Important Spring Awakening Question

Noone likes it because it sucks!

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

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

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

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

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

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. :)

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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

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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.

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.

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.

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.