We had some technical glitches including microphones going in and out on our opening night at the Bob Carr, but the audience totally went with it and ended up going wild like they were on some Disney theme park ride LOL (which some of us went to yesterday) Thanks to the fantastic audience members we've had so far in Orlando! Please tell all your friends they only have till this Sun to see us!
Here's what the press has said about us in Orlando:
ORLANDO SENTINEL
Spring Awakening, a rock musical about teen angst and alienation, is a bit like a teenager itself. Brimming with uncontrolled emotion, it wears its heart on its sleeve. It has an air of self-importance. And it doesn’t always seem entirely comfortable in its own skin.But, boy, does it have style. And, upon reflection, something to say about expression vs. repression, learning vs. ignorance.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2010/05/review-spring-awakening.html
ORLANDO WEEKLY
This is the best touring company to visit Orlando in years...If a frank (but non-explicit and non-obscene) exploration of everyday issues like masturbation really offends you that much, why are you leaving your Fox News bubble for the theater in the first place? Get out and support this kind of progressive performance while you can, otherwise it'll be dreck like Shrek from here on out.
http://www.orlandoweekly.com/blog/culturetogo.asp?perm=2905
ELIZABETH MAUPIN ON THEATER BLOG
Every generation has one – that big Broadway musical that tells the story of who you are. For my generation, those of us who grew up in the 1960s, it was Hair (although even in high school I wished for a show that wasn’t quite so dopey). For those who came up in the ‘90s, that musical was Rent. And for those who are hitting their stride now, it’s Spring Awakening, a remarkable show that understands exactly what it is to be young and alienated and yearning for something more.
http://orlandotheater.wordpress.com/2010/05/19/theater-review-spring-awakening/
MAMMA MIA BLOG
Let me tell you, the hype was well deserved. As a parent, the show reminded me that what’s best for you and your life isn’t always the path for your children.
http://themammamiablog.com/
EXTREME CULTURE BLOG ON FLORIDATODAY.COM
Now I see why "Spring Awakening" won so many Tony Awards for its 2007 Broadway production, including Best Musical.. The show, which is touring at the Carr Performing Arts Centre courtesy of the Orlando Broadway Series, is about as fresh as they come.
http://extremeculture.flatoday.net/
INNER WORKINGS OF A COLLEGE GRADUATE BLOG
I fell in love immediately with the music as soon as the show opened with ‘Mama Who Bore Me.’ The music was fresh, very modern and easy to sing along to. I enjoyed the rock vibe in each song and really could not wait to get home and download the cd.
http://graduatemeghann.com/2010/05/19/spring-awakening/
CENTRAL FLORIDA TOP 5 BLOG
My first teaching assignment was Life Management Skills in Gainesville, Florida at Buchholz High School, where the life cycle was part of the curriculum. I had a student ask how the baby breathes in the womb and another student begged to give the answer. “Okay,” I said, “so how does the baby breathe in the womb?”
“My older sister just had her baby,” the girl announced proudly, “and my grandma told her not to cross her legs the whole nine months!”
What? Grandma! (So that’s at least three generations that had no idea the baby does not actually breathe in the womb!)
http://centralfloridatop5.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/spring-has-sprung-in-orlando/
PULSE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA BLOG
We were pretty much blown away...Nothing short of amazing.
http://pulseofcentralflorida.com/2010/05/21/broadway-across-americas-spring-awakening/
short TV interview with Christy and Jake on Central Florida News 13, Christy talks about how her boyfriend deals http://www.cfnews13.com/MediaPlayer/MediaPlayer.aspx?video=ONTHETOWN_103120090647&cat=Entertainment
Kind of hilarious TV Interview with Robi Hager and Ben Fankhauser on My Fox Orlando 35
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews. Show all posts
4/23/10
Reviews for Spring Awakening in Detroit
Spring Awakening opened to rave reviews at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. We're rockin' the Motor City!
There are also some great interviews in the articles below.
Spring Awakening will be in Detroit through May 9, 2010. For tickets, go here.
REVIEWS
Free Press
"The 2007 Tony winner for best musical is as refreshing, soulful and moving a piece of theater as I’ve seen in years. It also has the power to rock the Fisher Theatre’s roof off."
http://www.freep.com/article/20100421/ENT05/100421054/Spring-Awakening-jolts-provokes
Detroit Theatre Examiner
"Regardless of whether you want to take a teen, your grandma, or just sneak out by yourself,Spring Awakening is a guilty pleasure worth indulging. If the standing ovation from the opening-night audience was any indication, more than a few people will go back and see it (or just hear it) again."
http://www.examiner.com/x-3981-Detroit-Theater-Examiner~y2010m4d21-Spring-Awakening-could-be-Motowns-newest-guilty-pleasure
Paragon Life Blog
"Theater-goers hold onto your seats. Last night the Tony award-winning musical Spring Awakening premiered at Detroit’s Fisher Theater leaving audiences awed, chilled and I think thoroughly entertained."
http://paragonlifeblog.com/2010/04/21/racy-spring-awakening-opens-at-detroits-fisher-theatre/
I Am Young Detroit Blog
Top 3 Reasons Why You Should See Spring Awakening: http://iamyoungdetroit.com/index.php/2010/04/3-reasons-spring-awakening/
Motor City Rocks
http://www.motorcityrocks.com/2010/04/spring-awakening-musical-review.htm
Motor City Blog
http://motorcityblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/wild-at-heart_25.html
ARTICLES
Detroit News--Interview with Steffi D
"An avid theater buff from adolescence, [Steffi] recalls annual trips with her mother from Ottawa to New York, where she would cram in as many shows as possible in a week. "But I'd never seen anything like 'Spring Awakening,' " she says. "Nothing ever struck me that hard. I was going through a lot at that time, feeling like those kids onstage, an outcast trying to fit in but not fitting in."
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100415/ENT01/4150327/A-musical--Awakening--tackles-birds-and-bees#ixzz0lljefvRe
Detroit Theatre Examiner--Interview with Matthew Shingledecker
"Advice for young people in Motown pursuing theatre careers...Just continue to give it your all because one day it’s going to happen. If you believe it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen, because you have to have a good attitude about it. I think the most important thing is to be happy for yourself and for your fellow people going in for shows. It is a cut-throat business, but at the same time, the people who are happiest are the ones who love the people next to them who are getting cast. It makes every ‘no’ that you get from an audition a ‘yes,’ because you hear about your friend or somebody getting a role instead of you sometimes, that’s okay. That’s a good thing. Because if you can be happy with that, then the career is going to blossom and shine."
http://www.examiner.com/x-3981-Detroit-Theater-Examiner~y2010m4d18-An-Interview-with-Matt-Shingledecker-of-Spring-Awakening
Free Press--Interview with Plymouth, MI native Tom Hulce
http://www.freep.com/article/20100418/ENT05/4180347/1115/Ent05/Teens-rally-to-fight-sexual-repression-in-the-award-winning-musical-Spring-Awakening
Flint Journal--Interview with Tom Hulce
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2010/04/spring_awakening_takes_on_prov.html
Here's the live performance by Taylor Trensch and Steffi D on Fox 2, Detroit:
There are also some great interviews in the articles below.
Spring Awakening will be in Detroit through May 9, 2010. For tickets, go here.
REVIEWS
Free Press
"The 2007 Tony winner for best musical is as refreshing, soulful and moving a piece of theater as I’ve seen in years. It also has the power to rock the Fisher Theatre’s roof off."
http://www.freep.com/article/20100421/ENT05/100421054/Spring-Awakening-jolts-provokes
Detroit Theatre Examiner
"Regardless of whether you want to take a teen, your grandma, or just sneak out by yourself,Spring Awakening is a guilty pleasure worth indulging. If the standing ovation from the opening-night audience was any indication, more than a few people will go back and see it (or just hear it) again."
http://www.examiner.com/x-3981-Detroit-Theater-Examiner~y2010m4d21-Spring-Awakening-could-be-Motowns-newest-guilty-pleasure
Paragon Life Blog
"Theater-goers hold onto your seats. Last night the Tony award-winning musical Spring Awakening premiered at Detroit’s Fisher Theater leaving audiences awed, chilled and I think thoroughly entertained."
http://paragonlifeblog.com/2010/04/21/racy-spring-awakening-opens-at-detroits-fisher-theatre/
I Am Young Detroit Blog
Top 3 Reasons Why You Should See Spring Awakening: http://iamyoungdetroit.com/index.php/2010/04/3-reasons-spring-awakening/
Motor City Rocks
http://www.motorcityrocks.com/2010/04/spring-awakening-musical-review.htm
Motor City Blog
http://motorcityblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/wild-at-heart_25.html
ARTICLES
Detroit News--Interview with Steffi D
"An avid theater buff from adolescence, [Steffi] recalls annual trips with her mother from Ottawa to New York, where she would cram in as many shows as possible in a week. "But I'd never seen anything like 'Spring Awakening,' " she says. "Nothing ever struck me that hard. I was going through a lot at that time, feeling like those kids onstage, an outcast trying to fit in but not fitting in."
http://www.detnews.com/article/20100415/ENT01/4150327/A-musical--Awakening--tackles-birds-and-bees#ixzz0lljefvRe
Detroit Theatre Examiner--Interview with Matthew Shingledecker
"Advice for young people in Motown pursuing theatre careers...Just continue to give it your all because one day it’s going to happen. If you believe it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen, because you have to have a good attitude about it. I think the most important thing is to be happy for yourself and for your fellow people going in for shows. It is a cut-throat business, but at the same time, the people who are happiest are the ones who love the people next to them who are getting cast. It makes every ‘no’ that you get from an audition a ‘yes,’ because you hear about your friend or somebody getting a role instead of you sometimes, that’s okay. That’s a good thing. Because if you can be happy with that, then the career is going to blossom and shine."
http://www.examiner.com/x-3981-Detroit-Theater-Examiner~y2010m4d18-An-Interview-with-Matt-Shingledecker-of-Spring-Awakening
Free Press--Interview with Plymouth, MI native Tom Hulce
http://www.freep.com/article/20100418/ENT05/4180347/1115/Ent05/Teens-rally-to-fight-sexual-repression-in-the-award-winning-musical-Spring-Awakening
Flint Journal--Interview with Tom Hulce
http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/flint/index.ssf/2010/04/spring_awakening_takes_on_prov.html
Here's the live performance by Taylor Trensch and Steffi D on Fox 2, Detroit:
2/17/10
Spring Awakening in Schenectady, NY!
We're in the Capital District this week! Had some problems getting here due to the snow, but it sure is breathtaking here in upstate NY. Krystina Alabado tweeted: "has never seen snow like this in her whole life. It is so incredibly beautiful!!!" The cast's connection to the area includes David Breitbarth, our Adult Men understudy, going to school at nearby Hamilton College.
We had to say goodbye to our musical director, Jared Stein, who has been with us since the start of the tour. Kristen Lee Rosenfeld has stepped up to the plate and she rocks! You can listen to one of her original songs on Lucas' YouTube channel (linked in the callout for his Profile of the Month below). Charity Wicks (who did our show on Broadway) steps in as associate conductor. Here's a picture of our awesome band at Jared's going away party two weeks ago. So much love:
DID YOU KNOW? Schenectady was originally inhabited by Mohawk Indians. They called the settlement "Schau-naugh-ta-da," which meant "over the pine plains.
GET TICKETS: Proctors Theatre Feb 16-21st, 2010. http://www.proctors.org/events/3229 Tickets start at just $20.
STAGE DOOR: Stage door is in the “Arcade” under the marquee—last door on the left. Come say hi after the show!
ON STAGE SEATS: as of yesterday, on-stage seats were still available for select days of the run. Call (518) 346-6204 to check availability.
IN TOWN PRESS
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 ET
9:00 am LIVE Radio Phone Interview with Jake Epstein– B95.5 FM (Rick and Laura Morning Show). This interview will be with host Rick Mitchell.
9:45 am LIVE In-Studio Radio Interview with Steffi D – WAMC (Northeast Public Radio). This interview will be with radio host Sara LaDuke.
12:25 pm LIVE In-Studio TV Interview with Steffi D – WRGB-TV Channel 6. This interview will be with TV anchor Liz Bishop.
NEWS
TROY RECORD Interview with Sarah Hunt http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2010/02/11/entertainment/doc4b7320602d5f3182675501.txt
TIMES UNION Interview with Christy Altomare
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=899816&category=ARTS
REVIEWS
SCHENECTADY GAZETTE A rave! "In front of a truly enthusiastic audience on Tuesday night, the Tony Award-winning rock musical “Spring Awakening” charged onto the stage at Proctors, providing theatergoers a magnificent production of a provocative and daring modern musical." http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2010/feb/18/0218_spawreview/
TIMES UNION: This guy didn't like that the music didn't match the world of the play (haha), but still thought it was "a brilliant production." hmmm http://blog.timesunion.com/reviews/spring-awakening-proctors-21710/1774/
METROLAND: "With its blue language, brief nudity and simulated sex, Spring Awakening is a remarkably risque staging for this area; but its good heart, tasteful and clever staging, and universally high quality of singing talent easily won over, and held, the crowd." http://www.metroland.net/theater.html
NIPPERTOWN: "Part theatre, part rock concert!" http://www.nippertown.com/2010/02/18/theater-spring-awakening-proctors
ALBANY ACTING EXAMINER: "This show was an experience, one which made me cry and squirm and laugh and soar. There are only five more days to see Spring Awakening at Proctors- you won't want to miss it!"
http://www.examiner.com/x-17194-Albany-Acting-Examiner~y2010m2d17-Awakening-adolescence?cid=edition-rss-Albany
WORKING MOTHERS EXAMINER: "In addition to being about self-discovery, the show also sounds a call for better parenting, more education in the areas of body awareness and sexuality, and the need for parents to respect and accept their children for who they are." http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-28949-Albany-Working-Moms-Examiner~y2010m2d17-Spring-Awakening-challenges-parents-and-teens-to-face-tough-topics
We had to say goodbye to our musical director, Jared Stein, who has been with us since the start of the tour. Kristen Lee Rosenfeld has stepped up to the plate and she rocks! You can listen to one of her original songs on Lucas' YouTube channel (linked in the callout for his Profile of the Month below). Charity Wicks (who did our show on Broadway) steps in as associate conductor. Here's a picture of our awesome band at Jared's going away party two weeks ago. So much love:
DID YOU KNOW? Schenectady was originally inhabited by Mohawk Indians. They called the settlement "Schau-naugh-ta-da," which meant "over the pine plains.
GET TICKETS: Proctors Theatre Feb 16-21st, 2010. http://www.proctors.org/events/3229 Tickets start at just $20.
STAGE DOOR: Stage door is in the “Arcade” under the marquee—last door on the left. Come say hi after the show!
ON STAGE SEATS: as of yesterday, on-stage seats were still available for select days of the run. Call (518) 346-6204 to check availability.
IN TOWN PRESS
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 ET
9:00 am LIVE Radio Phone Interview with Jake Epstein– B95.5 FM (Rick and Laura Morning Show). This interview will be with host Rick Mitchell.
9:45 am LIVE In-Studio Radio Interview with Steffi D – WAMC (Northeast Public Radio). This interview will be with radio host Sara LaDuke.
12:25 pm LIVE In-Studio TV Interview with Steffi D – WRGB-TV Channel 6. This interview will be with TV anchor Liz Bishop.
NEWS
TROY RECORD Interview with Sarah Hunt http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2010/02/11/entertainment/doc4b7320602d5f3182675501.txt
TIMES UNION Interview with Christy Altomare
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=899816&category=ARTS
REVIEWS
SCHENECTADY GAZETTE A rave! "In front of a truly enthusiastic audience on Tuesday night, the Tony Award-winning rock musical “Spring Awakening” charged onto the stage at Proctors, providing theatergoers a magnificent production of a provocative and daring modern musical." http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2010/feb/18/0218_spawreview/
TIMES UNION: This guy didn't like that the music didn't match the world of the play (haha), but still thought it was "a brilliant production." hmmm http://blog.timesunion.com/reviews/spring-awakening-proctors-21710/1774/
METROLAND: "With its blue language, brief nudity and simulated sex, Spring Awakening is a remarkably risque staging for this area; but its good heart, tasteful and clever staging, and universally high quality of singing talent easily won over, and held, the crowd." http://www.metroland.net/theater.html
NIPPERTOWN: "Part theatre, part rock concert!" http://www.nippertown.com/2010/02/18/theater-spring-awakening-proctors
ALBANY ACTING EXAMINER: "This show was an experience, one which made me cry and squirm and laugh and soar. There are only five more days to see Spring Awakening at Proctors- you won't want to miss it!"
http://www.examiner.com/x-17194-Albany-Acting-Examiner~y2010m2d17-Awakening-adolescence?cid=edition-rss-Albany
WORKING MOTHERS EXAMINER: "In addition to being about self-discovery, the show also sounds a call for better parenting, more education in the areas of body awareness and sexuality, and the need for parents to respect and accept their children for who they are." http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-28949-Albany-Working-Moms-Examiner~y2010m2d17-Spring-Awakening-challenges-parents-and-teens-to-face-tough-topics
2/5/10
Charlotte reviews and more
It's snowing in Charlotte! But we're lovin' it. As Ben Fanhauser tweeted, "Charlotte is the bomb!" We loved it from the minute we landed, when we ran into a certain American Idol alum in the airport:
Fantasia!
Here's some press events you might have missed, all of which aired yesterday, Thursday, February 4, 2010
8:45 am In-Studio TV Interview with Steffi D and Taylor Trensch – WCCB-TV (FOX)
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/dpp/rising/features/spring-awakening-blossoms-at-the-blumenthal
9:15 am In-Studio Radio Interview with Christy Altomare and Jake Epstein –
WFAE 90.7 FM “Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins” http://www.wfae.org/wfae/audio/CT20100204.m3u
12:15 pm In-Studio TV Interview with Ben Fankhauser– WBTV (CBS) interview with news anchor John Carter. (I can't find this online yet)
*******ANOUNCEMENT: TWEET UP!**********************************
#CLTTweetUp - Sat. Rockbottom - Tweetup! If u attend chance to win tix
to see Spring Awakening Sat. Night & SA Stuff! RSVP- http://bit.ly/TUpSA
*******REVIEWS: CHARLOTTE LOVES US! ****************************
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER A rave! And great notices for our Melchoir understudy and hometown boy Matt Shingledecker:
"Awakening is bold and bracing" By Lawrence Toppman
"Any students in this group who reached adulthood would be in their late 50s when Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany in 1933. Could Mayer and Jones be implying that, when someone in power stamps down individuals and demands unthinking obedience to authority, the Nazi Party is the likely result?"
(The answer to your question, Mr. Toppman, is yes! That's exactly what we mean to imply. Andy's hair ain't blond fer nothin'. Very astute).
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/arts/story/1221692.html
ARTS A LA MODE By Mark Pizzato
"Maybe we do have to go back in time to making meaning out of our youthful confusion, nostalgic passions, and hollow idols today."
(I love it, all these Charlotte critics really get it."
http://www.artsalamode.com/AALM_TheatreReviews.html
CHARLOTTE CITY AND PRESS/CT BLOG
By Mitch Metz
"Overall, this is one of the most fantastic shows you will ever see. It will entertain and touch you. You’ll remember confusion and frustration from your own adolescence, your heart will pour out to the abused, you’ll laugh with Melchior when he realizes he’s F’ed, and you’ll tell all your friends, just as I am … you must see Spring Awakening at the Belk, playing now through February 7th!"
http://cltblog.com/5496
(wow, thanks, Mr. Metz! Lovin' ya back.)
Fantasia!
Here's some press events you might have missed, all of which aired yesterday, Thursday, February 4, 2010
8:45 am In-Studio TV Interview with Steffi D and Taylor Trensch – WCCB-TV (FOX)
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/dpp/rising/features/spring-awakening-blossoms-at-the-blumenthal
9:15 am In-Studio Radio Interview with Christy Altomare and Jake Epstein –
WFAE 90.7 FM “Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins” http://www.wfae.org/wfae/audio/CT20100204.m3u
12:15 pm In-Studio TV Interview with Ben Fankhauser– WBTV (CBS) interview with news anchor John Carter. (I can't find this online yet)
*******ANOUNCEMENT: TWEET UP!**********************************
#CLTTweetUp - Sat. Rockbottom - Tweetup! If u attend chance to win tix
to see Spring Awakening Sat. Night & SA Stuff! RSVP- http://bit.ly/TUpSA
*******REVIEWS: CHARLOTTE LOVES US! ****************************
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER A rave! And great notices for our Melchoir understudy and hometown boy Matt Shingledecker:
"Awakening is bold and bracing" By Lawrence Toppman
"Any students in this group who reached adulthood would be in their late 50s when Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany in 1933. Could Mayer and Jones be implying that, when someone in power stamps down individuals and demands unthinking obedience to authority, the Nazi Party is the likely result?"
(The answer to your question, Mr. Toppman, is yes! That's exactly what we mean to imply. Andy's hair ain't blond fer nothin'. Very astute).
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/arts/story/1221692.html
ARTS A LA MODE By Mark Pizzato
"Maybe we do have to go back in time to making meaning out of our youthful confusion, nostalgic passions, and hollow idols today."
(I love it, all these Charlotte critics really get it."
http://www.artsalamode.com/AALM_TheatreReviews.html
CHARLOTTE CITY AND PRESS/CT BLOG
By Mitch Metz
"Overall, this is one of the most fantastic shows you will ever see. It will entertain and touch you. You’ll remember confusion and frustration from your own adolescence, your heart will pour out to the abused, you’ll laugh with Melchior when he realizes he’s F’ed, and you’ll tell all your friends, just as I am … you must see Spring Awakening at the Belk, playing now through February 7th!"
http://cltblog.com/5496
(wow, thanks, Mr. Metz! Lovin' ya back.)
1/15/10
Spring Awakening in Cincinnati: Reviews and Announcements
We're lovin' Cincy so far! The cast has been in rehearsals with our wonderful music director, Kim Grigsby, and on our second night, the band members of 98 Degrees came to see our show! Remember the band, 98 Degrees, with Nick and Drew Lachey, et all? The Cincy residents are used to seeing them around town since they live here, but for us, it was an awesome treat!
Photo: Kim Grigsby comes to Cincy to Brush Up With Cast
A couple of Announcements:
RUSH TICKETS are available for all performances day of show only. Rush tickets are half price off of any unsold ticket excluding stage seats. There is a limit of 2 per person and they can be purchased at the Aronoff Center Box Office 2 hours prior to each performance.You do not have to be a student.
ON-STAGE SEATS There are a limited number of stage seats still available. In particular, Tuesday the 19th & Wednesday the 20th there are still quite a few. If you haven't purchased your tickets yet or want to see it again, these tickets are ONLY $25! Call 513.241.2345, 9-5 Monday through Friday.
REVIEWS
Not only do we love Cincy, but Cincy loves us! We got rave reviews!! Tell everyone to come!
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER: "A terrific Spring Awakening. Outstanding ensemble - some of them still in college, almost everybody in their first Broadway tour. Being a part of this kind of euphoria is part of why live theater can give you a high."
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100113/ENT/1140306/Terrific++Spring+Awakening++at+Aronoff
CINCINNATI METROMIX: Five Reasons to See Spring Awakening: http://cincinnati.metromix.com/events/article/a-few-reasons-to/1707180/content
CITY BEAT: We're on the cover! Here's the feature article: "Once every generation or so a Broadway musical turns the complacent world of happy entertainment upside down".
http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-19723-wake-up-call.html
Critic's Pick! Read their review here: "Spring Awakening is poetry and emotion brought to painful life... revealing the magnificent potential of musical theater." http://bit.ly/58nfmc
MOMMYBITS.COM "We Loved It!" http://mommybits.net/2010/01/13/spring-awakening-part-ii/
URBAN CINCY: "Out of this world!" http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/01/spring-awakening-not-your-average-high.html
NEWS RECORD: “Spring Awakening is a show that cannot be missed." http://www.newsrecord.org/sections/entertainment/spring-awakening-1.2134882
Plus check out this interview with Andy Mientus in the CINCINNATI PERFORMING ARTS EXAMINER: http://www.examiner.com/x-30057-Cincinnati-Performing-Arts-Examiner~y2010m1d7-Spring-Awakening-explores-teenage-bodies-Jan-1224-with-image-set
**I've also updated the Cincinatti In The Town Press post with links to some of the TV performances and additional interviews with our Adult Men and Women. Click here to jump to it: http://totallytrucked.blogspot.com/2010/01/spring-awakening-in-cincinnati.html
Photo: Kim Grigsby comes to Cincy to Brush Up With Cast
A couple of Announcements:
RUSH TICKETS are available for all performances day of show only. Rush tickets are half price off of any unsold ticket excluding stage seats. There is a limit of 2 per person and they can be purchased at the Aronoff Center Box Office 2 hours prior to each performance.You do not have to be a student.
ON-STAGE SEATS There are a limited number of stage seats still available. In particular, Tuesday the 19th & Wednesday the 20th there are still quite a few. If you haven't purchased your tickets yet or want to see it again, these tickets are ONLY $25! Call 513.241.2345, 9-5 Monday through Friday.
REVIEWS
Not only do we love Cincy, but Cincy loves us! We got rave reviews!! Tell everyone to come!
CINCINNATI ENQUIRER: "A terrific Spring Awakening. Outstanding ensemble - some of them still in college, almost everybody in their first Broadway tour. Being a part of this kind of euphoria is part of why live theater can give you a high."
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100113/ENT/1140306/Terrific++Spring+Awakening++at+Aronoff
CINCINNATI METROMIX: Five Reasons to See Spring Awakening: http://cincinnati.metromix.com/events/article/a-few-reasons-to/1707180/content
CITY BEAT: We're on the cover! Here's the feature article: "Once every generation or so a Broadway musical turns the complacent world of happy entertainment upside down".
http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-19723-wake-up-call.html
Critic's Pick! Read their review here: "Spring Awakening is poetry and emotion brought to painful life... revealing the magnificent potential of musical theater." http://bit.ly/58nfmc
MOMMYBITS.COM "We Loved It!" http://mommybits.net/2010/01/13/spring-awakening-part-ii/
URBAN CINCY: "Out of this world!" http://www.urbancincy.com/2010/01/spring-awakening-not-your-average-high.html
NEWS RECORD: “Spring Awakening is a show that cannot be missed." http://www.newsrecord.org/sections/entertainment/spring-awakening-1.2134882
Plus check out this interview with Andy Mientus in the CINCINNATI PERFORMING ARTS EXAMINER: http://www.examiner.com/x-30057-Cincinnati-Performing-Arts-Examiner~y2010m1d7-Spring-Awakening-explores-teenage-bodies-Jan-1224-with-image-set
**I've also updated the Cincinatti In The Town Press post with links to some of the TV performances and additional interviews with our Adult Men and Women. Click here to jump to it: http://totallytrucked.blogspot.com/2010/01/spring-awakening-in-cincinnati.html
12/8/09
Spring Awakening at the Buell Theatre, Denver: Reviews and Press
We got unanimous rave reviews in Denver!! One music critic loved the show so much, the next day, he got eight more tickets to see the show three more times! In this post are some interesting tidbits that will be of interest to any true Spring Awakening fan, including new information on our cast members (See pictures of Taylor's previous productions, Chase talks about his awakening, a video interview with Jake, and more) and intelligent discourse about the show (did you know that Hanschen's kiss was a metaphor for capitalism?). Read on.
REVIEWS
DENVER POST
"Few musicals have the ability to impact lives like this one. Speaking with an uncanny clarity about a fundamental, frightening rite of human passage, "Spring Awakening" is not just for 16-year-olds, but also for anyone who remembers being 16.
Many look to theater for an escape into faraway worlds. Others seek some catharsis that might help them make urgent sense of their own confusing lives. Almost never does one piece achieve both."
http://www.denverpost.com/theater/ci_13911151
OUT FRONT COLORADO
"Lovers of dark, serious theatre will love it. Lovers of great musical theatre will love it. One of the most satisfying evenings of theatre this season."
http://www.outfrontcolorado.com/extra.php?itemid=538
GAY CULTURE EXAMINER
"Raising eyebrows as it raises the roof. Judging from the standing ovation that Tuesday evening’s performance received, Denver is welcoming the break in season with Spring Awakening."
http://www.examiner.com/x-6694-Denver-Gay-Culture-Examiner~y2009m12d2-Denver-welcomes-Spring-Awakening-with-standing-ovation
DSCRIBER
"Victorian Punk. 'Spring Awakening' spreads the ever-present adolescent gospel - everything is not OK, we are going crazy, stop lying to us. That's a good message to hear, at any age."
http://dscriber.com/home/754-victorian-punk-spring-awakening-tour-hits-heartland.html
MILE HIGH MAMAS "If you desire to have a little rock and roll added to your life by this dynamic cast full of fabulous young voices and commanding on stage personalities get your tickets soon! We truly had a fabulous evening!"
http://www.milehighmamas.com/2009/12/04/broadway-musical-spring-awakening-review/
AGE OF MELISSIUS
"I was completely blown away! We (parents, teachers & clergy) need to be available as a safe place to come to with concerns. If I walk away from seeing this with at least being that kind of parent to my boys, then maybe I can save them some of the heartache that comes with growing up."
http://ageofmelissius.blogspot.com/2009/12/spring-awakening.html
CHRONICLES OF A WRITER
"After more than a year of waiting, my high expectations of experiencing the exploitive sensation that is Spring Awakening is nothing if not utterly fulfilled."
http://www.chroniclesofawriter.com/archives/495
FEATURES
Interview with Taylor Trensch. Taylor was a member of the Lake Dillon Summer Repertory in 2008. You'll love these pics from his past productions.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines/2009/12/04/spring-awakenings-taylor-trensch-at-lake-dillon/
Taylor in Little Shop of Horrors
A pop music critic's take on SA. Ricardo Baca loved the show so much, the next day, he got eight more tickets for three more performances! "How excellent is it that guitarist Freddy Hall looks just like Fray lead singer Isaac Slade? And how wild is it that associate conductor Kristen Lee Rosenfeld comes off like a cool indie rock chick, guiding her band with the ease and unaffected charisma of Erika Wennerstrom of indie darlings the Heartless Bastards"
http://blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines/2009/12/04/ricardo-baca-onstage-at-spring-awakening/
Interview with Steven Sater and Jake Epstein. "On film, sex sells. On stage, sex scares people to death." A great discussion. http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_13873894
Denver Post critic John Moore sees the show again from onstage and elaborates in his blog on the Hanschen kiss as a metaphor for capitalism: http://blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines/2009/12/03/spring-awakening-in-denver-tidbits-and-leftovers/
BROADWAY WORLD
Interview with the Denver Guilty Ones
http://denver.broadwayworld.com/article/Denvers_Guilty_Ones_talk_Spring_Awakening_20091201
Article: Interview with Taylor Trensch
"In high school ... I started to have so much difficulty in school towards the end, so it's definitely been cathartic to get to play this role and kind of re-live my own adolescence"
http://www.outfrontcolorado.com/features.php?itemid=524
Out Front's Video interview with Jake Epstein
Interviewer: So, Jake, are you single?
Jake: I'm not going to answer that question."
http://www.outfrontcolorado.com/blog/?p=1470&cpage=1
Video interview with Steffi D. Steffi describes the show and her character.
http://mydenvercenter.org/2009/12/07/spring-awakening-and-ilse/
Blog interview with Chase Davidson. Chase's Awakening? "“Let’s just say, I got curious one night at a sleepover!”
http://gayzetteblog.com/2009/11/30/an-awakening-on-stage/
Video interview with Angela Reed, our Adult Woman backstage: John Moore, critic for Denver Post, welcomes Angela home to Denver. Talks about her influences http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VDsJhTBNx8&feature=player_embedded
REVIEWS
DENVER POST
"Few musicals have the ability to impact lives like this one. Speaking with an uncanny clarity about a fundamental, frightening rite of human passage, "Spring Awakening" is not just for 16-year-olds, but also for anyone who remembers being 16.
Many look to theater for an escape into faraway worlds. Others seek some catharsis that might help them make urgent sense of their own confusing lives. Almost never does one piece achieve both."
http://www.denverpost.com/theater/ci_13911151
OUT FRONT COLORADO
"Lovers of dark, serious theatre will love it. Lovers of great musical theatre will love it. One of the most satisfying evenings of theatre this season."
http://www.outfrontcolorado.com/extra.php?itemid=538
GAY CULTURE EXAMINER
"Raising eyebrows as it raises the roof. Judging from the standing ovation that Tuesday evening’s performance received, Denver is welcoming the break in season with Spring Awakening."
http://www.examiner.com/x-6694-Denver-Gay-Culture-Examiner~y2009m12d2-Denver-welcomes-Spring-Awakening-with-standing-ovation
DSCRIBER
"Victorian Punk. 'Spring Awakening' spreads the ever-present adolescent gospel - everything is not OK, we are going crazy, stop lying to us. That's a good message to hear, at any age."
http://dscriber.com/home/754-victorian-punk-spring-awakening-tour-hits-heartland.html
MILE HIGH MAMAS "If you desire to have a little rock and roll added to your life by this dynamic cast full of fabulous young voices and commanding on stage personalities get your tickets soon! We truly had a fabulous evening!"
http://www.milehighmamas.com/2009/12/04/broadway-musical-spring-awakening-review/
AGE OF MELISSIUS
"I was completely blown away! We (parents, teachers & clergy) need to be available as a safe place to come to with concerns. If I walk away from seeing this with at least being that kind of parent to my boys, then maybe I can save them some of the heartache that comes with growing up."
http://ageofmelissius.blogspot.com/2009/12/spring-awakening.html
CHRONICLES OF A WRITER
"After more than a year of waiting, my high expectations of experiencing the exploitive sensation that is Spring Awakening is nothing if not utterly fulfilled."
http://www.chroniclesofawriter.com/archives/495
FEATURES
Interview with Taylor Trensch. Taylor was a member of the Lake Dillon Summer Repertory in 2008. You'll love these pics from his past productions.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines/2009/12/04/spring-awakenings-taylor-trensch-at-lake-dillon/
Taylor in Little Shop of Horrors
A pop music critic's take on SA. Ricardo Baca loved the show so much, the next day, he got eight more tickets for three more performances! "How excellent is it that guitarist Freddy Hall looks just like Fray lead singer Isaac Slade? And how wild is it that associate conductor Kristen Lee Rosenfeld comes off like a cool indie rock chick, guiding her band with the ease and unaffected charisma of Erika Wennerstrom of indie darlings the Heartless Bastards"
http://blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines/2009/12/04/ricardo-baca-onstage-at-spring-awakening/
Interview with Steven Sater and Jake Epstein. "On film, sex sells. On stage, sex scares people to death." A great discussion. http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_13873894
Denver Post critic John Moore sees the show again from onstage and elaborates in his blog on the Hanschen kiss as a metaphor for capitalism: http://blogs.denverpost.com/runninglines/2009/12/03/spring-awakening-in-denver-tidbits-and-leftovers/
BROADWAY WORLD
Interview with the Denver Guilty Ones
http://denver.broadwayworld.com/article/Denvers_Guilty_Ones_talk_Spring_Awakening_20091201
Article: Interview with Taylor Trensch
"In high school ... I started to have so much difficulty in school towards the end, so it's definitely been cathartic to get to play this role and kind of re-live my own adolescence"
http://www.outfrontcolorado.com/features.php?itemid=524
Out Front's Video interview with Jake Epstein
Interviewer: So, Jake, are you single?
Jake: I'm not going to answer that question."
http://www.outfrontcolorado.com/blog/?p=1470&cpage=1
Video interview with Steffi D. Steffi describes the show and her character.
http://mydenvercenter.org/2009/12/07/spring-awakening-and-ilse/
Blog interview with Chase Davidson. Chase's Awakening? "“Let’s just say, I got curious one night at a sleepover!”
http://gayzetteblog.com/2009/11/30/an-awakening-on-stage/
Video interview with Angela Reed, our Adult Woman backstage: John Moore, critic for Denver Post, welcomes Angela home to Denver. Talks about her influences http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VDsJhTBNx8&feature=player_embedded
10/30/09
News Wrap Up: 4 Star Reviews Spring Awakening in San Jose
Wow! Reviews for Spring Awakening in San Jose are just stellar. We couldn't have asked for more love... Check them out:
San Jose Mercury News Review
Review: 'Spring Awakening' rocks San Jose
The daring new musical "Spring Awakening" rocked so hard it took Silicon Valley by storm Wednesday night. An electric jolt of youthful angst and yearning that revolutionized the usually staid genre of Broadway, this musical is perhaps the coolest one ever to grace San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts, where it runs through Sunday.
This audacious mash-up of 19th-century themes and cutting-edge alt-rock takes our breath away from start to finish. Frank Wedekind's once-scandalous 1891 tragedy about adolescents awash in lust, fear and chaos is now the height of hip. The Tony-winning rock musical is worshipped by flocks of teens known as "Guilty Ones," many of whom were texting like maniacs at the intermission....
http://www.mercurynews.com/theater-museums/ci_13669292
Metro San Jose Review
Spring Soars
The acclaimed Broadway musical about growing up in the 1890s in a small German town is more than one thing; it is not easy to define and file away in an alphabetized sock drawer. This show is a collision of a rock spectacle and a powerhouse musical that expresses the angst and inner turmoil of growing up in an oppressive society. And just like the musical itself, the children are not just students. They are lovers, explorers, dreamers and pirates who remind the audience that no matter what the time period or the place, there were always children who felt that anxious tug when they turned from caterpillar to butterfly.
http://www.metroactive.com/metro/10.28.09/stage-spring-awakening-0943.html
Stark Silver Creek Review
Theater review: ‘Spring Awakening’ delivers Broadway hit to San Jose in style
...what makes Spring Awakening so good, is how it all comes together so well. The music blends in with the story, carrying our emotions along for a rocking (and occasionally, joyfully loud) ride. In between the exciting drum and guitar work, though, there is character depth, and meaning behind actions. We feel and relate to their circumstances. Better yet, we are drawn to Melchior’s intelligent perspective, documented in his journal, that prevents the following events from becoming standard melodrama.
Spring Awakening is another Broadway gift to San Jose. Enjoy it as soon as possible (it’s only here for five days; 6 performances remain after this afternoon’s) and thank the lucky stars (or Dutch company Nederlander) we get to experience something so entertainingly fresh and vibrant. Colorful memories of high school years gone by is just icing on the Kuchen.
http://www.starksilvercreek.com/2009/10/theatre-review-spring-awakening-delivers-broadway-hit-to-san-jose-in-style.html
Check out this video blog Stark Silver Creek did of Opening Night and Cast After Party in San Jose. Make sure you make it to the middle of the video, where Christy Altomare, Andy Mientus, and three of our Guilty Ones in San Jose are interviewed!
San Mateo Daily Journal
I needed..to find out whether “Spring Awakening,” justified all of those theater awards it gathered in 2007, and yes, it did...And, if this is a touring company, one would wonder how much better the original show might have been.
With a “knockout” musical score, this “pop rock” musical is one of those theater works that “snap, crackle and pop,” from the opening until the last delicious spoon full. It is one of those tightly written and symbolic masterpieces of modern musical theater that takes just enough time to say what it needs to and moves on, ultimately, to enter the permanent repertoire of American theater works.
My conclusion: The record number of awards was justified and if you, as I, had missed this production before, now is the time to catch an excellent touring version of a certain future musical classic.
http://smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=arts&id=118931
Bay Area Stage and Screen (blog)
Not since Hair shocked Broadway audiences in 1968, has their been a musical that has so enlivened the genre. Spring Awakening, currently showing right now with the new company - Broadway San Jose - through Sunday, busts down the doors of propriety and jolts us into a teenage reality. Never has there been a musical that so honestly depicts the travails of growing up.
With the departure of our beloved American Musical Theatre of San Jose, the Nederlander Corporation is doing a wonderful job of bringing Broadway to the South Bay. I miss AMTSJ very much for a myriad of reasons, but I am glad that Nederlander seems to be making a valiant effort to keep us in the Broadway loop so to speak.
http://bayareastage.blogspot.com
ALSO, CHECK OUT THIS GREAT INTERVEW WITH JAKE EPSTEIN IN THE MERCURY NEWS:
Q: Why did you choose to try out for "Spring Awakening"? More specifically, what is it about the play that particularly drew you to this role?
A: Well, I saw the show on Broadway in 2006 and just completely fell in love with it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, like I was just on the edge of my seat the whole time. I had chills for half the play. I thought it was just the amalgamation of rock music and theater, and I just thought it was so cool. Two years later I (actually went to) an open call in Toronto, my home, 'cause I heard they were looking for replacements on Broadway. ...
Q:In "Degrassi" you played a brooding musician with bipolar disorder and in "Spring Awakening" you play a kind of rebellious trickster who leads his classmates against
Advertisement
society. So, why did you want to play a character so drastically different from Craig?
A: (laughs) Well, it's funny. I don't even think of it as that totally different from Craig. I mean, I brought so much of myself to "Degrassi," and I think in the same way I sort of related a lot to some of Melchior in "Spring Awakening" as well. So, yes, they are two completely different characters, but I think of them as parts of myself. And I think if anything, it's actually the opposite — that I recognized parts of myself in these characters and (it) made me want to play them, not that they were so different, but the fact that I could relate to them.
Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13645370
San Jose Mercury News Review
Review: 'Spring Awakening' rocks San Jose
The daring new musical "Spring Awakening" rocked so hard it took Silicon Valley by storm Wednesday night. An electric jolt of youthful angst and yearning that revolutionized the usually staid genre of Broadway, this musical is perhaps the coolest one ever to grace San Jose's Center for the Performing Arts, where it runs through Sunday.
This audacious mash-up of 19th-century themes and cutting-edge alt-rock takes our breath away from start to finish. Frank Wedekind's once-scandalous 1891 tragedy about adolescents awash in lust, fear and chaos is now the height of hip. The Tony-winning rock musical is worshipped by flocks of teens known as "Guilty Ones," many of whom were texting like maniacs at the intermission....
http://www.mercurynews.com/theater-museums/ci_13669292
Metro San Jose Review
Spring Soars
The acclaimed Broadway musical about growing up in the 1890s in a small German town is more than one thing; it is not easy to define and file away in an alphabetized sock drawer. This show is a collision of a rock spectacle and a powerhouse musical that expresses the angst and inner turmoil of growing up in an oppressive society. And just like the musical itself, the children are not just students. They are lovers, explorers, dreamers and pirates who remind the audience that no matter what the time period or the place, there were always children who felt that anxious tug when they turned from caterpillar to butterfly.
http://www.metroactive.com/metro/10.28.09/stage-spring-awakening-0943.html
Stark Silver Creek Review
Theater review: ‘Spring Awakening’ delivers Broadway hit to San Jose in style
...what makes Spring Awakening so good, is how it all comes together so well. The music blends in with the story, carrying our emotions along for a rocking (and occasionally, joyfully loud) ride. In between the exciting drum and guitar work, though, there is character depth, and meaning behind actions. We feel and relate to their circumstances. Better yet, we are drawn to Melchior’s intelligent perspective, documented in his journal, that prevents the following events from becoming standard melodrama.
Spring Awakening is another Broadway gift to San Jose. Enjoy it as soon as possible (it’s only here for five days; 6 performances remain after this afternoon’s) and thank the lucky stars (or Dutch company Nederlander) we get to experience something so entertainingly fresh and vibrant. Colorful memories of high school years gone by is just icing on the Kuchen.
http://www.starksilvercreek.com/2009/10/theatre-review-spring-awakening-delivers-broadway-hit-to-san-jose-in-style.html
Check out this video blog Stark Silver Creek did of Opening Night and Cast After Party in San Jose. Make sure you make it to the middle of the video, where Christy Altomare, Andy Mientus, and three of our Guilty Ones in San Jose are interviewed!
On Location: Spring Awakening opening night and cast interviews, San Jose from StarkSilverCreek.com on Vimeo.
San Mateo Daily Journal
I needed..to find out whether “Spring Awakening,” justified all of those theater awards it gathered in 2007, and yes, it did...And, if this is a touring company, one would wonder how much better the original show might have been.
With a “knockout” musical score, this “pop rock” musical is one of those theater works that “snap, crackle and pop,” from the opening until the last delicious spoon full. It is one of those tightly written and symbolic masterpieces of modern musical theater that takes just enough time to say what it needs to and moves on, ultimately, to enter the permanent repertoire of American theater works.
My conclusion: The record number of awards was justified and if you, as I, had missed this production before, now is the time to catch an excellent touring version of a certain future musical classic.
http://smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=arts&id=118931
Bay Area Stage and Screen (blog)
Not since Hair shocked Broadway audiences in 1968, has their been a musical that has so enlivened the genre. Spring Awakening, currently showing right now with the new company - Broadway San Jose - through Sunday, busts down the doors of propriety and jolts us into a teenage reality. Never has there been a musical that so honestly depicts the travails of growing up.
With the departure of our beloved American Musical Theatre of San Jose, the Nederlander Corporation is doing a wonderful job of bringing Broadway to the South Bay. I miss AMTSJ very much for a myriad of reasons, but I am glad that Nederlander seems to be making a valiant effort to keep us in the Broadway loop so to speak.
http://bayareastage.blogspot.com
ALSO, CHECK OUT THIS GREAT INTERVEW WITH JAKE EPSTEIN IN THE MERCURY NEWS:
Q: Why did you choose to try out for "Spring Awakening"? More specifically, what is it about the play that particularly drew you to this role?
A: Well, I saw the show on Broadway in 2006 and just completely fell in love with it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, like I was just on the edge of my seat the whole time. I had chills for half the play. I thought it was just the amalgamation of rock music and theater, and I just thought it was so cool. Two years later I (actually went to) an open call in Toronto, my home, 'cause I heard they were looking for replacements on Broadway. ...
Q:In "Degrassi" you played a brooding musician with bipolar disorder and in "Spring Awakening" you play a kind of rebellious trickster who leads his classmates against
Advertisement
society. So, why did you want to play a character so drastically different from Craig?
A: (laughs) Well, it's funny. I don't even think of it as that totally different from Craig. I mean, I brought so much of myself to "Degrassi," and I think in the same way I sort of related a lot to some of Melchior in "Spring Awakening" as well. So, yes, they are two completely different characters, but I think of them as parts of myself. And I think if anything, it's actually the opposite — that I recognized parts of myself in these characters and (it) made me want to play them, not that they were so different, but the fact that I could relate to them.
Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_13645370
10/9/09
Spring Awakening Milwaukee Reviews
We got some terrific reviews. Thank you, Milwaukee!
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
"Spring’s radical reworking of the Broadway formula represents the musical’s future"
http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/cultureclub/?NewMessageID=25046
JOURNAL SENTINEL
"Spring Awakening makes teen angst timeless."
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/63668247.html
THIRD COAST DIGEST
"It is safe to say that anyone who can still get tickets to the short run of Spring Awakening at the Marcus Center should jump at the opportunity. This musical is vibrant, showy, rebellious and perhaps unlike anything the regular theatergoer has seen before".
http://thirdcoastdigest.com/2009/10/review-spring-awakening-at-the-marcus-center/
We also got some terrific advance press from these Milwaukee bloggers. Thanks guys!
CRICKET TOES http://www.crickettoes.com/blog/2009/10/now-is-the-spring-of-our-discontentthe-musical.html
ARTSY SHMARTSY http://www.artsyschmartsy.com/2009/10/bitch-of-livingget-out-of-my-head.html
and an advance feature in
THE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Preview article: http://www.onmilwaukee.com/ent/articles/springawakeningpreview.html
RADIO INTERVIEW WITH JAKE EPSTEIN: Here's Jake's interview on Lake Effect, WUWM. You can also download it as a podcast: http://www.wuwm.com/programs/lake_effect/view_le.php?articleid=820
RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ANGELA REED: An interview with Angela is scheduled to air this Sunday, Oct 12th on Mix 99.1's Early Morning Show.
TODAY! LUNCHEON REMINDER! Have lunch today at noon with Tom Hulce, Jake Epstein and Christy Altomare for only $35. Call 414-273-7206.
MILWAUKEE MAGAZINE
"Spring’s radical reworking of the Broadway formula represents the musical’s future"
http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/cultureclub/?NewMessageID=25046
JOURNAL SENTINEL
"Spring Awakening makes teen angst timeless."
http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/arts/63668247.html
THIRD COAST DIGEST
"It is safe to say that anyone who can still get tickets to the short run of Spring Awakening at the Marcus Center should jump at the opportunity. This musical is vibrant, showy, rebellious and perhaps unlike anything the regular theatergoer has seen before".
http://thirdcoastdigest.com/2009/10/review-spring-awakening-at-the-marcus-center/
We also got some terrific advance press from these Milwaukee bloggers. Thanks guys!
CRICKET TOES http://www.crickettoes.com/blog/2009/10/now-is-the-spring-of-our-discontentthe-musical.html
ARTSY SHMARTSY http://www.artsyschmartsy.com/2009/10/bitch-of-livingget-out-of-my-head.html
and an advance feature in
THE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Preview article: http://www.onmilwaukee.com/ent/articles/springawakeningpreview.html
RADIO INTERVIEW WITH JAKE EPSTEIN: Here's Jake's interview on Lake Effect, WUWM. You can also download it as a podcast: http://www.wuwm.com/programs/lake_effect/view_le.php?articleid=820
RADIO INTERVIEW WITH ANGELA REED: An interview with Angela is scheduled to air this Sunday, Oct 12th on Mix 99.1's Early Morning Show.
TODAY! LUNCHEON REMINDER! Have lunch today at noon with Tom Hulce, Jake Epstein and Christy Altomare for only $35. Call 414-273-7206.
8/11/09
Spring Awakening in Chicago: Reviews and Press
We have only one more week left in Chicago! Make sure to tell all your friends and family so they don't miss out, and remember, $25 student rush tickets are available at the box office two hours before each performance.
REVIEWS:
CHICAGO TRIBUNE “Spring Awakening” is a must-see for anyone interested in the trajectory of the American musical theater. It pulses with life, youth and creativity. Blake Bashoff is startling and moving...Steffi D adds a whole new complexity to Ilse which felt much less exciting on Broadway. Many of the featured roles are performed in similarly spectacular fashion, including Andy Mientus’ provocative Hanschen and Ben Moss' earnest Ernst." http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/08/revolutionary-spring-awakening-arrives-in-chicago-radical-spirit-mostly-intact.html
CHICAGO SUN TIMES "The kids are all right in vivid Spring Awakening. An ingeniously wrought mix of the old and new...seductive, poetic score...a thoughtful, intense Jake Epstein...the impressive Steffi D, with a captivating voice and German Expressionist aura..."
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1702881,CST-FTR-Weiss06.article
BROADWAYWORLD.COM "Spring Awakening is a rockin' journey of passion & neon...offers the best all-around crafted tour to hit Chicago since JERSEY BOYS...the angelically voiced Christy Altomare shines as the important, yet underwritten, Wendla...if you want to chalk up major Coolest Parent of the Summer points, bring your teenagers to see this show!
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SPRING_AWAKENING_Is_a_Rockin_Journey_of_Passion_Neon_20090805
GAPER'S BLOCK (popular Chicago specific blog)
REVIEWS:
CHICAGO TRIBUNE “Spring Awakening” is a must-see for anyone interested in the trajectory of the American musical theater. It pulses with life, youth and creativity. Blake Bashoff is startling and moving...Steffi D adds a whole new complexity to Ilse which felt much less exciting on Broadway. Many of the featured roles are performed in similarly spectacular fashion, including Andy Mientus’ provocative Hanschen and Ben Moss' earnest Ernst." http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/08/revolutionary-spring-awakening-arrives-in-chicago-radical-spirit-mostly-intact.html
CHICAGO SUN TIMES "The kids are all right in vivid Spring Awakening. An ingeniously wrought mix of the old and new...seductive, poetic score...a thoughtful, intense Jake Epstein...the impressive Steffi D, with a captivating voice and German Expressionist aura..."
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1702881,CST-FTR-Weiss06.article
GAPER'S BLOCK (popular Chicago based blog) "A lot of teen drama performances come off as whiny reruns. Spring Awakening, however, makes you feel for these teens. Never mind that sometimes it feels a little like 'American Idol.' These kids are pissed and they ought to be."
http://gapersblock.com/ac/2009/08/09/an-awakening-for-any-season/
BROADWAYWORLD.COM "Spring Awakening is a rockin' journey of passion & neon...offers the best all-around crafted tour to hit Chicago since JERSEY BOYS...the angelically voiced Christy Altomare shines as the important, yet underwritten, Wendla...if you want to chalk up major Coolest Parent of the Summer points, bring your teenagers to see this show!
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SPRING_AWAKENING_Is_a_Rockin_Journey_of_Passion_Neon_20090805
ONCHICAGOTHEATRE.COM "The entire cast gives confident, powerful performances--they sing with great passion and skill and they make the characters believable and sympathetic. I found Bashoff, as the bizarre, tortured Moritz, particularly fascinating. I was also terribly amused by Andy Mientus (looking a bit like Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies)--who also has what may be the funniest and creepiest masturbation scene of the contemporary stage."
http://onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-exclusive-review-spring-awakening.html
UNPROFESSIONAL CRITIC: This was not a review so much as a response and analytical conversation between two or three people who had just seen the show. While I disagree with some of their analysis, I found it an interesting read:
http://unprofessionalcritic.blogspot.com/2009/08/when-angst-meets-analysis-conversation.html
TIME OUT CHICAGO "The terrific young touring cast gets it just right: For teenagers, whether in 1891 or 2009, all that yearning and churning does feel like life and death. Perhaps never before on stage has that feeling of roiling teen turmoil been better expressed than in the explosive second-act showstopper “Totally Fucked,” with Bill T. Jones’s jittery choreography perfectly capturing agitation and angst, while Kevin Adams’s lighting design rivals the MCA’s Olafur Eliasson show for the city’s best use of fluorescents. Simply put: It rocks."
http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/theater/77465/spring-awakening-theater-review
FEATURES:
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: "Something Different in Awakening." Includes interview with Michael Mayer: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/stage/chi-0731-spring-awakening-previejul31,0,2475709.column?obref=obnetwork
CHICAGO SUN TIMES: "Spring Awakening Rocks As Classic Play Meets Modern Music." Includes interview with Steven Sater. http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1693634,WKP-News-Stage31.article
CHICAGOIST.COM: "A musical you can believe in" http://chicagoist.com/2009/08/04/a_musical_you_can_believe_in.php
CHICAGO 3 MEDIA: VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH JAKE EPSTEIN:
http://www.chicago3media.com/video-categories.html?task=viewvideo&video_id=167
REVIEWS:
CHICAGO TRIBUNE “Spring Awakening” is a must-see for anyone interested in the trajectory of the American musical theater. It pulses with life, youth and creativity. Blake Bashoff is startling and moving...Steffi D adds a whole new complexity to Ilse which felt much less exciting on Broadway. Many of the featured roles are performed in similarly spectacular fashion, including Andy Mientus’ provocative Hanschen and Ben Moss' earnest Ernst." http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/08/revolutionary-spring-awakening-arrives-in-chicago-radical-spirit-mostly-intact.html
CHICAGO SUN TIMES "The kids are all right in vivid Spring Awakening. An ingeniously wrought mix of the old and new...seductive, poetic score...a thoughtful, intense Jake Epstein...the impressive Steffi D, with a captivating voice and German Expressionist aura..."
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1702881,CST-FTR-Weiss06.article
BROADWAYWORLD.COM "Spring Awakening is a rockin' journey of passion & neon...offers the best all-around crafted tour to hit Chicago since JERSEY BOYS...the angelically voiced Christy Altomare shines as the important, yet underwritten, Wendla...if you want to chalk up major Coolest Parent of the Summer points, bring your teenagers to see this show!
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SPRING_AWAKENING_Is_a_Rockin_Journey_of_Passion_Neon_20090805
GAPER'S BLOCK (popular Chicago specific blog)
REVIEWS:
CHICAGO TRIBUNE “Spring Awakening” is a must-see for anyone interested in the trajectory of the American musical theater. It pulses with life, youth and creativity. Blake Bashoff is startling and moving...Steffi D adds a whole new complexity to Ilse which felt much less exciting on Broadway. Many of the featured roles are performed in similarly spectacular fashion, including Andy Mientus’ provocative Hanschen and Ben Moss' earnest Ernst." http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2009/08/revolutionary-spring-awakening-arrives-in-chicago-radical-spirit-mostly-intact.html
CHICAGO SUN TIMES "The kids are all right in vivid Spring Awakening. An ingeniously wrought mix of the old and new...seductive, poetic score...a thoughtful, intense Jake Epstein...the impressive Steffi D, with a captivating voice and German Expressionist aura..."
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1702881,CST-FTR-Weiss06.article
GAPER'S BLOCK (popular Chicago based blog) "A lot of teen drama performances come off as whiny reruns. Spring Awakening, however, makes you feel for these teens. Never mind that sometimes it feels a little like 'American Idol.' These kids are pissed and they ought to be."
http://gapersblock.com/ac/2009/08/09/an-awakening-for-any-season/
BROADWAYWORLD.COM "Spring Awakening is a rockin' journey of passion & neon...offers the best all-around crafted tour to hit Chicago since JERSEY BOYS...the angelically voiced Christy Altomare shines as the important, yet underwritten, Wendla...if you want to chalk up major Coolest Parent of the Summer points, bring your teenagers to see this show!
http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SPRING_AWAKENING_Is_a_Rockin_Journey_of_Passion_Neon_20090805
ONCHICAGOTHEATRE.COM "The entire cast gives confident, powerful performances--they sing with great passion and skill and they make the characters believable and sympathetic. I found Bashoff, as the bizarre, tortured Moritz, particularly fascinating. I was also terribly amused by Andy Mientus (looking a bit like Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies)--who also has what may be the funniest and creepiest masturbation scene of the contemporary stage."
http://onchicagotheatre.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-exclusive-review-spring-awakening.html
UNPROFESSIONAL CRITIC: This was not a review so much as a response and analytical conversation between two or three people who had just seen the show. While I disagree with some of their analysis, I found it an interesting read:
http://unprofessionalcritic.blogspot.com/2009/08/when-angst-meets-analysis-conversation.html
TIME OUT CHICAGO "The terrific young touring cast gets it just right: For teenagers, whether in 1891 or 2009, all that yearning and churning does feel like life and death. Perhaps never before on stage has that feeling of roiling teen turmoil been better expressed than in the explosive second-act showstopper “Totally Fucked,” with Bill T. Jones’s jittery choreography perfectly capturing agitation and angst, while Kevin Adams’s lighting design rivals the MCA’s Olafur Eliasson show for the city’s best use of fluorescents. Simply put: It rocks."
http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/theater/77465/spring-awakening-theater-review
FEATURES:
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: "Something Different in Awakening." Includes interview with Michael Mayer: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/stage/chi-0731-spring-awakening-previejul31,0,2475709.column?obref=obnetwork
CHICAGO SUN TIMES: "Spring Awakening Rocks As Classic Play Meets Modern Music." Includes interview with Steven Sater. http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/weiss/1693634,WKP-News-Stage31.article
CHICAGOIST.COM: "A musical you can believe in" http://chicagoist.com/2009/08/04/a_musical_you_can_believe_in.php
CHICAGO 3 MEDIA: VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH JAKE EPSTEIN:
http://www.chicago3media.com/video-categories.html?task=viewvideo&video_id=167
7/10/09
Reviews--Spring Awakening at the Kennedy Center, DC
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus for Spring Awakening
WASHINGTON POST
It's a lot hotter inside the Kennedy Center these days, and the thermometer hasn't budged one bit. The altered state is a matter of tone rather than climate, its source the turbulent stylings of the Eisenhower Theater's new summer tenant: that splendidly soul-stirring musical of raging teenage hormones, "Spring Awakening."
WASHINGTON TIMES (4 OUT OF 4 STARS!)
The radical scholar Melchior (Jake Epstein, from "De Grassi High: The Next Generation," appealingly broody and intense) is more textbook-experienced in sexual matters, and he strives to put his knowledge into practice with the almost tragically innocent Wendla (Christy Altomare, agleam with vulnerability and hope). Sexuality also is expressed as release — with Hanschen (Andy Mientus, a suave seducer) self-pleasuring in "My Junk" to the meter of Desdemona's death scene from "Othello" — or as a means of control, as Martha (an affecting Sarah Hunt) painfully relates in "The Dark I Know Well." Experimentation is even depicted, with an awkward attempt at S&M and, later, same-sex canoodling ("The Word of Your Body").
Also some great features.
This one, in the Washington Post, talks about how rock music is changing musical theatre and Spring Awakening is featured prominently: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070300067.html
Here's a Don't Miss! interview with our "Bitch of 40" stars, Angela Reed and Todd Cerveris on DC Theatre Scene:
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus for Spring Awakening
MORE REVIEWS: UPDATED 7/16/09
The Onion
As the great sage Bristol Palin once told People magazine, "If girls realized the consequences of sex, nobody would be having sex. Trust me. Nobody."
As the teens in the musical cope with their growing urges and nocturnal emissions, one sexually enlightened student, Melchior (Jake Epstein), writes an explanatory pamphlet—sort of an illustrated, Germanic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
http://dc.decider.com/articles/spring-awakening-at-the-kennedy-center,30224/
DCist (Blog)
Invigorating! With so many cookie cutter musicals and anemic remakes coming out of Broadway, it feels almost a privilege to get a glimpse of one of the more experimental productions to find some New York success...Part of the thrill of Spring Awakening is watching the young but extremely talented cast, clearly in the early stages of their careers.
http://dcist.com/2009/07/an_invigorating_spring_awakening_at.php
DC Theatre Scene.com "Stunning" "Will Blow Your Mind."
Forget the cute marketing advertisements with a free-spirited young couple locked in a sweet embrace with the caption, “You’ll never forget your first time.” Those of us who have seen the show multiple times can attest to Awakening’s tough thematic content and the dark, somber reality of abuse, death, and fragile emotional breaking points just a heart beat away from a fatal snap.
http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/07/13/spring-awakening-3/
The Sentinel Papers (Suburban Newspapers)
Every generation thinks it is the generation that discovers sex. Currently at the Kennedy Center is a rousing production of the Tony Award winning musical Spring Awakening, which takes a century old play about rebellious youth and adds an adrenaline jolt of contemporary angst to the proceedings. Times may change, but human nature does not.
http://www.thesentinel.com/pgs/entertainment/Spring-Awakening
EDGE (GLBT Newspaper)
It’s won 8 Tonys, and has since gone to rock the theatre world with its presence.
This juggernaut production, which has had descriptions ranging from "rock opera" to "teenage melodrama", is best known as Spring Awakening... a no-holds-barred, extensively urgent tale of very small proportions, painting itself as half neo-realist, half dialectical theatre - a paradox in the making.
http://www.edgewashington.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=reviews&sc3=&id=92584
DC Met Blogs
Spring Awakening Rocks The Roof Off Kennedy Center
With a strong entertaining story and bombastic musical performances, Spring Awakening is one of the most energizing pieces to come to DC this summer. It’s like American Pie but classier and with music and dance.
http://dc.metblogs.com/2009/07/16/spring-awakening-review-kennedy-center/
Here's the link to the video of Christy and Jake's interview on Let's Talk Live. (I took away the embedded version because it was automatically playing): http://www.letstalklive.tv/n_
Get your tickets now~ Spring Awakening plays at the Kennedy Center through August 2nd, 2009. http://www.kennedy-center.org or call 202-467-4600.
6/5/09
First Time Away...a message from Steffi D
As many of you know, Steffi D has taken a week's vacation from the show (the reason why below). The understudies have been subbing in and have been getting rave reviews. Check out this awesome review from the Louisville Courier Journal:
http://www.courierjournal.com/article/20090603/SCENE/90603012/+Spring+Awakening++rocks+Kentucky+Center
and here's a TV interview with Andy and Ben:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5227836/13798797
Steffi is missing everyone so much that she wrote a letter to all the fans. It may vaguely remind you of another letter you might have heard:
Dear Spring Awakening Fans... Guilty Ones.
I've spent the entire day thinking about this note.
Truly it touched me, it did, that perhaps you have noticed my absence on the S.A Tour... Of course, I was saddened to hear that I wouldn't be in Louisville.
I must say straight away that I am currently back in Canada, hard at work shooting Seasons 3 and 4 of a French Canadian television series called "Moitie Moitie", (which means "half and half") where I am reprising the role of Audrey.
Two years ago, I filmed Seasons 1 and 2. And now, the public is asking for more!
You would do me wrong, Guitly Ones, to read into my absence as a permanent thing, on the contrary, I will be returning to the Spring Awakening tour for our Opening Night in Baltimore on June 9, 2009!
Should you like, here are some clips from the past 2 seasons:
Clips from Episode 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =5iaoZB62O-8
You can also find full episodes from seasons 1 and 2 on Dailymotion.com!
I will try to convince you that I also sing the theme song of the show!!
My dear Guitly Ones, my script is filled with lines; long lines, short lines, monologues even, that I better go learn. In any case, I assure you that I start bright and early tomorrow morning and all week!
So, sit tight, Guilty Ones! And you will hear from me soon.
In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled on my YouTube Channel: SteffiD5, for a Moitie Moitie video blog, coming soon. I am unchangingly and most fondly yours...
See you in Baltimore!!!
Love and Blue Wind,
Steffi D
http://www.courierjournal.com/article/20090603/SCENE/90603012/+Spring+Awakening++rocks+Kentucky+Center
and here's a TV interview with Andy and Ben:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5227836/13798797
Steffi is missing everyone so much that she wrote a letter to all the fans. It may vaguely remind you of another letter you might have heard:
Dear Spring Awakening Fans... Guilty Ones.
I've spent the entire day thinking about this note.
Truly it touched me, it did, that perhaps you have noticed my absence on the S.A Tour... Of course, I was saddened to hear that I wouldn't be in Louisville.
I must say straight away that I am currently back in Canada, hard at work shooting Seasons 3 and 4 of a French Canadian television series called "Moitie Moitie", (which means "half and half") where I am reprising the role of Audrey.
Two years ago, I filmed Seasons 1 and 2. And now, the public is asking for more!
You would do me wrong, Guitly Ones, to read into my absence as a permanent thing, on the contrary, I will be returning to the Spring Awakening tour for our Opening Night in Baltimore on June 9, 2009!
Should you like, here are some clips from the past 2 seasons:
Clips from Episode 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =5iaoZB62O-8
You can also find full episodes from seasons 1 and 2 on Dailymotion.com!
I will try to convince you that I also sing the theme song of the show!!
My dear Guitly Ones, my script is filled with lines; long lines, short lines, monologues even, that I better go learn. In any case, I assure you that I start bright and early tomorrow morning and all week!
So, sit tight, Guilty Ones! And you will hear from me soon.
In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled on my YouTube Channel: SteffiD5, for a Moitie Moitie video blog, coming soon. I am unchangingly and most fondly yours...
See you in Baltimore!!!
Love and Blue Wind,
Steffi D
4/26/09
Spring Awakening in Providence-- REVIEW ROUNDUP
These 1 week stops are waaay too short. It's hard to believe we are already getting ready to leave Providence...
We got some RAVE reviews from the local press.
This one, in the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, made me laugh out loud when they called the Guilty Ones a "support group" haha:
"The Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening has more substance than your usual Broadway musical. Now local audiences will get a chance to fall under its spell this weekend at the Providence Performing Arts Center. If you see just one show at PPAC this season, make it Spring Awakening.
If the show sounds a little dark, that’s because it is — sort of. The opening night crowd let out some customary chuckles as the night got under way, but soon grew quiet as patrons presumably found themselves in the presence of a very unusual and very striking Broadway offering....the show has drawn a huge following among teens, who often bring their parents to let them know what’s on their minds. At Tuesday’s opening, a group of young people from a Spring Awakening support group sat on the stage with cast members, in what looked like a mock classroom....
This, in fact, is the sort of show that teens can’t afford to miss, the kind of show that deals with the heavy issues of adolescence head-on."
Click here for Full Review
This one, in the PROVIDENCE PHOENIX, thought the acting which was "on the money" and the appreciated the "compelling characterizations." He also praised Duncan Sheik, whose songs "overwhelm us with conviction. Some are gentle, but most have a hopping-mad punk energy that captures the emotional and thematic highpoints of the play". Read full review
BROADWAYWORLD set up a challenge of sorts, saying that after all the awards, people in NYC "knew that Spring Awakening is an amazing show," and that it is now up to the touring cast to take that message across America. Judging from his review, it seems like our cast has met his challenge! This sentence made me chuckle: " Do not expect an MGM Musical fade-to-black treatment of teen sex, suicide or abortion. Profanity is celebrated, breasts are bared, sex is simulated and boys kiss each other!" Click here to read
And here's a reviewer from 95.5 WBRU whose expectations were also exceeded. Considering that she has already seen the show on Broadway, that's no small feat. She gushes, "the cast is phenomenal. Young and lively, yet completely aware of the importance of their message, the actors delivered lines and music with emotion and dynamism..." Here's the link
Listen to 95.5's interview with Tom Hulce and Christy Altomare here
We did a bunch of other radio interviews, but none of them seem to be archived online. Here are some of the TV interviews we did:
Blake and Steffi 's Interview on ABC 6, Providence. Blake is so articulate and Steffi is hilarious..."you know, you've been there. Ha ha."
Link here
Blake and Steffi's interview on the Rhode Show, Fox Providence:
Link: Rhodes Show
WE START PERFORMANCES IN BOSTON THIS TUESDAY!!
ALERT! There are still plenty of On-stage seats left for the Boston engagement, including some on opening night if you act fast. Reminder: You MUST buy your On-stage seats IN ADVANCE at the box office only. I know it's a pain to truck all the way downtown, but don't wait until the day of to get your tickets or you'll risk losing out. Get an intimate experience, right next to the actors, sitting on a professional stage for just $25 bucks!
Similarly, Student Rush tickets in Boston are being sold IN ADVANCE.
Here's our previous post on On Stage and Rush seats: More details
FAN MAIL If you would like to send fan mail to the cast, send it to:
Cast Member Name/Spring Awakening Tour
The Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
Your letter/package must get there before the end of our Boston engagement (5/24) or it will not be forwarded.
STAGE DOOR The stage door for the The Colonial Theatre is in Allen's Alley by the Majestic Theatre.
I know it's finals and graduation and all, but please help us get the word out and convince your friends that they can't miss us! We love our Guilty Ones! Here's a great advance feature article in the Boston Globe which features one of our Guilty One Street team members in Boston: Boston Globe
We got some RAVE reviews from the local press.
This one, in the PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, made me laugh out loud when they called the Guilty Ones a "support group" haha:
"The Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening has more substance than your usual Broadway musical. Now local audiences will get a chance to fall under its spell this weekend at the Providence Performing Arts Center. If you see just one show at PPAC this season, make it Spring Awakening.
If the show sounds a little dark, that’s because it is — sort of. The opening night crowd let out some customary chuckles as the night got under way, but soon grew quiet as patrons presumably found themselves in the presence of a very unusual and very striking Broadway offering....the show has drawn a huge following among teens, who often bring their parents to let them know what’s on their minds. At Tuesday’s opening, a group of young people from a Spring Awakening support group sat on the stage with cast members, in what looked like a mock classroom....
This, in fact, is the sort of show that teens can’t afford to miss, the kind of show that deals with the heavy issues of adolescence head-on."
Click here for Full Review
This one, in the PROVIDENCE PHOENIX, thought the acting which was "on the money" and the appreciated the "compelling characterizations." He also praised Duncan Sheik, whose songs "overwhelm us with conviction. Some are gentle, but most have a hopping-mad punk energy that captures the emotional and thematic highpoints of the play". Read full review
BROADWAYWORLD set up a challenge of sorts, saying that after all the awards, people in NYC "knew that Spring Awakening is an amazing show," and that it is now up to the touring cast to take that message across America. Judging from his review, it seems like our cast has met his challenge! This sentence made me chuckle: " Do not expect an MGM Musical fade-to-black treatment of teen sex, suicide or abortion. Profanity is celebrated, breasts are bared, sex is simulated and boys kiss each other!" Click here to read
And here's a reviewer from 95.5 WBRU whose expectations were also exceeded. Considering that she has already seen the show on Broadway, that's no small feat. She gushes, "the cast is phenomenal. Young and lively, yet completely aware of the importance of their message, the actors delivered lines and music with emotion and dynamism..." Here's the link
Listen to 95.5's interview with Tom Hulce and Christy Altomare here
We did a bunch of other radio interviews, but none of them seem to be archived online. Here are some of the TV interviews we did:
Blake and Steffi 's Interview on ABC 6, Providence. Blake is so articulate and Steffi is hilarious..."you know, you've been there. Ha ha."
Link here
Blake and Steffi's interview on the Rhode Show, Fox Providence:
Link: Rhodes Show
WE START PERFORMANCES IN BOSTON THIS TUESDAY!!
ALERT! There are still plenty of On-stage seats left for the Boston engagement, including some on opening night if you act fast. Reminder: You MUST buy your On-stage seats IN ADVANCE at the box office only. I know it's a pain to truck all the way downtown, but don't wait until the day of to get your tickets or you'll risk losing out. Get an intimate experience, right next to the actors, sitting on a professional stage for just $25 bucks!
Similarly, Student Rush tickets in Boston are being sold IN ADVANCE.
Here's our previous post on On Stage and Rush seats: More details
FAN MAIL If you would like to send fan mail to the cast, send it to:
Cast Member Name/Spring Awakening Tour
The Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
Your letter/package must get there before the end of our Boston engagement (5/24) or it will not be forwarded.
STAGE DOOR The stage door for the The Colonial Theatre is in Allen's Alley by the Majestic Theatre.
I know it's finals and graduation and all, but please help us get the word out and convince your friends that they can't miss us! We love our Guilty Ones! Here's a great advance feature article in the Boston Globe which features one of our Guilty One Street team members in Boston: Boston Globe
3/23/09
Spring Awakening in Toronto: Press, Reviews, Events UPDATED
Spring has awakened in Toronto!
LIVE EVENT:
Lunchtime concert at Eaton Centre, Friday March 27th: The cast will perform with the casts of We Will Rock You, The Sound of Music, and Dirty Dancing at 12:15 pm and again at 1:15 pm. We are expecting a lot of people so get there early to get a good seat!
more Live Events to come. Stay tuned!
DVR ALERT:
The Hills After Show on Monday, March 23rd (TODAY!), host Dan Levy shares his review of Spring Awakening on the “What Did You Do This Weekend?” segment, 2:30 pm, MTV
Much News did a taped interview with us. Not sure when it will air, but will most probably be tonight. Much News airs on Much Music on Mondays at 10PM ET and it is often repeated on MOD which airs M-F 5PM ET."
E-Talk hosts Ben Mulroney and Heather Lin will conduct a backstage interview with Steffi D on Tue March 24th. Airdate TBA (E-Talk airs weeknights at 7 pm on CTV).
Performance on Breakfast Television morning show on Thursday March 26th, starts at 6:00 am on CityTV.
*****UPDATED***** Entertainment Tonight(ET) Canada--interviews will air on Wed, March 25th, 7 pm.
REVIEWS
TORONTO SUN-- "In engineering a theatrical head-on collision between the past and the future, Sater, Sheik and Mayer have come up with something that is emphatically and gloriously today. Anyone who has ever been a youth, known a youth or, perhaps more importantly, is still a youth, is almost certain to respond".
http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/john_coulbourn/2009/03/20/8817891-sun.html
**UPDATED** GLOBE AND MAIL --"the overall effect is more jarring, more provocative and more intelligent than Rent" 3 out of 4 stars
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090320.wspringawake0320/BNStory/Entertainment/
NOW MAGAZINE--"Once the story of the teens starts throbbing, there’s no holding it back: not its tragedy, not its abuse and violence, not its anger and certainly not its exuberance...[a] uniformly talented company." 4 out of 5 stars
http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=168562
***UPDATED***HAMILTON SPECTOR--
"It deserved the armful of Tonys it took home on Broadway. this is a beautiful musical that reminds you what it means to be young and in love."
(read entire review for a hilarious account of a senior couple who wandered in thinking it was "Sound of Music" hee hee):
http://www.thehamiltonspectator.com/Entertainment/article/535107
**UPDATED**TORONTOSTAGE.COM--
"In a compelling story where nothing goes right for the characters, this is a musical staging where nothing goes wrong. Sharp vocals combined with stunning choreography gives the production vast audience appeal."
http://www.torontostage.com/reviews/springAwakening.html
They also had an interview with Christy and Blake. The interviewer is kinda hilarious:
TORONTO STAR
"Spring Awakening is one of the most exciting new musicals I've seen in years"
http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/Theatre/article/604742
BLOGTO
"Spring Awakening is a refreshing piece of musical theatre for our time" (They also mention a couple who was offended. Guess Toronto isn't as liberal as I thought!)
http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2009/03/spring_awakening_is_gonna_bruise_you/#comments
Not all the reviews were raves, although all had fantastic things to say about the production. A few wanted more nihilism, akin to the original Wedekind play and argued that we pulled our punches in our adaptation. Robert Cushman at the NATIONAL POST, for instance, wanted us to preserve the unsentimentality of the Wedekind's adults and didn't like that we gave Moritz' father a human moment where he is sobbing silently for the death of his son. This same reviewer also says, "Christy Altomare is a sweet Wendla, though one who looks better able to take care of herself than her story requires." It seems as if Cushman is wedded to the original source material and is not able to see Sater's adaptation as a different take on the material. He seems to think that Wendla should be the passive, innocent girl that Wedekind wrote. Our production team was hell bent on creating more of an arc for Wendla than Wedekind allows and making her a stronger character that young women today would be able to relate to, which I think ultimately makes her story all the more tragic (http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=1406840).
Cushman also wanted us to keep Melchoir as a rapist, and he is not alone in this. Christopher Hoile from EYE WEEKLY agrees, saying that by not making Melchoir a rapist, his character is "significantly less complex." (!!) And argued that "the score is too gorgeous for the material. It’s as if Sheik and Sater, contrary to the source, intentionally want to tone down the volatility of the themes." Canada wants us to be more violent! LOL. I think we need a moment to talk about this. We took great pains to create a more cohesive storyline for our three main characters. We did not believe that a play without a hero could succeed on Broadway. We didn't think the audience would root for Melchoir if he was a rapist. There's a reason this show was banned for 100 years! Thankfully, Hoile ends his review on a good note: "What impresses more than the once-shocking subject matter and Sheik’s languorous score is Mayer’s inexhaustible invention and the white-hot talent of the young performers who make it work (http://www.eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/55230--spring-awakening)."
What do you think about these reviewer's views? We'd love to hear your comments below!
OTHER FEATURES
E-Talk Interview with Steffi D on CTV
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090320/steffi_d_090320/20090320/
Toronto Star: feature on Steffi D
http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/Theatre/article/597251
Canadian Press feature on Steffi D
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jGH_GHNPTrFl9qkQTixauqI3gxsw
Toronto Sun: Interview with Tom Hulce, “Musical Awakens New Career”
http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/stage/2009/03/18/8789536-sun.html
KYLE RIABKO: THE LEAD DOCUMENTARY
Perhaps the biggest exposure we've had in Canada was the airing of the brilliant documentary "Kyle Riabko: The Lead" on Bravo Canada (rumored to be re-airing on April 1st). We're so happy we gave them open access when they were filming.
What was remarkable about this doc was not only how it captured Kyle's journey to Broadway and beyond, but that they interviewed some of our fans-- and what emerges is an eye popping testimonial of how our show has helped these brave, young teens such as Chris from Houston, who had tried to commit suicide until our show gave him renewed strength to fight on, and Frances from Canada who was shy and withdrawn until she found a community of Guilty Ones where she belonged. It brought tears to my eyes. A fan posted clips from the documentary on Youtube. So cool to see the Broadway Guilty Ones being interviewed! Miss you guys! Enjoy!
LIVE EVENT:
Lunchtime concert at Eaton Centre, Friday March 27th: The cast will perform with the casts of We Will Rock You, The Sound of Music, and Dirty Dancing at 12:15 pm and again at 1:15 pm. We are expecting a lot of people so get there early to get a good seat!
more Live Events to come. Stay tuned!
DVR ALERT:
The Hills After Show on Monday, March 23rd (TODAY!), host Dan Levy shares his review of Spring Awakening on the “What Did You Do This Weekend?” segment, 2:30 pm, MTV
Much News did a taped interview with us. Not sure when it will air, but will most probably be tonight. Much News airs on Much Music on Mondays at 10PM ET and it is often repeated on MOD which airs M-F 5PM ET."
E-Talk hosts Ben Mulroney and Heather Lin will conduct a backstage interview with Steffi D on Tue March 24th. Airdate TBA (E-Talk airs weeknights at 7 pm on CTV).
Performance on Breakfast Television morning show on Thursday March 26th, starts at 6:00 am on CityTV.
*****UPDATED***** Entertainment Tonight(ET) Canada--interviews will air on Wed, March 25th, 7 pm.
REVIEWS
TORONTO SUN-- "In engineering a theatrical head-on collision between the past and the future, Sater, Sheik and Mayer have come up with something that is emphatically and gloriously today. Anyone who has ever been a youth, known a youth or, perhaps more importantly, is still a youth, is almost certain to respond".
http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/john_coulbourn/2009/03/20/8817891-sun.html
**UPDATED** GLOBE AND MAIL --"the overall effect is more jarring, more provocative and more intelligent than Rent" 3 out of 4 stars
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090320.wspringawake0320/BNStory/Entertainment/
NOW MAGAZINE--"Once the story of the teens starts throbbing, there’s no holding it back: not its tragedy, not its abuse and violence, not its anger and certainly not its exuberance...[a] uniformly talented company." 4 out of 5 stars
http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=168562
***UPDATED***HAMILTON SPECTOR--
"It deserved the armful of Tonys it took home on Broadway. this is a beautiful musical that reminds you what it means to be young and in love."
(read entire review for a hilarious account of a senior couple who wandered in thinking it was "Sound of Music" hee hee):
http://www.thehamiltonspectator.com/Entertainment/article/535107
**UPDATED**TORONTOSTAGE.COM--
"In a compelling story where nothing goes right for the characters, this is a musical staging where nothing goes wrong. Sharp vocals combined with stunning choreography gives the production vast audience appeal."
http://www.torontostage.com/reviews/springAwakening.html
They also had an interview with Christy and Blake. The interviewer is kinda hilarious:
TORONTO STAR
"Spring Awakening is one of the most exciting new musicals I've seen in years"
http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/Theatre/article/604742
BLOGTO
"Spring Awakening is a refreshing piece of musical theatre for our time" (They also mention a couple who was offended. Guess Toronto isn't as liberal as I thought!)
http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2009/03/spring_awakening_is_gonna_bruise_you/#comments
Not all the reviews were raves, although all had fantastic things to say about the production. A few wanted more nihilism, akin to the original Wedekind play and argued that we pulled our punches in our adaptation. Robert Cushman at the NATIONAL POST, for instance, wanted us to preserve the unsentimentality of the Wedekind's adults and didn't like that we gave Moritz' father a human moment where he is sobbing silently for the death of his son. This same reviewer also says, "Christy Altomare is a sweet Wendla, though one who looks better able to take care of herself than her story requires." It seems as if Cushman is wedded to the original source material and is not able to see Sater's adaptation as a different take on the material. He seems to think that Wendla should be the passive, innocent girl that Wedekind wrote. Our production team was hell bent on creating more of an arc for Wendla than Wedekind allows and making her a stronger character that young women today would be able to relate to, which I think ultimately makes her story all the more tragic (http://www.nationalpost.com/arts/story.html?id=1406840).
Cushman also wanted us to keep Melchoir as a rapist, and he is not alone in this. Christopher Hoile from EYE WEEKLY agrees, saying that by not making Melchoir a rapist, his character is "significantly less complex." (!!) And argued that "the score is too gorgeous for the material. It’s as if Sheik and Sater, contrary to the source, intentionally want to tone down the volatility of the themes." Canada wants us to be more violent! LOL. I think we need a moment to talk about this. We took great pains to create a more cohesive storyline for our three main characters. We did not believe that a play without a hero could succeed on Broadway. We didn't think the audience would root for Melchoir if he was a rapist. There's a reason this show was banned for 100 years! Thankfully, Hoile ends his review on a good note: "What impresses more than the once-shocking subject matter and Sheik’s languorous score is Mayer’s inexhaustible invention and the white-hot talent of the young performers who make it work (http://www.eyeweekly.com/arts/theatre/article/55230--spring-awakening)."
What do you think about these reviewer's views? We'd love to hear your comments below!
OTHER FEATURES
E-Talk Interview with Steffi D on CTV
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090320/steffi_d_090320/20090320/
Toronto Star: feature on Steffi D
http://www.thestar.com/Entertainment/Theatre/article/597251
Canadian Press feature on Steffi D
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jGH_GHNPTrFl9qkQTixauqI3gxsw
Toronto Sun: Interview with Tom Hulce, “Musical Awakens New Career”
http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/stage/2009/03/18/8789536-sun.html
KYLE RIABKO: THE LEAD DOCUMENTARY
Perhaps the biggest exposure we've had in Canada was the airing of the brilliant documentary "Kyle Riabko: The Lead" on Bravo Canada (rumored to be re-airing on April 1st). We're so happy we gave them open access when they were filming.
What was remarkable about this doc was not only how it captured Kyle's journey to Broadway and beyond, but that they interviewed some of our fans-- and what emerges is an eye popping testimonial of how our show has helped these brave, young teens such as Chris from Houston, who had tried to commit suicide until our show gave him renewed strength to fight on, and Frances from Canada who was shy and withdrawn until she found a community of Guilty Ones where she belonged. It brought tears to my eyes. A fan posted clips from the documentary on Youtube. So cool to see the Broadway Guilty Ones being interviewed! Miss you guys! Enjoy!
3/9/09
Reviews, Events and Press in Cleveland, Palace Theatre
PRESS
***MUST SEE!***
Perry Sherman and Christy Altomare perform "Word of Your Body" on Fox Morning Show.
http://www.fox8.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3513757
NBC WKYC
Blake Bashoff and Steffi D perform "Blue Wind/Don't Do Sadness" on the show "Good Company."
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=108647
(this video was slow to load on my Firefox browser. Anyone else having problems?)
CBS WOIO
Blake and Steffi also performed the same song on an afternoon news program; their segment was repeated again for the evening news.
90.3 NPR
Live Radio interview with Andy Mientus and Ben Moss now online:
http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/an/25176/
They were also interviewed by Jen Toohey and asked to guest DJ on Q 104, WQAL (I can't find it on their confusing site. A little help?)
STILL TO COME:
WGAR 99.5 FM
TUE MARCH 10TH 8:15 am In-studio Radio Interview with Jared Stein with hosts Jim Mantel, Laurie Hovater and Captain Tony.
Playhouse Square is doing some really great events around our show. Don't miss:
BROADWAY BUZZ PRE-SHOW TALKS--One hour before all KeyBank Broadway Series performances, audiences are invited to the Idea Center at Playhouse Square to join in a free 30-minute show presentation. Get the inside scoop on the show before the curtain rises.
POST SHOW CHATS WITH THE CAST March 5 and 12--The cast answers your questions immediately following the Thursday night performances.
TEEN NIGHT March 14--Teens can enjoy a DJ, Karaoke, Pizza, and hang with the cast after the Saturday, March 14th show. Just show your ticket stub from that night's performance. Your Teen Magazine will also host a panel for parents of teens that night to discuss the issues raised in Spring Awakening. More info:
http://broadwayworld.com/article/SPRING_AWAKENING_Holds_Teen_Night_at_Clevelands_PlayhouseSquare_Arts_Center_March_14_20090219
MASTER CLASS WITH JARED STEIN AND FOUR CAST MEMBERS! Wed, March 11th
Music Director Jared Stein and four members of the cast will lead a vocal master class on Wednesday, March 11, 3-4:30 PM. You will be taught Purple Summer. Ages 14 and up only, please. Participation is FREE but registration is required. Please call 216-348-7909 or email reeds@playhousesquare.org to register.
DISTANCE LEARNING Tue March 10th
Playhouse Square has arranged a Q&A for Tuesday, March 10th at 1:00pm at The Idea Center for high school students interested in a career in theatre. This is part of their Distance Learning Program – participants will be video conferencing from high schools all over Ohio. Additionally, there will be 20-30 students from a local high school physically present for the Q&A with the cast. Very Cool and forward thinking! Kudos to Playhouse Square!
If you havn't seen us yet in Cleveland, what are you waiting for? We leave March 15th! Don't take our word for it:
CLEVELAND REVIEWS
Cleveland Plain Dealer
'Spring Awakening,' a timeless, iconoclastic look at adolescence
"Spring Awakening" is no Broadway musical. Which is why it's a Broadway musical for today.
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2009/03/opened_at_playhousesquare_tues.html
CoolCleveland.com
Not much has changed in over 100 years. Parents still struggle to talk about sex with their kids, and kids still have sex cluelessly, get pregnant and have abortions. Some kids are still committing suicide because it's all too much, and we still don't understand why. But finally, there's a show that tells the truth. A very entertaining show with great music and intensely emotional songs by Duncan Sheik, and a totally, devastatingly real story. We've been waiting a long time for Spring Awakening.
http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.Springawakeningphs
BroadwayWorld.com
Though it seems almost sacrilegious to admit, this very well might be the strongest ensemble in "Spring Awakening's" history. As a whole, the cast is not only energetic and frighteningly talented, but they also embody a sense of innocence mixed with early maturity that has never been evident before. Sure, the original cast (almost all of which have become stars in their own right) might have had more individual stand-outs, but they never seemed even close to innocent: They were adults playing children. And the final Broadway cast was very innocent-perhaps too innocent for the material. The touring cast is a perfect mix of both, and interprets the material in new and interesting ways that remain true to the original book and score. More than that, they function best as an ensemble, not just a group of performers who happen to be acting together on the same stage.
http://cleveland.broadwayworld.com/article/Spring_Awakening_Tour_Review_Cleveland_20090304
Spangle Magazine
With its difficult subject matter, Spring Awakening is a show that plays best in its intimate moments — something that might be missed by those in the back of the large Palace. Among the players, the standout is Blake Bashoff, playing the tormented Moritz with grace as his distress quietly grows more pronounced. Other notables include Steffi D and Sarah Hunt (Ilse and Martha), especially in the first-act scene in which they reveal the home torture by their fathers. Christy Altomare is well-cast as the innocent Wendla, and Angela Reed and Henry Stram show dexterity in their semi-monolithic roles playing all of the adults.
(On opening night, understudy Perry Sherman tackled the vital role of intellectual Melchior with an engaging passion.)
Former Top-40 heartthrob Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s score remains a pulse-quickening ride, and the production design is stellar.
http://www.spanglemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=212:review-spring-awakening&catid=46:theater&Itemid=70
FEATURES
**MUST READ**Tribune Chronicle--Spring Awakening Cast Gets An Education On The Road (interview with Ben Moss and Gabrielle Garza) http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/518499.html?nav=5026
The Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2009/02/spring_awakening_in_cleveland.html
Canton Rep (includes interviews with Kyle Riabko and Christy Altomare)
http://www.cantonrep.com/archive/x1802692209/Brave-new-musical-Spring-Awakening-comes-to-Cleveland
Cleveland Playhouse Square Examiner
“The theatrical event of the year. Promises to be one of the most exciting entertainment experiences of a lifetime.”
http://www.examiner.com/x-3802-Cleveland-Playhouse-Square-Examiner~y2009m2d24-Spring-Awakening-theatrical-event-of-the-year-opens-March-3rd?comments=true
***MUST SEE!***
Perry Sherman and Christy Altomare perform "Word of Your Body" on Fox Morning Show.
http://www.fox8.com/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3513757
NBC WKYC
Blake Bashoff and Steffi D perform "Blue Wind/Don't Do Sadness" on the show "Good Company."
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=108647
(this video was slow to load on my Firefox browser. Anyone else having problems?)
CBS WOIO
Blake and Steffi also performed the same song on an afternoon news program; their segment was repeated again for the evening news.
90.3 NPR
Live Radio interview with Andy Mientus and Ben Moss now online:
http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/an/25176/
They were also interviewed by Jen Toohey and asked to guest DJ on Q 104, WQAL (I can't find it on their confusing site. A little help?)
STILL TO COME:
WGAR 99.5 FM
TUE MARCH 10TH 8:15 am In-studio Radio Interview with Jared Stein with hosts Jim Mantel, Laurie Hovater and Captain Tony.
Playhouse Square is doing some really great events around our show. Don't miss:
BROADWAY BUZZ PRE-SHOW TALKS--One hour before all KeyBank Broadway Series performances, audiences are invited to the Idea Center at Playhouse Square to join in a free 30-minute show presentation. Get the inside scoop on the show before the curtain rises.
POST SHOW CHATS WITH THE CAST March 5 and 12--The cast answers your questions immediately following the Thursday night performances.
TEEN NIGHT March 14--Teens can enjoy a DJ, Karaoke, Pizza, and hang with the cast after the Saturday, March 14th show. Just show your ticket stub from that night's performance. Your Teen Magazine will also host a panel for parents of teens that night to discuss the issues raised in Spring Awakening. More info:
http://broadwayworld.com/article/SPRING_AWAKENING_Holds_Teen_Night_at_Clevelands_PlayhouseSquare_Arts_Center_March_14_20090219
MASTER CLASS WITH JARED STEIN AND FOUR CAST MEMBERS! Wed, March 11th
Music Director Jared Stein and four members of the cast will lead a vocal master class on Wednesday, March 11, 3-4:30 PM. You will be taught Purple Summer. Ages 14 and up only, please. Participation is FREE but registration is required. Please call 216-348-7909 or email reeds@playhousesquare.org to register.
DISTANCE LEARNING Tue March 10th
Playhouse Square has arranged a Q&A for Tuesday, March 10th at 1:00pm at The Idea Center for high school students interested in a career in theatre. This is part of their Distance Learning Program – participants will be video conferencing from high schools all over Ohio. Additionally, there will be 20-30 students from a local high school physically present for the Q&A with the cast. Very Cool and forward thinking! Kudos to Playhouse Square!
If you havn't seen us yet in Cleveland, what are you waiting for? We leave March 15th! Don't take our word for it:
CLEVELAND REVIEWS
Cleveland Plain Dealer
'Spring Awakening,' a timeless, iconoclastic look at adolescence
"Spring Awakening" is no Broadway musical. Which is why it's a Broadway musical for today.
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2009/03/opened_at_playhousesquare_tues.html
CoolCleveland.com
Not much has changed in over 100 years. Parents still struggle to talk about sex with their kids, and kids still have sex cluelessly, get pregnant and have abortions. Some kids are still committing suicide because it's all too much, and we still don't understand why. But finally, there's a show that tells the truth. A very entertaining show with great music and intensely emotional songs by Duncan Sheik, and a totally, devastatingly real story. We've been waiting a long time for Spring Awakening.
http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.Springawakeningphs
BroadwayWorld.com
Though it seems almost sacrilegious to admit, this very well might be the strongest ensemble in "Spring Awakening's" history. As a whole, the cast is not only energetic and frighteningly talented, but they also embody a sense of innocence mixed with early maturity that has never been evident before. Sure, the original cast (almost all of which have become stars in their own right) might have had more individual stand-outs, but they never seemed even close to innocent: They were adults playing children. And the final Broadway cast was very innocent-perhaps too innocent for the material. The touring cast is a perfect mix of both, and interprets the material in new and interesting ways that remain true to the original book and score. More than that, they function best as an ensemble, not just a group of performers who happen to be acting together on the same stage.
http://cleveland.broadwayworld.com/article/Spring_Awakening_Tour_Review_Cleveland_20090304
Spangle Magazine
With its difficult subject matter, Spring Awakening is a show that plays best in its intimate moments — something that might be missed by those in the back of the large Palace. Among the players, the standout is Blake Bashoff, playing the tormented Moritz with grace as his distress quietly grows more pronounced. Other notables include Steffi D and Sarah Hunt (Ilse and Martha), especially in the first-act scene in which they reveal the home torture by their fathers. Christy Altomare is well-cast as the innocent Wendla, and Angela Reed and Henry Stram show dexterity in their semi-monolithic roles playing all of the adults.
(On opening night, understudy Perry Sherman tackled the vital role of intellectual Melchior with an engaging passion.)
Former Top-40 heartthrob Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s score remains a pulse-quickening ride, and the production design is stellar.
http://www.spanglemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=212:review-spring-awakening&catid=46:theater&Itemid=70
FEATURES
**MUST READ**Tribune Chronicle--Spring Awakening Cast Gets An Education On The Road (interview with Ben Moss and Gabrielle Garza) http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/518499.html?nav=5026
The Plain Dealer
http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2009/02/spring_awakening_in_cleveland.html
Canton Rep (includes interviews with Kyle Riabko and Christy Altomare)
http://www.cantonrep.com/archive/x1802692209/Brave-new-musical-Spring-Awakening-comes-to-Cleveland
Cleveland Playhouse Square Examiner
“The theatrical event of the year. Promises to be one of the most exciting entertainment experiences of a lifetime.”
http://www.examiner.com/x-3802-Cleveland-Playhouse-Square-Examiner~y2009m2d24-Spring-Awakening-theatrical-event-of-the-year-opens-March-3rd?comments=true
2/27/09
Reviews East Lansing, MI !
Below are the reviews for Spring Awakening in East Lansing.
Lansing State Journal
Edgy 'Spring' musical is courageous and inspired
Ken Glickman
February 26, 2009
All you lovers of Broadway musicals: Watch out, you've never seen anything like this.
"Spring Awakening," the national touring company onstage at Michigan State's Wharton Center until Sunday, breaks all the musical stereotypes by dealing with issues such as teen suicide, masturbation, abortion, sex, child abuse, and homosexuality - and does so with sensitivity and beauty.
This Tony award-winning show takes place in Germany in 1891. The costumes are dour for the girls and dorky for boys. The set consists of 40-foot high brick walls - signifying the repressive world the characters live in and the interior of a German school for boys.
Everyone is on stage - the entire cast, portions of the audience and the band. Another name for this show could be "Raging Hormones." The boys (age 14 or so) are discovering their sexuality, and the girls are trying to figure out it how all works. The parents won't breathe a word of the truth to them.
The sensitive subject matter is handled with honesty and humor, but not like the goofy sexual movies that have been popular lately. The music is lyrical and interesting and not nearly as rock-oriented as advertised - and it's fun to watch the musicians on stage interacting with the entire production. The voices are beautiful, and the ensemble singing, especially at the end, is spectacular.
Last year, some local theatergoers were worried about potty- mouthed puppets and puppets having sex in "Avenue Q." For this show, there is quite an explicit sex scene on stage (with real people!) and the F-word is used very liberally in one song. Yes, it's a bit shocking, but the production is so well done (with stunning use of lighting), and the direction (Michael Mayer) is so brilliant, that it all makes sense to the story.
Everything about "Spring Awakening" is fresh and creative. Bill T. Jones's choreography is jaw- dropping. The jerky movements and high-intensity style wonderfully telegraph the anxieties of young men and women. The stars (Blake Bashoff, Kyle Riabko, Christy Altomare and more) are all excellent, but it's the ensemble and the production that really counts here.
"Spring Awakening" is not for everyone, but it is courageous and inspired. Give it a try.
http://www.
City Pulse
Pleasant 'Awakening'
Bold story, Sheik songs drive daring musical
by Paul Wozniak
Wednesday, February 25,2009
Most contemporary Broadway musicals play to their niche audience, but that audience may finally have a chance to grow with “Spring Awakening,” a musical that bridges the great divide between indie rock and Broadway. There are still enough melodramatic moments and big numbers to keep Broadway fans in their seats, but the music has changed dramatically, and it is good.
Based on the still-controversial late 19th-century German play of the same name by Frank Wedekind, the show features music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, which blend harmoniously with the themes of forbidden fruit, sexual education and oppressive parenting. “Spring Awakening” feels perfectly tailored for the teens who loved “Twilight” in a decade that has simultaneously stretched progressive policies while breeding a new generation of strict conservatism. Despite the ongoing battle to keep sex sinful and taboo for conversation, the adolescents of this play sing out, dreaming of a future where parents understand and educate young ones about their budding hormones instead of punishing them for feeling.
Christy Altomare stars as Wendla, a naïve girl raised on stories of storks. She falls in love with Melchior (Kyle Riabko), a lad with superior intellect and a willingness to question authority. Melchior is also influential to Moritz (Blake Bashoff), a burnout whose wet dreams sponge his concentration away from school. The sexual tension between Wendla and Melchior is plucked and bowed like a well-tuned string, driving the show’s pulse as much as the first act’s rock songs. Altomare, Riabko and Bashoff all have great solo voices that blend with the ensemble just as well.
The rest of the cast members also do well developing their characters, even when they play more than one.
Bill T. Jones’ choreography is creative and sensual, cracking sparks as the friction heats up between the young pupils and their adult guardians. The lighting design by Kevin Adams goes far beyond spotlights, and Christine Jones’ set keeps the cast onstage at all times, while creating movable layers for key emotional scenes.
Only the final song, a full ensemble piece that works to lighten the mood after a dark but hopeful scene, reminds the audience that the musical formula is still in place. Everything else is funny and stirring and moves quickly, even for the more than two-hour running time. While Broadway may seem an unusual place for relevant, classic dramas to meet indie-rock songsters, hopefully “Spring Awakening” is the start of a trend and not the height of the genre."
http://www.lansingcitypulse.
