla resists a bit, and then gives in, not knowing what exactly they're doing("I Believe"). After all, her mother never told her anything, especially not the consequences of her actions. This is in part why the musical is so controversial- sex on stage is considered vulgar by some, but in reality, it is necessary to show the dark, naive tone of the show.


Act II begins with Wendla and Melchior pondering their actions, not truly understanding what may have happened("The Guilty Ones"). Moritz ponders something darker- he's planning suicide, but then Ilse comes along, and they reminice about old times, when they played pirates together("Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind"). Ilse begs him to come play with her one last time, but Moritz, angry at himself, denies, and when she leaves, he kills himself. At his funeral, Melchior chastises Moritz’s father for being so cruel to his friend("Left Behind"), as the other students look at Moritz’s father with disgust for pushing Moritz too hard when he was alive. However, his death is blamed on Melchior, when adults find the info about sex he gave Moritz- they claim something like that stressed him out too much and killed him. Rather than deny writing the information, Melchior does nothing to fight it("Totally Fucked"), and gladly proclaims he is the author of the essay. Elsewhere that night, Ernst is seduced by Hanschen, as they confess their love for each other("The Word of Your Body- Reprise"). On a darker note, however, Wendla becomes sick("Whispering"), and her mother is told she is pregnant, yet disguises it as anemia. Rather than care for her daughter in her time of need, and at last inform her of what sex can result in, her mother takes her to an underground practitioner to have an abortion. When Melchior hears of Wendla's pregnancy, he escapes the reform school he'd been sent to, wanting to be with her. When he returns, he sees Moritz's grave, next to Wendla's, realizing that she perished from the abortion attempt. Overwhelmed by grief, Melchior attempts to kill himself, but is confronted by his friends' ghosts("Those You've Known"), who persuade him to live on, carry their spirits. Led by Ilse, all the students get together and sing a final song of relief("The SOng of Purple Summer"). A perfect ending, to a perfect, though dark tale.


The storyline is ominous, but nonetheless phenomenal. As is the music, but in a more upbeat way. "Mama Who Bore Me”, "The Word of Your Body", and "Left Behind" leave the audience to come up with their own conclusion for their true meanings- they're just so provacative, because as characters ponder, so do you. "The Dark I Know Well", the duet about sexual abuse, is sad, yet empowering, as is "Don't Do Sadness". "The Mirror Blue Night" and "Whispering" are eerie and engrossing. And of course, the musicals true anthems, "The Bitch of Living","My Junk", and "Totally Fucked", are just as captivating. The broad range of songs is just absorbing- you barely have time to ponder one situation before another character is thrown into a harsher one. But I think that's what makes it so intriguing- the eclectic mix of far from cheesy alternative rock and an all-encompassing, morbid story, make Spring Awakening the best musical I've ever seen.