I’ve loved Spring Awakening since Day 1. I saw the Broadway production in previews & have been looking forward to this new interpretation since September. I immediately loved the theatre space; it was reminiscent of Cabaret at Studio 54 with exposed brick & the semi-exposed band onstage behind the actors. A runway protruded from the stage space, which was great effect with their staging choices & choreography. However, there was little energy directed towards the establishment of the period setting. The stylized choices were not in bad taste or poorly executed, but it was so ambiguously stylized that the period element became muddled. A production of this musical needs to hang its’ hat on the antiquated setting since the moral is so outdated. There sense of history between the characters was also overall watered-down. Important plot moments were lost because the production seemed like a series of musical numbers rather than an entire unit. Despite my nit-picking, Griffin’s new interpretation of Spring Awakening was absolutely a worthwhile, innovative, & enjoyable production.
ACT I
Mama Who Bore Me initially had a more rockabilly vibe with the female ensemble providing loud energy & great food-stomping moments. I immediately liked Aja Wiltshire as Wendla; she established herself as a smart casting choice with her kewpie-doll face & strong, sweet voice. Throughout the production, she repeatedly proved herself as a quality actress as well. The first impression of the male ensemble was not quite as striking.
The choreography of B*tch of Living was very reminiscent of Broadway choreography & the minor male characters immediately established themselves as engaging than the male leads. As Melchior & Moritz, Josh Salt & Matthew Fletcher seemed more like similarly ordinary cousins who had nothing more in common than their setting rather than individuals with a meaningful history. Neither of them was overly lacking in acting or singing, but they both were detached & lacked ownership of their roles.
My Junk is a catchy song that does not provide the plot to move forward, so it must be artistically exquisite; this production’s execution lacking. It opened with strange choreography that reminded me of a maypole dance, which led into blocking was severely lacking subtlety. It was reminiscent of the choreography of Contact in Rent; the swaying & gazing longingly seemed unimaginative & lacked a sense of fresh, artistic perspective. The number found its’ redemption by the clean cohesion of ensemble & stunning male solos.
The Dark I Know Well is a difficult number, both for the actresses involved & the audience who must face this difficult subject matter. The performance felt like a disjointed attack & the characters lacked the necessary sense of solidarity. The storytelling element of this number was lost by the aggression exhibited. As Martha, Paige Collins did provide some softness, but she would have shone more in this number with more subtle direction.
The Last scene of Act I seemed forced, random, & unrealistic. The lighting was beautiful & the staging was a perfect use of the runway. This Wendla objected more & her interaction with Melchior seemed forced milestone, which is not a sentiment that is grounded in the text. Theirs was a quiet passion that lacked authenticity. It was like a baseball player who went from not knowing how to hold a bat to hitting a homerun on the first try; that change & drive needs to be driven by a force greater than one’s self. Communicating that tormented sentiment is the greatest challenge of Spring Awakening, and this performance did not dominate that challenge.
ACT II
As the highlight of Act II, Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind disappointed. It was an immature interpretation that lacked the softness of adolescent sadness. It is such a great number that weak actors could still perform it well based only on exceptional singing, but that was not the case. I was not impressed with Lindsay Leopold’s portrayal of Ilsa. Her Ilsa seemed like an intentionally rebellious outcast rather than one forced into displacement by situations out of her control. She did not instigate a curiosity in the audience as to her history and was overly-intense without explanation.
The Word of Your Body (reprise) provided the most authentic moment of the production. The characters have a history, both throughout the production & established through their chemistry. A relationship that changes & develops throughout the course of the show. As Hanchen & Ernst, Adam Fane & Adam Molloy’s performances were the highlight of the entire production.
Totally F*cked was a strong, energetic, youthful ensemble number that lived up to my expectations. Overall, the ensemble numbers were clean, articulate, & well-sung and served as a great strength of the overall production.
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