I Didn't Particularly Love SA, Am I Going to Hell?

Hey All

Just got back from seeing Spring Awakening for the first time and am trying to figure out if I was underwhelmed as a result of the hype, TONY wins or the content.

The show worked wonderfully in parts (great costumes, set [I loved the lights in the audience], beautiful score, superbly talented cast) but there was really no "hook, line and sinker" that drew me in for the entirety of the show.

I think the most distracting factor of the show was the overly-high metaphorical lyrics. I do not blame the cast's diction, but most likely the sound system on top of singing over a band on stage that I, frankly, didn't catch much of it nor did I understand what it meant or how it advanced the ""plot.""

I also feel that the semi-plot didn't draw in too well. There were subplots being divulged but not followed up, the father-mollestation and crush on Moritz scenes for instance. They worked as parts with fabulous vocals, great imagery and wonderful songs but then went no where and did not advance the plot in any way. Some parts of the book almost came off cheesey, for instance the final scenes were a bit Les Miz (tribunal of dead friends) and Phantom (in the foggy lair) to me. "The Song of Purple Summer" (although featuring the absolute phenom Lauren Pritchard) seemed out of place and unnecessary after the plot of the show had been resolved.

Who knows, maybe I need the night to sleep on it and let it settle in, but for now I'd say that GG was robbed of a TONY as it was the most touching show I've seen on Broadway this decade.

Also saw COMPANY on Saturday night, and although aprehensive from clips I had seen, this show should not be closing. Utterly amazing.

No, but you will for starting another thread about the same old s...

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"I'm gonna go kill some hookers"

Excuse me for a moment, I have to call the kids in for supper.

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It will be a party, Lizzie and I are on our way down as well.

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Updated On: 6/26/07 at 12:46 AM

Don't tell Bobert.

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Benjamin, you just made my night.

Yea, I didn't want to "blow up her spot" but I basically was in shock for the entirety of dinner.

I wanted to run up and "star****" her, but alas, I'll just wait on that corner every night until she leaves for Vegas so I can catch her when she looks less busy.

Eponine - I owe Mussolini 5 cents. Do you mind?

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We can just move the chat to hell.

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Don't tell Bobert.


...?

I don't like spring awakening and I'm not going to hell, so you probably aren't either.

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That's what you think bially. John Wilkes Booth feels differently about it.

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I think so much of it has to do with your expectations. All of the shows that have blown me away were not ones that I went into *expecting* to be blown away by. On the contrary, shows that I've heard amazing things about were usually disappointing - even if I enjoyed them, I couldn't help but be preoccupied by thinking they were not as strong as people had suggested.

When I think back on the shows that blew me away the most, all of them were ones that I did go in with such an expectation. As Benjamin Franklin said, "blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed"

Anyway, sorry to hear that you were underwhelmed by SA. I can see how with all of the hype around it now and the difficulty in getting good seats (which I think is really important for that show...being up close makes it intimate which is critical) that this could be the case. Rest assured, if you've purchased the OCR, the music at least will grow on you. As for your concerns over the plot - it's not a plot flaw that various storylines aren't more developed - the point is to show the different storylines in a meaningful way (which I believe is accomplished more than sufficiently by the songs..) and have you at the end realize how they're all connected into the broader theme(s) - which is the function of Song of Purple Summer, which I personally found to be extremely moving and not at all corny or superfluous. It is actually the scene that really opened the emotional floodgates when I first saw the show and gave way for the kind of crying which, I would hope and imagine everyone wishes to experience when they go to see a broadway show.

Finally, to say GG was robbed is a gross inaccuracy. SA has a MUCH better score...like, light years stronger. And by far the most important part to the value of a musical is...*shocker*...the music :)

Updated On: 6/26/07 at 04:25 AM