"I Believe": Clumsy falls in love with Spring Awakening[2-23-08/8pm] [Pixs]

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/24/08 at 11:56pm

I believe, I believe, oh I believe

Sometimes things in life aren't as simple or cheerful as musicals sometimes show teens being: And that's for certain the opposite of Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening is a tale of love, lust, death and oh yeah, teenage hormones. I have been a fan of the original cast recording for sometime now, but when I was going through alot awhile back, and I actually sat and listened to the recording from start to finish and cried myself to sleep: It was exactly how I was feeling: The lyrics touched me and made me feel that despite my own thoughts, I am not the only one going through issues of identity and other teenage emotions.

The show is simplistic in the elements of set: The use of chairs and small props attached to the massive wall behind them with chairs and ladders used perodically through out the performance. The way the cast entered in the beginning of the show, just was so wonderfully simple: No bells, no whisles, just the actors and their character, it was truly wonderful.

At this performance, Matt Doyle was on as Melchior, Alexandra Socha was on as Wendla, and Jesse Swenson was on as Hanschen. As much as I wanted to see Jonathan Groff and Lea Michelle, I really was unphased by their absence, due to the wonderful things I had heard about Matt and was ready and open for a different the songs than that of on the cast album. However, I would still love to see Groff and Michelle before they leave the show.

Matt Doyle took the character of Melchior to heart: He was Melchior. He was the rebel rousing, button pushing boy with too much thought for his own good. You could tell, he was giving his all into the character, and any actor who plays the role really should put their heart and soul into it: Because in all honesty, you cannot fake that level of emotion and heartbreak that such a character goes through, you must find yourself in that character and be him. And Matt Doyle did that. His voice was lovely, he truly touched me with his wonderfully rebellious take on "All Thats Known" and "Totally F*cked" as well as his heartbreaking take on "Left Behind" and "Those You've Known." I say when Groff does leave, be it for the Hair revival for good, or just temporarily, I say Matt Doyle take over.

Alexandra Socha looks like she is tweleve years old, and being that the character is suppose to be about fourteen, she certainly looked the part. Her acting was wonderful, she made you believe in the opening scene that she truly had once believed the stork brought babies. Her singing was great: She was a tad shaky [I'm pretty sure only due to nerves]on "Whispering" but she was wonderful during "The Word of Your Body", "I Believe" "Mama Who Bore Me" and the more up-temo "Mama Who Bore Me [Reprise]" and "My Junk". Overall, I was very impressed with her and enjoyed what she brought to the role.

Blake Bashoff was truly the picture of teenager: He did the eye rolls and the sounds and facial expressions that just brought a huge grin to my face, but he has a dual role in the show, be the slightly comedic side, but deep behind the comedic side is a sad, confused, and lonely boy just looking for some sort of explanation to his feelings, his yearnings and just to find someone who unlike his father, truly loves him. His voice was wonderfully full of pain and sadness during "I Don't Do Sadness" and it truly broke my heart. His insanely wonderfully rebellious "The Bitch of Living" was fantastic as well as "And Then There Were None." Yet again, he embodied all that the character was, and I can't imagine anyone playing the role and going into that role half-asked. You must feel all that Mortiz and Melchior feel to play them.

The secondary roles are wonderfully cast: Brian Charles Johnson as Otto is such so wonderful, his voice was fantastic despite I believe a touch of the flu or something: But his solos during "Touch Me" and "The B*tch of Living" among others were truly wonderful and touching. Lilli Cooper was heartbreaking as the battered and abused Martha and truly hit a nerve with the heartbreaking "The Dark I Know Well.": With the little she had, she did wonderfully with it, as did Brian and the other secondary characters. Jesse Swenson was amazing as the constantly horny Hanschen, his lusting for Ernst, was so much fun and the reprise of "Word of Your Body" was truly touching, because I truly related to Ernst, who is wonderfully played by Blake Daniel, because I want a Hanschen in my life, to just love me for all my crazy and shyness, like Hanschen does for Ernst. Skylar Astin was cleverly funny in his role as Georg, the piano teacher- sex obessed nerd of the group. I think it's very invovative to have two actors play all the adult roles in a show with mostly a teen cast. Kate Burton and Glenn Flesher were truly versatile in the switching of roles from playing parents to Melichor, to Kate being Wendla and Martha's mother, to Glenn being a shady doctor, a preacher and Mortiz's horrible father [He reminded me so much of my father in those moments]
Also, the three ensemble/back up performers: Gerard Canonico, Eryn Murman and Jenna Ushkowitz were truly rocking out, which was cool. They were great in their role as backup to the cast. And last but not least, Emma Hunton was a truly the image of a free spirit, in her green dress and dark black wig, and her "Blue Wind" was truly touching, you could tell that she really wanted Mortiz to come with her and play Pirates, it was truly heartbreaking to watch her plead with him to join her and then run off hurt and sad, and return to close the show with the wonderful "Song of Purple Summer." and show the audience the true meaning of an awakening.

This show, unlike my fluffy favorites like Legally Blonde, Hairspray and Wicked, truly touched a nerve in me. I related to Mortiz in his struggle to find a place in a mixed up world, and dealing with a horrible father, I related to Melichor in his rebellious nature and his final realization that he has the power to live on for those he's lost and left behind. I think anyone whose ever been a teenager can agree, the show touches on exactly what it's like to be a teenager. Duncan Shiek truly conveyed all that through his beautiful lyrics, and the actors took his words to new highs.

I truly and whole heartly say I believe in Spring Awakening.

[Pixs on Page 2.]

Updated On: 2/25/08 at 11:56 PM

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:01am

Beautifully written review!

I'm glad you loved the show.

[aliciag]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:03am

Thank you so much for writing such a beautiful review. You really capture some of the things I love most about this show... and I am dying to see Matt go on as Melchior. Glad you loved it and hope you get the chance to see Jon and Lea soon!

[maya5892]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:07am

Amazing review
I'm so glad Matt Doyle was amazing, as well as Emma. One thing though:
"in her green dress and dark black wig"
That's not a wig...that's her hair. Haha

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:15am

"in her green dress and dark black wig"

Oh god! I realized that after I posted it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:33am

Thanks for sharing your experience. And I'm glad you loved it.

I love Blake Bashoff as Moritz. He is amazing and has grown so much in the part that it is hard to believe he may be leaving so soon.

While I like Matt a lot in the role: I think Groff and Jesse totally pwn it. It's simply about different choices and which ones work better for you.

I love Socha as Wendla, I think she is my favorite in that role...but I haven't seen Eryn in it.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:37am

Thank you, dramamama:

"I love Blake Bashoff as Moritz. He is amazing and has grown so much in the part that it is hard to believe he may be leaving so soon. "

He's leaving!
Oh no, when?

I really loved Matt. He was fantastic.
I want to see Groff, and hopefully will when I head up next month.

Socha was a wonderful Wendla.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:04am

Wanna Be A Foster: Thank you.

aliciag: I half read what you wrote, but I fully read it today.
Thank you for the compliments. Matt was wonderful.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 9:37am

Thanks for sharing your review! I'm glad you had such a great time!

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 10:58am

I'm so glad you loved Spring Awakening! Truly, it is a very special show. It touched me in a way that I just can't explain. I have seen it 14 times and am not planning on stopping =D

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:49pm

Clumsy, I was at the same performance last night and there was no understudy for Hanschen. The only slips I got and the only information on the understudy board in the lobby were about Melchior and Wendla. I don't remember the actor's name who played Hanschen, so if he was the person you named, I apologize, but it sounded like you were stating that an understudy went on, since you mentioned it with Doyle and Socha.

Glad you liked the show. I have my problems with it, but I loved Doyle's Melchior.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 12:51pm

Also, and this is nitpicky, the show was at 7pm, not 8pm. :)

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:32pm

Yero my Hero: I have my dates confused, I went on the 23rd [Saturday].

I didnt realize it until now, and when you said 7pm, I was like: "Crap. I meant the 23rd!"

*EDIT: Fixed date!

Updated On: 2/25/08 at 01:32 PM

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:34pm

"Glad you liked the show. I have my problems with it, but I loved Doyle's Melchior. "

I loved it too.

Your avatar is funny!
I remember seeing that clip on Vh1 and Britney crying.
I love my Britney, and big old Marty made her cry. :p.

[maya5892]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:37pm

Haha I was about to answer for you saying that you actually went Saturday night but I didn't feel like it. Glad you cleared it up though lol

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:37pm

Ah! That makes sense now!

Yeah, when I found out that Marty Thomas was on Star Search, I went looking for Youtube clips. I couldn't find any of his performance, but I did find the results being announced and I thought he was so adorable, with that shellacked hair, that it needed to be an avatar. :)

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:39pm

Thanks maya! :glares:
Way to go being lazy, Em!

Yero my Hero: Yeah. Mr. Xanadu Skater hurting my Britney. The nerve of him!

[BlueWindSadness]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:44pm

that was a great review...I'm going again on March 1st, with stage seats...it will be my 6th time seeing it and I actually havent ever been as excited as I am to see it this time!

ps- SO jealous you got to see Matt Doyle's Melchior!!!

Glad you had a great time...and alos- I love you avatar! hahah....

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:56pm

BlueWindSadness---> Thank you for the kind words.
I was so happy to see Matt after the things I had heard and hearing bits and pieces of him on the bare: Studio recording.
However, I still wanna see JGroff!

Wow. I wanna sit on stage so bad. Sit next to Brian Charles and stare with a smirk on my face. :)

This will defintely NOT be my only time seeing the show.
I love my avatar. Yay for Gyspy set moving being so slow!

Updated On: 2/25/08 at 01:56 PM

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 1:59pm

I saw Matt's Melchior the first day he ever did it and he was fantastic--laryngitis or not. In a lot of ways I preferred him to Groff and hope he takes over for him.

Great review!!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:00pm

Nice review!

I've yet to see Doyle go on as Melchior, but would like to catch him at some point. I've seen Jesse Swenson go on, and while he's very good, he wasn't even in the same league as Groff.

Alexandra Socha, on the other hand, is in my opinion, a better Wendla than Lea Michelle. Socha's Wendla is more vulnerable, and innocent. She's much less self-assured, which serves the character well.

I completely agree about Blake Bashoff- a wonderful performance, and excellent replacement for Gallagher.

Is Glenn Feschler still a disaster?

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:05pm

adamgreer: Thanks for the props on the review.

Doyle is so wonderful, I really wasn't even remotely bothered to not see Groff, but I still want to. Having heard such good things about Doyle, made it easy.

Socha was wonderful, her voice was great and her acting was very vunerable and innocent, which fit the character well, just her voice was a tad shaky during "Whispering" but she really did a wonderful job.

I love love love Blake.
He was amazing.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean about Glenn, this being my first time, I never would have noticed. He really doesn't do all that much, but act as an authority figure in many cases, and does very little singing, if at all, I can remember.

[BlueWindSadness]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:06pm

adamgreer- I saw Glenn back in December- it was a trainwreck. he just wasnt good. Not even close to Steven Spinella....

and Clumsy- I am actually sitting a couple of chairs down from BCJ- I will certainly stare and give him a smirk for you!! haha....

I saw Jesse Swenson as Melchior in October- not even close to JGroff...He was good, but nothing mind blowing.

I really want to see Matt Doyles Melchior...but I am going with a friend next week who has never seen it- and she wants to see JGroff like nobody's buisness!! So lets hope there is no major understudies!!!

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:10pm

Glenn was awful when I saw it. I missed Stephen so badly especially during "Whispering"

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 2/25/08 at 2:10pm

"and Clumsy- I am actually sitting a couple of chairs down from BCJ- I will certainly stare and give him a smirk for you!! haha.... "

Luckyy.

I just wanna put him in my pocket and take him home with me.
I told him at the stage door how I had come for his "Hug me" heart and how amazing I thought that was.
He laughed and said I could have it.