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Spring Awakening hits San Jose!
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Spring Awakening opened tonight to a packed house at the San Jose Center of Performing Arts. I must say that I was quite interested to see the response to this show. Actually, I was interested to see my response to the show. Spring Awakening is not the happy musical that most are used to. The show is meant to shed light on the dark areas of life that (though it may need to be talked about) are shunned and ignored. Tom Hulce, the producer of the show, explains the original concept: “The objective was to tell this unique story in this unique form as well as possible and be responsive to its needs.”
The show features multiple storylines and multiple coming-of-age issues. The main story is that of Wendla and Melchior. Wendla is a young adult who is only starting to figure out that the stork may not in fact be the reason behind babies. Melchior is struggling with sexual thoughts and doesn’t understand why society shuns these thoughts and hides all forms of sexual education. When feelings between the two develop, conflicts arise. Other storylines deal with those that strive to please their parents and live up to their standards, those who live with the secret of being abused by their fathers, those who have been cast out by society, those considering suicide as the way out, and those who struggle with feelings of homosexuality. Hulce says, “I loved the idea that the songs would give a contemporary articulation and exhilaration to these confused and repressed young people and even suggest a possibility of hope unavailable to them.”
Spring Awakening was definitely a unique addition to the Broadway world. “In the ten years since Rent, most of the new Broadway musicals were based on movies, on titles that people already knew. I don’t know if I would call it a conservatism, but there was kind of a set of rules that made Spring Awakening an even less likely choice for Broadway than it would have been ten years earlier,” says Hulce. Still, the show took Broadway by storm winning eight Tony Awards including Best Musical.
The cast and crew of Spring Awakening did a wonderful job. The musical talent was exceptional, and the acting was the same. Oftentimes, the set and lighting design goes unmentioned, but these were great! I loved the lighting, and it really added to the emotional content of the show. The set had the feeling of Rent and actually included audience members sitting in the raised seating on the sides of the stage. That’s got to be the ultimate theatre experience for an excited audience member.
Now, though the show was extremely well done, the subject matter is not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ll admit, I was aware of the themes featured in this show, but I was still a little taken aback. The show features very adult themes. There are sexual scenes, strong language, and even partial nudity. So, be aware of that before you bring Granny or the kids to the theatre. I’m guessing they wouldn’t appreciate it.
The show is groundbreaking and well done. For tickets and more information, please visit www.broadwaysanjose.com. Spring Awakening runs through November 1st.
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