Hunton makes her Broadway debut as the youngest member of the Spring Awakening cast. The 16-year-old high school junior previously appeared in the national tour of Les Misérables as Young Cosette, co-starred in Distracted with Rita Wilson, and appeared in the film "Happy Endings."

The young actress succeeds Pritchard in the role of Ilse. Pritchard, who left the production to work on a forthcoming album, played her final performance Feb. 17.

"I can't wait to go on," Hunton said in a statement. "When I first heard the music, I knew I was listening to something special, so to be part of this is thrilling. And I'm so fortunate to be making my Broadway debut working with such a welcoming and talented cast."

Hunton joins a cast including Tony nominee Jonathan Groff (Melchior) as well as Lea Michele (Wendla), Blake Bashoff (Moritz), Skylar Astin (Georg), Lilli Cooper (Martha), Blake Daniel (Ernst), Brian Charles Johnson (Otto), Phoebe Strole (Anna), Jonathan B. Wright (Hanschen), Remy Zaken (Thea) Kate Burton (Adult Women) and Glenn Fleshler (Adult Men). The ensemble includes Gerard Canonico, Matt Doyle, Eryn Murman and Alexandra Socha.

Based on the 1891 play by Frank Wedekind, Spring Awakening won eight 2007 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Spring Awakening features direction by Michael Mayer, choreography by Bill T. Jones, book and lyrics by Steven Sater and a score by Duncan Sheik. Songs featured in the Tony-winning 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 recently earned a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

The musical made its world premiere Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Company in June 2006. Spring Awakening transferred to Broadway the following November, where it continues to play at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.

For tickets to the Broadway production, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.