Okay, gymdudeva. Here it goes! It's a long one. My review of SPRING AWAKENING:
Let me begin by saying that I attended this performance with my parents. I would classify my parents as rather conservative. My father adored MAMMA MIA! and MARY POPPINS. My mother enjoys most of the shows we see together. So, taking my parents to SPRING AWAKENING, I knew, was going to be an interesting experience. It wasn’t our first choice. We had wonderful tickets (3rd row, center orchestra) for GREY GARDENS, but as we know, that just didn’t work out. When I heard word of GREY GARDEN’s closing and even before an official closing announcement had been made, I booked tickets for SPRING AWAKENING. We sat in row N, house left. They were very good seats with a great view of the stage. The nude body parts are pointed toward house right, so we saw very little of the nudity. I had a perfect view of the stage. I had a great panoramic view, and the experience was very intimate. The Eugene O’Neill is a wonderful theatre. It is small, but it still has that wonderful “Old Broadway theatre” feel. It suits the show perfectly.
I guess I’ll begin with the cast, then the score and book, and then the technical stuff. I’ll start by informing every one of the understudies. Robi Hager was on as Hanschen, and Alexandra Socha was on for Phoebe Strole. I’ll begin with Jonathan Groff as Melchior. I must admit I was initially very turned off by Groff. I was so distracted by the amount of saliva that was flying from his mouth into the audience that I hardly noticed the hard work he was doing. However, once I got over his spittiness, I began to really enjoy his performance. This young man has a stellar voice. It’s powerful and soft, rich and toned, beautiful and edgy. It’s wonderful. He also acted the role very well. His character isn’t my favorite, and I don’t feel it is the most interesting character. He is a little preachy at time, which can mostly be owed to Steven Sater’s book. However, he proved to me that his Tony nomination was well deserved during his final scenes. “Those You’ve Known” was heartbreaking and triumphant.
Lea Michele surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to be as impressed as I was with her. On the recording, you would never know she is supposed to be 14. However, I never doubted for once second that that was her real age. She played role of Wendla, the character I would probably classify as the show’s center even if it isn’t the show’s lead, with nuance and naivety. She was phenomenal. Her voice is so beautiful. “Whispering” was definitely a stand out, and she opened the show chillingly with “Mama Who Bore Me”. It is too bad that the producers decided to put her in the leading actress category for the Tonys. In a lighter season, she would have been a lock for a nomination and possibly a win. However, in a season like the one we had, she would have faired much better in the featured category. She wouldn’t have won (Wilson had that award in her hands before the nominations were announce), but she most definitely would have been nominated.
John Gallagher Jr. was phenomenal, as expected. His vocals were just as good as they are on the recording, and he acted the hell out of the show’s most dramatic role. “Don’t Do Sadness” is a bona fide showstopper, and “And Then There Were None” was another notably great performance. His scene before his suicide was emotional, heartbreaking, and raw. It’s astounding that he is able to evoke such emotions every night. He was incredible and undoubtedly deserved his Tony.
Robert Hager was pretty good as Hanschen. I could tell he was probably mimicking what Wright does, but he did it quite well. He didn’t have that dominating quality that I think Hanschen should have, but he was trying his very hardest and sounded great. I don’t find his masturbation scene necessary or even close to it. It gets a laugh, but really does nothing for the show. Skylar Astin sounded great, and Gideon Glick had the audience going as Ernst. Lauren Pritchard is definitely a better singer than actress, but she did just fine. I hate that new beginning verse in “Song of Purple Summer”. I really couldn’t understand what she was singing, and it just kind of ruined the mood after such an emotionally charged scene. However, her “Blue Winds” was outstanding. Lilli Cooper played a wonderful Martha, a character I really wish could have been explored more deeply. “The Dark I Know Well” is probably my favorite song in the score, and it was deeply haunting onstage. I only wish that Cooper would have been given a beefier role, and I think the character of Martha could have made a much bigger impact.
I think that the most under noticed cast member, who most definitely deserved a Tony nomination and really stole the show for me, was Christine Estabrook as The Adult Women. I would say she definitely has the toughest role acting-wise, and she performed very character brilliantly. As Wendla’s mother, she created a character that is not only a villain but an understanding, loving mother. She was absolutely brilliant. I can’t praise her enough. She acted the hell out of each and every role. She made the biggest impact for me. I just wish she would have gotten more notice. Unfortunately, she doesn’t sing a note, but I still firmly believe she deserved a Tony nomination. Ken Marks was also very good as The Adult Men.
I guess I have already commented on my favorite moments in the score. However, I will just say that this is such a remarkable score. The book is pretty good as well. There are some pretty bad lines and some pretty weak parts of the book, but it serves its purpose. The orchestrations were nice and very different from the ones on the CD. Is that violin I here in “Don’t Do Sadness” on the recording? I didn’t hear in violins live. I also didn’t hear that absolutely hideous synthesized drum beat on stage that ruins “The Guilty Ones” on the recording. Also, I personally would cut “The Song of Purple Summer” and end the show with “Those You’ve Known”.
The set was very nice. It served its purpose and never distracted. The costumes were also very nice. The lighting was absolutely breathtaking. It provided so much energy in songs like “Totally F*cked” and “B*tch of Living”. It definitely deserved the Tony. When I told my mother that the show won for choreography, she said, “There was choreography?” I wouldn’t really call the moves onstage choreography. I mean, I did enjoy the “dancing”, but it was in no way Tony worthy. I find that win very, very odd. MARY POPPINS undoubtedly deserved the award.
About four people walked out after MY JUNK, and I bet my dad would have as well if he wasn’t with us. My dad disliked it, but my mom loved it. I loved it. It’s a great show. It’s full of energy, drama, and a bright, refreshing group of truly talented performers. I was absolutely enthralled from beginning to end, and it is an experience I will never forget. What a fantastic show! This show was my personal favorite of the three we saw, and I don’t doubt it deserved the Tony for best musical. I have been SPRING AWAKENed.
Updated On: 8/18/07 at 11:13 PM
