So, I FINALLY Saw "Spring Awakening"

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 5:56pm

Ok... I really dont know what to think yet. I think I am going to have to revisit. The score is excellent- just about brilliant- If I had to compare it to two others, I would choose "Rent" and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" due to the "Rock/Pop" feel. However, I think both of those scores are better, simply because of the diversity.

A number of songs in "SA" sounded the same to me.

The cast ... well, they sing the heck out of it, although I wonder about the acoustics. Maybe its the theater, but I was on stage, Row A, and even when the actors were facing towards me, I had a hard time hearing them.

Phoebe Strole was on as Wendla. Beautiful voice, and man, is she gorgeous !!! (Was one of my highlights of sitting on stage !!)

Groff is incredible, as it John Gallagher, Jr (although I wonder if he wins the Tony award in a year with a stronger field. )

Lauren Pritchard sang the heck out of "Blue Wind" !! (man, I would love to hear Joss Stone sing that song !!)

Choreography?? Tony award???!! Dont understand that one, unless jumping off chairs, and copying Madonna's "Vogue" video gets you the award.

--- I just wonder... if the award was for "Best Rock Concert", the show wins hands down. Best Musical? - Personally, I think "GG" was better. Thats just my .02

So, is it such a great show, or a weak year for musicals?

Anyway, I HAD to buy the OBCR, and will be playing it non-stop !!! Will definitely see the show again as well.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:04pm

Phoebe Strole was on as Wendla. Beautiful voice, and man, is she gorgeous !!! (Was one of my highlights of sitting on stage !!)

Oh, yay! She's adorable.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:08pm

You saw Phoebe. So jealous. I know people who are hauling ass to the theater to see her.

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:08pm

I just wonder... if the award was for "Best Rock Concert", the show wins hands down. Best Musical? - Personally, I think "GG" was better. Thats just my .02

Amen!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:10pm

So, is it such a great show, or a weak year for musicals?

Neither. I don't think it's a great show, but it's not a weak year for musicals. I think that Grey Gardens deserved to win. Spring Awakening won because it was something other than the ordinary.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:12pm

did you just call Grey Gardens ordinary?

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:13pm

Spring Awakening also won because it's a show that is guarateed a longer run than Grey Gardens. While, Grey Gardens is a beautiful show with some amazing performances in it...Spring Awakening spans a larger and more diverse audience. Also, once Christine leaves Gardens the show is bound to close immediately, if not soon after. With a show like Spring Awakening you can put anyone in as a replacement and the show will remain the same. Might just be my opinion...but I definitely see why SA won the Tony. But I agree, Gardens should have won it.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:17pm

Yeah we get you love Grey Gardens and are sad it didn't win. We will see how much you all praise it once Ebersole leaves.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:20pm

I think the fans of Grey Gardens think it's a good show, with or without Christine. That's a rather unfair assumption to make.

Glad you enjoyed the show, Testing!

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:27pm

Whatever. Spring Awakening has been revised and edited for over eight years. IMHO, it's far less flawed than your darling Grey Gardens. By the way, this is coming from a huge fan of BOTH shows. Grey Gardens is a fabulous show, but so much of its material and creative choices is coming straight out of the documentary.

Spring Awakening won because it was worthy. It's fresh & edgy, something DIFFERENT.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:30pm

Four for you Paris, you go Paris!

Just had to say that.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:31pm

I agree that Spring Awakening is edgy and different, but I wouldn't call it the "new RENT." As many have.

And although it may seem unfair, I don't think it is wrong to assume that once Christine leaves GG it will close. I'm actually not a huge fan of the show itself (nor am I a huge fan of SA) but Christine is a large reason of why that show is running as long as it is. Unfair...but true. I'm sure many on here will agree that the show won't run long after Christine's departure to London.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:31pm

Um, no CATS, I didn't say that at all. I am saying that what Spring Awakening does is for shock factor. It's there for the purpose of pushing buttons. It's not even close to the typical Broadway musical, and because of that, it won. Had Grey Gardens won, it would have been on merit, not because it does anything shocking. Grey Gardens is a great musical, but not the "controversial" (and I use that word loosely) mess of a show that Spring Awakening is.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:32pm

No, I meant it was unfair to assume that fan of Grey Gardens only like it because of Christine.

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:33pm

mywonderwa11, I agree entirely. I've never compared RENT to Spring Awakening and I truly don't see why many do. They're on two separate levels for separate reasons.

As for the Christine matter, you all have to admit. It's true. Yes, it's sad, but it's very true. The show isn't selling as well as it should, but the reason most tourists go see the show is because "they heard the lead actress is really good".

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:37pm

Groff? Incredible? REALLY?

Can't agree with you there.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:43pm

Someone who has seen an understudy for Christine, we need you. I think a lot of people actually like GG with or without Christine. I wonder though, if GG did win best musical, would it last longer?

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 6:56pm

I saw Maureen Moore. I thought she was great. I think Ebersole's performance in a way is overshadowing the substantial achievement of Grey Gardens authors.

Spring Awakening will run longer, but that doesn't mean it is better written piece. Is Cats a better written piece than Sweeney Todd?

Spring Awakening's score doesn't strike me as being all that impressive a job of musical playwriting. Many of the songs are very generic emotional soundings that can easily be replaced or altogether removed.

Grey Gardesn score, to me, does what a playwright does, but with music. It advances the plot, illumines character uses style to comment on complicated emotional and psychological states of being. That is what great theatre writing is about. Plus it is downright funny.

As for the book. Grey Gardens book is flawed but its flaws to me are more interesting that Spring Awakenings so-called successes.

How any people have created an emotional and dramatic arch from a documentary of random moments? Not as many as have adapted a ALREADY well written play.

Grey Gardens, to me, is a fine wine that can be appreciated by the connoisseur. Spring Awakening is more like a hard liquor with a strong sexy ad campaign that is easy to get drunk from. But just as easy to forget when the next new "it" beverage comes around.

my two-cents.

Updated On: 6/20/07 at 06:56 PM

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:05pm

<< I agree that Spring Awakening is edgy and different, but I wouldn't call it the "new RENT." As many have.

>>

I totally agree ! I dont think there is any way that you can compare this show to "Rent"- Yes, the score is excellent, but
"Rent", as least to me, is in another league as far as overall production.

[PARISinNYC]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:06pm

Spring Awakening's score isn't supposed to advance the plot. The songs are inner monologues of the character's 21st century parallel selves. The point Sheik & Sater were trying to make is to make the music separate from the show itself.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:07pm

I think CE has a lot to do with how good "GG" is, but even without her, I think its a better musical. If "GG" has any flaws, I think its the fact that the 1st Act drags a tad bit.

The second act.... phenomenal !!!

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:12pm

I am finally seeing Spring Awakening next Wednesday for the first time. I have high expectations and hope the show lives up to them. My only concern is that my seat is in the rear of the center orchestra. I hope I'll be able to see everything.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:15pm

I too think Ebersole is a large part of what makes Grey Gardens work, but the material could certainly work with another actress in the role. I wouldn't have called it oustanding, per se, but it is a fascinating story, and I think a solid piece. I think Spring Awakening deserved Best Musical, but I don't know that I think it deserved it so much MORE than any of the other nominees might have, had they won. Yes, it probably won because it's fresh, edgy, and different, but I suppose we have to remember that pushing the envelope does not always good theater make. Yes, the team has been working on the show for eight years, but there are still many places in which it could use work.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:19pm

<< You saw Phoebe. So jealous. I know people who are hauling ass to the theater to see her. >>

I didnt even know that she was the U/S at first---

She is incredibly cute !!!

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 6/20/07 at 7:21pm

****Spoilers****

I saw Maureen in GG and I thought she was wonderful. I loved her. I agree...the score for GG does what songs should do in a musical...advance the plot. The book however could use some work, but so could the book for SA. There are several flaws I found in SA and in GG. I think Wendla is too strong of a character to die (much like Maria in West Side Story) and I think Moritz's reasons for suicide are stupid. We barely even ever see him with his father and we're supposed to believe that their relationship was THAT bad when we don't even get a strong insight into it? And why would people in the 1890s sing about "turning their stereo on" or "showering at gym class" when those things weren't invented yet? I did enjoy Spring Awakening, but I did have trouble believing it at times. While I find the modern music set to the 1890s clever, I don't think it works overall. Just my opinion...

Updated On: 6/20/07 at 07:21 PM