Cast: Hunter Parrish (Melchior), Gerard Canonico (Moritz), Alexandra Socha (Wendla), Emma Hunt (Ilse), Amanda Castanos (Martha), Caitlin Kinnunen (Thea), Emily Kinney (Anna), Gabriel Violett (Otto), Matt Doyle (Hanschen), Andrew Durand (Georg)
For complete info, see the official Spring Awakening site.
I love Spring Awakening! It's a very close second favorite to Rent. For my earlier review, check out last year's Spring Awakening review.
Seeing Spring Awakening from stage is something I'd recommend to anyone who loves it, but those who haven't seen it before should definitely see it from the regular audience first. James and I both loved seeing Spring Awakening from the different perspective. Getting to see things one can't normally see from the audience (like the audience reactions, the cast looking away from the audience, etc.) was very interesting. I enjoyed seeing the show I love so much up close and getting to enjoy the unique view.
The sound quality isn't very good, since you're on stage, but it's great to sit next to ensemble members and (from time to time) members of the rest of the cast.
The current Broadway cast of Spring Awakening is wonderful and I highly recommend seeing it before it leaves Broadway in January. The economy must be killing it, I thought it would run for years and years, as Rent did.
A couple of the cast members didn't really fit the type I see in that part, but since the only member of the Original Broadway Cast I didn't see in the show three times was the original Ernst (Gideon Glick, who had left the show before I got to see it), I have their pictures in my head for the characters. The current Ilse's hair is just a bit too controlled, but she has a wonderful voice, so I was able to look past that. I also think one of the girls picking Moritz over Melchi was more believable with the original cast where both the guys are fairly evenly matched in appearance. I can't see anyone picking the current Moritz over Hunter Parrish's Melchior - especially when you see those beautiful blue eyes up close.
If you can't get to Broadway to see Spring Awakening before it closes in January, it's currently touring around the country, so catch it when it comes to theatre near you. The touring cast is also wonderful!
Grade: A+
Labels: Best Musical, Broadway, drama, Duncan Sheik, musical
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 0 screams