Important Spring Awakening Question

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:13pm

I have a single question. Why doesn't anyone like Spring Awakening? I want a true response, but I don't want it (1) Compared to the play or anything else, NO COMPARISONS!!!! (2) That you note that Spring Awakening's target audience is teenagers and not theater critics (3) Just please try not to be jerks (4) Note that the nudity and sexuality expressed in it is for artistic reasons only (5) Please no comparisons, I repeat this because I am bound to find a whole bunch of, "When compared to" or "If you look at". I would really appreciated it if this post was used only for Spring Awakening Discussion and not arguing over poster's comments, unless you are arguing back. (7) Please do not make obnoxious comments about people's grammar or spelling and don't make rude comments in general.

To start off:
In Spring Awakening's defense it is an Indie Rock Musical. The OBC cast's acting was phenomenal and most have the casts cannot live up to their standards, but they are still very good. The Lighting was ingenious and the Scenic design and Costumes fit the show perfectly. The nudity was nothing but artistic and the jokes in the show defiantly landed with it's audience. When I went to see it, I was sobbing and Screaming for joy. In my opinion Spring Awakening is just a different type of modern, it is supposed to be artistic. Some of the lyrics do not make sense at first, but the entire set list is full of metaphors and beautiful melodies that you hum for the rest of the day. Being a 16 year old (Spring Awakening's target audience) I loved it.

[LilTvSets]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:19pm

Noone likes it because it sucks!

[Mark_E]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:19pm

Ermmm i think that statement is wrong, quite alot of people do actually like it, including me. It was one of my favourites on my trip (then again I am 17 so I am also in the target audience).

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:21pm

It's overrated & should have stayed Off-Broadway. It padded with some undeserved TONYS too.

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:21pm

LilTvSets- That was the rude comment I was referring to. And I don't care if you like it, I just want real evidence, why you don't like it.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:21pm

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 01:21 PM

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:23pm

I don't have a problem with a lack of rules, I've looked at a ton of other posts and they're always filled with superfluous comments. What Tony's did it not deserve, specifically. I don't want pro-Spring Awakening lines, I want to know what people don't like about it.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:24pm

I really don't see how this question warrants an "IMPORTANT" question rating.

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:25pm

In my opinion it does because, I only read spectacular raves about Spring Awakening and suddenly everyone is bashing it. And I want to know why. Also, that comment, NGD2225, is exactly that kind of comment that is just superfluous and has nothing to do with the thread's topic. And, LePetiteFromage, I have not read a single thread of people sensibly criticizing Spring Awakening. Updated On: 9/6/08 at 01:25 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:26pm

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 01:26 PM

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:29pm

SUDDENLY! REALLY?! People have been bashing it since it opened. It isn't some great work from beyond the stars. Admit it, teenagers want to do more the just **** all the time. I mean really. Also it REALLY didn't deserve The Costume TONY (should have gone to Poppins) & CHOREAOGRAPHY TONY (LB should have got it).
Updated On: 9/6/08 at 01:29 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:34pm

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 01:34 PM

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:38pm

(1) That was comparing it to another musical, which you could do with every musical and say that it sucks compared to another musical. Which why i don't like comparisons. (2) I agree that teenagers don't just have sex all the time, but that was what the musical is about. Most musicals (and this is not a comparison) take something ordinary and exaggerate it into a good story, but that's what all entertainment is, it's an exaggerated story. Also Spring Awakening did not win the Tony for Best Costume and the choreography was artistic, maybe there was not a lot of it, but that is just as artistic as having a lot. Just having a lot of dance numbers doesn't mean that the choreography is great. Jones tried something new and it excelled and that's what the tony is for, trying something exhilarating that hasn't been tried before.

[Weez]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:40pm

Personally, I quite like 'Spring Awakening'. It has some nice tunes, plays a lot better live than on the OBCR, really does have cracking lighting effects, and should be lauded for encouraging youngsters to come to the theatre when they might otherwise go "OH NO NOT MORE BORING SHOWTUNES!".

On the flipside, it does seem to attract a certain type of loud, noisy, obnoxious fan; no matter how much we know we shouldn't judge a product by the people it attracts, it's very difficult to take that to heart when they're just SO annoying.

Plus I think it's safe enough to say that the show is ultimately nowhere near as profound as it wishes it was, with most of the existing profundity coming directly from the original Wedekind script. It's a good show, but it's not THAT good, and I don't know that it deserved a full eight Tony awards (I won't dispute lighting or supporting actor, but best book? Even the choreography award is still a hotly debated topic today). It's another flaky part of human nature that we can resent a show for winning awards that we would have liked to see go to other shows (just get me onto the subject of 'Spamalot' sometime).

I think it's like 'Wicked'; it is a combination of "the fans are annoying!" and "it's not as good as the vast seething mass of public say it is!". And just like 'Wicked', don't assume everyone here hates it. :)

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:42pm

LePetiteFromage, why don't you stop trying to be funny and tell me what about it is not good. I have not gotten a single response accurately criticizing it. I acknowledge that it is not the best show in the world, but for it's target audience, it works. Everyone here complains that artistic theater is dead on broadway, but it's staring youe right in the face.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:42pm

Here's why I didn't like Spring Awakening:
I couldn't find a single character I could relate to. I couldn't find any one moment I could truly relate to either.
The show was overhyped. I know some people will say that's not a good enough argument, but I saw the show right after the Tony's. I'd been hearing about what a revolutionary, groundbreaking fresh new musical it was since its days off- Broadway, but after I saw it, I thought it was uninspiring. I didn't leave the show feeling anything and normally after a show I am a giant annoying ball of hyperactivity, rambling on and on (and on) about what I liked, what I didn't like etc.
The actors themselves: All good singers, but my friend and I were visibly cringing because of some of the acting, especially Jon Groff's wooden "How dare you you bitch, I oughta kill you" or whatever he says during the beating scene. Ditto Lea Michele's fake crying and her "confused face"
Even though John Gallagher was really good, I didn't buy the character of Moritz. In the musical (and I've seen the play too so this was the musical's decision) Moritz has such an energy and for lack of a better word, charm, that it didn't make sense to me that he killed himself over a poor report card.
I am Spring Awakening's target audience. I was 18 when I saw it. I had no problem with the nudity, except that I don't think it was artistic. I think you could make that argument during the hayloft scene but I found it gratutious and unnecessary during "Guilty Ones". "OMG LOOK AT US WE'RE NAKED AGAIN!!!11!"
The hayloft scene: I know this has been discussed in other threads, but I didn't like how they made the sex "consentual". I feel like the artistic team felt like an audience wouldn't be able to sympathesize with a flawed leading man, and it was just another cop-out.
I didn't find Spring Awakening to be revolutionary, inspiring, honest or beautiful. I did enjoy the music (although what the hell is a grey-flied choir?) and the lighting but I found it wholly average and unremarkable

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:43pm

Oops my mistake about the costumes. Any way, when it comes to TONYS it is ALL about comparing. Ohhhh yeah I can see how jumping up & down is artistic. And WHAT THE F*** is with those damn mics?

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:52pm

NGD225- The mics are to represent the fact that they're not singing to the people, they are singing monologues. They're singing their feelings.
Weez- I admire you so much for putting up a sensible argument here, and you're right some of the fans are annoying and ridiculous. I know I may seem like one right now, but I truly am not one.
insertclevernamehere- I also thank you for putting up a good argument. I just have to say, in defense that Spring Awakening and all musicals don't apply to everyone, seeing as everyone's tastes are different. I just want to get past the "it sucks" and "{} was so much better". I thank you for that comment. I personally can relate to it, but you cannot. In my opinion, I found it a bit superfluous that they put in the second nudity scene, but as I have stated, no musical is perfect. I admire your opinions.

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:56pm

The jumping up and down is not, if you focus on the main characters they are doing the actual routine. And the way how they jump and what they do with their hands is choreographed, It is just made to look un-choreographed. In my opinion, the Tonys job is to look at each category of each musical and say, "Which show did this really well, or which show did blew me out of the water with this?"

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 1:57pm

NOT SINGING TO AN AUDIENCE. I'm think NOT seeing the mic would be more singing their feeling NOT to an audience. The mics they use in the show are used in concerts.

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 2:01pm

NGD2225- They're not singing to the audience, they're singing to themselves. What don't you get, that technique is not uncommon and just to clear it up. You are watching them do something in their own world, like watching TV, do they speak directly into the camera, No.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 2:03pm

ALL THEATRE IS LIKE THAT. Those mics mean NOTHING. In theatre there is what's called "the fourth wall" which is not meant knocked down. There is no need for those mics.

[James885]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 2:10pm

I don't hate it. I just think it's terribly overrated. After the reviews came out and the hype started building up, people were hailing it as being some kind of revolutionary theater piece. There is nothing revolutionary about Spring Awakening. The cast overall was good. I thought Lea Michelle was lacking, but Jonathan Groff was superb.

How SA was able to walk away with both the Best Book and Choreography Tonys is beyond me. IMO, the choreography award should have gone to either Matthew Bourne/Stephen Mear or Jerry Mitchell. Best Book should have gone to Doug Wright for Grey Gardens. I'd even go so far as to say that the Orchestrations Tony should have gone to Jonathan Tunick for LoveMusik.

Updated On: 9/6/08 at 02:10 PM

[Shunterk2]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 2:10pm

NGD2225- THIS IS THE LAST TIME I AM DISCUSSING THIS WITH YOU!!! FIRST OFF THANKS FOR CLUING ME INTO THE "FOURTH WALL", I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT IT. SECOND, THE MICS REPRESENT THE FACT THAT THEY ARE SINGING TO THEMSELVES AND AS I FIRST STATED, IT IS AN INDIE ROCK MUSICAL, MEANING THAT IT IS A ROCK MUSICAL, MEANING THAT IT IS SET UP LIKE A CONCERT I.E. THE BAND ON STAGE WITH ROCK AND ROLL INSTRUMENTS (WITH A TWIST OF COURSE). THE MICS ARE POINTLESS TECHNOLOGICALLY, BUT THEY SERVE AN ARTISTIC PURPOSE. IS THAT REALLY WHY YOU DON'T LIKE SPRING AWAKENING, BECAUSE THEY USE OLD FASHIONED MICROPHONES? THAT IS A BIT RIDICULOUS. So, there you go.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 9/6/08 at 2:12pm

One of the other things that totally turns me off about Spring Awakening is this fan mentality that, if you don't like the show, it's just because you don't understand it. My not liking this show doesn't mean I'm stupid. It's not that I don't "get it"; I get it, but don't like it.