by lisa lipsey
MAKES ITS WAY TO THE CYGNET The rock musical Spring Awakening, with music by
Duncan Sheik and books and lyrics by Steven Sater is based on the controversial 1891 Frank Wedekind play of the same name—it led to a banning of the play in Germany and jail time for Wedekind. Even by today’s standards this show could be dubbed “not for the easily shocked.” The songs explore all sorts of coming of age and health topics: from teen angst, hormones, desire, shame, masturbation and an array of first- time sexual experiences both gay and straight. It also includes a botched abortion, depression, suicide, star-crossed love and sexual abuse. Feeling slightly uncomfortable yet? The original 2006 Broadway production won eight
Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Direction, Book, Score and Featured Actor, also garnering four Drama Desk Awards and a Grammy Award for the original cast album. I’ve listened to the music from this show several times and the score is undeniably beautiful. Songs such as; “Mamma Who Bore Me,” “My Junk, “The Bitch of Living,” “The Dark I Know Well,” “The Guilty Ones,” “The Song of Purple Summer,” “The Word of Your Body,” “Totally F**ked,” “Touch Me,” “Whispering” and “The Mirror-Blue Night.” I have mixed feelings about the plotline; the teens
in the story have been kept in a state of naivety by parents, teachers and preachers. The consequences are troubling for all, especially for some characters, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet. As someone who has child sexual abuse in their Rolodex, from a survivor’s standpoint I find the song “The Dark I Know Well” particularly haunting and a vague relief.
20 RAGE monthly | MARCH 2014
SPRING AWAKENING
OUT NIGHT AT CYGNET Cygnet Theatre is proud to present an evening
for theatre loving friends in the LGBT community onWednesday, April 2 at 5:30 p.m. Enjoy a pre- show mixer before the performance at Chris- topher’s on Congress, just one block from the theatre. Everyone is welcome! A theatre ticket for the evening’s performance is required to attend.
“One of thepowerfulqualities of this brilliant musical
adaptation is that the material isfresh, honestand presented from thekids’ point of view.”
Never before have I heard a piece of my experience captured in such an honest way. Again, discomfort can be good—it challenges us and ultimately the raw honesty frees us. Spring Awakening is under the direction of theatre
veteran Sean Murray and he too connected with the play’s honesty. Murray sees the show’s provocative journey from adolescence to adulthood as a perfect way to begin discussions between teens and adults. “One of the powerful qualities of this brilliant musical adaptation is that the material is fresh, honest and presented from the kids’ point of view. This is very important as we want young people to discover the power of live theatre for themselves,” explains Murray. Realism is important to Murray, “We’ve discovered
some extraordinarily talented musical theater kids who can bring their youthful energy and authentic- ity to these characters.” True that, but frankly, I am amused. Murray’s reference to “kids” really means young adult actors between 18 -25. Despite the real-
ity that coming of age happens well before age 18, the show had to be carefully cast to avoid the risk of being cited as child pornography. When I listen to Spring Awakening with my 2014
ears, its themes remind me of Avenue Q (2003), in which puppets help us to safely talk about sex, porn, coming out issues and racism. It also reminds me a lot of Glee—the teen angst and the issues discussed openly. The way they pull in pop hits to express char- acter’s emotions. The band Grovelily also dabbled in this type of
pop-song-musical combo when they brought us the fun and creative Sleeping Beauty Wakes (La Jolla Play- house, 2012). These shows and primetime television that came after Spring Awakening made it, perhaps, a little less edgy. Begging the question; did Spring Awakeninghelp pave their way? Spring Awakening runs Thursday, March 6 through Sunday, April 27 at Cygnet Theatre in Old Town. For tickets and more information call 619.337.1525 or go
tocygnettheatre.com.
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