Spring Awakening

Reviewed By: Joe Blenkle / Sacramento Stage & Theatre

SS&T Rating:

Director: Michael Mayer

Cast: Krystina Alabado (Wendla); Jake Epstein (Melchior); Taylor Trensch (Moritz); Sarah Hunt (Martha); Steffi D (Ilse);  Andy Mientus (Hanschen) Ben Fankhauser (Ernst); Kimiko Glenn (Thea);  Gabrielle Garza (Anna); Anthony Lee Medina (Otto);  Matt Shingledecker (Georg)

Location: Community Center Theater, Sacramento CA

Dates: Nov. 4-15, 2009

    Pop meets 19th century Germany. Such a stark contrast is a good way of thinking about Spring Awakening, Broadway Sacramento's latest offering at the Community Center Theater through Nov. 15.

   Based on an play by Frank Wedekind, Spring Awakening is set in the late 1800s. A time when adults dominate every aspect of their children's lives.

    Like today's teens, however, and no matter how close their parents might watch -- teens can become wild and rebellious and strike out on their own adventures of self-discovery. With nothing to guide them but their own urges and imaginations, things don't always turn out as they might expect. But their experiences help guide their journey to adulthood and shape their lives for better or worse.

    This musical tells just such a story. It's definitely entertaining, but it also may shock some due to its profanity, sexual situations, and even slight nudity.

    What can you expect? There is a male-male kiss which lasts just long enough to make some of the audience uncomfortable. There is on stage nudity -- twice. Actually the same scene played twice as two of the characters give in to their sexual passion. A breast is bared and a bottom is exposed (I hope the audience members who paid $25 for special on stage seats got their monies' worth!). There is on stage masturbation (simulated, I hope). And there is a song called "Totally Fucked," but when you see the circumstances surrounding the song, you'll have to agree that Melchior (Jake Epstein)...is...what the song says.

    Spring Awakening's songs with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Steven Sater are absolutely incredible and definitely not what you'd expect out of a show set in 1890s Germany. The music is pop/rock-themed and the whole cast delivers on songs that range from sensual to dark and brooding. Krystina Alabado's (Wendla's) opening song "Mama Who Bore Me" and Taylor Trensch's (Moritz's) "The Bitch of Living" in Act I were two crowd favorites and Trensch's "Don't Do Sadness" and Top-5 Canadian Idol contestant Steffi D's (Ilse's) beautiful "Blue Wind" and the before mentioned "Totally Fucked" kept the fun going in Act II. You can check out Trensch and Steffi D performing "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" on Sacramento's "Good Day Sacramento" at Totally Trucked Blogspot.

     There are also a number of video and audio clips on the musical's web site at www.SpringAwakening.com. Go take a listen.

    Spring Awakening opened on Broadway in December of 2006 and went on to be nominated in 11 Tony Award categories, winning eight including Best Musical, Best Director, and Best Featured Actor.

     This show definitely isn't for the younger crowd, but despite the sexual situations, profanity and slight nudity, it's one of the more entertaining productions to come through Sacramento. The music, singing and dancing are top-notch and the mostly young cast provide an energy not found in a lot of musical productions.