The musical set in 1890s Germany but pulsing with an original alt-rock score that might have been lifted from a 21st-century teen's iPod, has book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik. The show won Tonys for Best Book, Best Score and Best Direction (for Michael Mayer), and more.
The musical is based on the German-expressionist play by Frank Wedekind, who wrote about of academic, social, sexual and parental pressures on teenagers. The ideas have echoed for decades.
The producers released a statement saying, "When this incredible journey began, who would have imagined, we'd play close to 900 Broadway performances, win eight Tony Awards, and recoup the show's investment in just eight months? Spring Awakening was a glorious challenge from the very start, a challenge that a remarkable creative team took on and transformed into a life-changing experience. And while our Broadway run will come to an end this January, Spring Awakening will continue to touch audiences across the country, through our national tour, and around the world, with productions soon to open in London, Vienna, Toronto, Helsinki and Seoul."
When Spring Awakening closes, it will have played 859 performances and 29 previews.
Based on the 1891 play by Wedekind, Spring Awakening won eight 2007 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), Best Orchestrations (Sheik), Best Lighting of a Musical (Kevin Adams) and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (John Gallagher Jr.). Spring Awakening made its world premiere Off-Broadway at Off-Broadway's the Atlantic Theater Company in June 2006. Spring Awakening transferred to Broadway the following November.
A national tour recently launched.
Songs featured in the score are "All That's Known," "And Then There Were None," "Blue Wind/Don't Do Sadness," "Left Behind," "Mamma Who Bore Me," "My Junk, "The Bitch of Living," "The Dark I Know Well," "The Guilty Ones," "The Song of Purple Summer," "The Word of Your Body," "Those You've Known," "Totally Fucked," "Touch Me," "Whispering" and "The Mirror-Blue Night."
Spring Awakening's cast album earned a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
In September, the Spring Awakening companion book, "Spring Awakening In The Flesh," was released by Simon & Schuster.
The current cast of Spring Awakening includes Gerard Canonico, Tony Carlin, Amanda Castaños, Blake Daniel, Matt Doyle, Andrew Durand, Christine Estabrook, Glenn Fleshler, Emma Hunton, Morgan Karr, Emily Kinney, Caitlin Kinnunen, Alice Lee, Frances Mercanti-Anthony, Eryn Murman, Hunter Parrish, Zach Reiner-Harris, Alexandra Socha, Jesse Swenson and Gabriel Violett.
Spring Awakening's current performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday & Sunday at 7 PM, Wednesday-Saturday at 8 PM, matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. For information and tickets, call Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200. The Eugene O’Neill Theatre is at 230 W. 49th Street.
For more information visit www.springawakening.com.
