Spring Awakening at Act Two @ Levine

The set inside Georgetown Prep’s Figge Theater looks professional, copying the original layout of the Broadway show for those familiar with it. And Costume Designer and Director Kevin Kuchar, doesn’t disappoint either. The actors on stage could be doubles for the original cast in their outfits. Of course, as much as they might look like professionals, the actors on stage aren’t a traveling cast, but high schoolers.

The cast of Act Two @ Levine's 'Spring Awakening.' Photo by Carmelita Watkinson.

Though the vast majority of Spring Awakening’s characters are written in their early teens (generally around 15) it is not a show that is generally performed by high schools. Based in turn of the century Germany, Spring Awakening follows a group of young teens as they try to navigate rising adult feelings in a repressed culture – which won’t tell them anything besides their thoughts are shameful and should be ignored.

With a show dealing with controversial topics such as suicide, homosexuality, and teenage pregnancy, a high school cast is risky to say the least. Luckily, it’s a risk that pays off. Though, of course, there are changes that need to be made for such a young cast, every actor on stage manages to perform the original show – in its entirety – while treading the thin line between poignant and inappropriate. Even though there are moments where it seems that some of the inherent double entendres are missed, perhaps just a factor of the actors’ ages, the fact that actual teenagers are playing the 14 and 15 year-olds written in the script – actually adds to the emotion behind the story.

Soukie Dia, playing an abused child, Martha, is chilling with her song “The Dark I Know Well” touching on the abuse she suffered from her father. Troi Sharp plays many of the adult male characters in the play, and he, and many of the ensemble, moved some to tears with their quiet performances dealing with his son’s suicide.

Overall, the cast does exceedingly well staying true to the original script and staging of the musical. Maya Bowman who plays Wendla, has a lovely voice, and her rendition of “Mama Who Bore Me’ set the tone right away for her beautiful vocal performance. Sean Watkinson gives a passionate performance as the rebelling Melchior.

Jonny Perl as Moritz in 'Spring Awakening.' Photo by Carmelita Watkinson.

The few changes made to make one or two scenes more ‘child friendly’ are mixed however. Scenes which had partial nudity in the original have been worked around well with modest underclothes in a completely understandable move. Less well handled, however, are moments of adult language. While allowing the cast to use the vast majority of swear words on stage, the ‘f-word’ is completely off limits – a problem when one song that is still in the show is titled “Totally F**ked”, or as it is listed in the program “Totally ******”. Rather than removing the song, or even using a replacement word that perhaps would have worked better, moments of silence take place any time the word is called for. Without knowing the song, it leaves some room for confusion with the rebelling Melchior (Sean Watkinson) starting the song with “There’s a moment you know, you’re…” with no conclusion. The cast tries to get around this censoring by using vulgar gestures at moments when they can’t say the word, but it still is much less effective than perhaps even “Totally Effed” or the like would have been.

Perhaps what helps the play succeed is the level to which the cast commits to the show. Michael Rosenberg and Levon Favin, who play the homosexual boys Hanschen and Ernst, perform their scene – including a kiss – without any measure of awkwardness. Likewise, Jonny Perl, who plays Moritz, performs the nervous character with a spastic quality which could have been a problem should he have not fully committed to the characterization (though it would be prudent for, in the future, either for the Sound Designer to make sure that Perl’s microphone is secured in a way that it will not jossel with jerky movements providing feedback). Perl’s performance is engaging, vocally astounding, and heart-breaking.

Kudos to the seven wonderful musicians of the orchestra, including Musical Director and keyboardist Billie Whittaker, who perform  Duncan Shiek and Steven Sater’s Tony Award-winning score so beautifully.

Act Two @ Levine’s choice to perform Spring Awakening was a risk, but it undoubtedly was a risk that paid off. It’s engaging and poignant and definitely worth seeing.

Running time: Two hours and 30 minutes, plus one intermission.

Spring Awakening’s final performance is today, November 6th, at 2 PM at Georgetown Preparatory School’s Figge Theater – 10900 Rockville Pike, in North Bethesda, MD. Tickets can be bought at the door for $20, and $17 for students.