in the libretto, steven sater talks about the specific choice they made in THEIR telling of SA:
"In Wedekinds script, Melchior rapes Wendla. We wanted to see him make love to her. More, we wanted to see how this young man...first uncovers ineluctable sexual feelings; how he begins to own his sexual identity, how he helps Wendla awaken hers." -Steven Sater
the second issue is that in the equity audition calls, they say wendla, melchior and moritz are 15/16....
so i dont know if that changes anyones opinions. But thats how old the people behind the show believe these characters are.
"The Light in the Piazza....My Love"