Spring Awakening
Fall Musical Oct 2013
Directed by Nancy Curran Willis
Fall Musical Oct 2013
Directed by Nancy Curran Willis
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Production Team
Director - Nancy Curran Willis Music Director - Matt Stern Choreographer - Ali Struyk Stage Manager - Rebecca Williams Technical Director - Bryant Cyr Scenic Designer - Jeff Knoedler Lighting Designer - Bryant Cyr Costume Designer - Martha Heller Sound Designer/Engineer - Simon Weiler Props Master - Hannah King Asst. Stage Manager - Madison Crosby Cast Melchior - Max Cooper Moritz - Jeremy Oshins Hanschen - Nicky Gloria Ernst - Jonah Cochin Georg - Nathan Reider Otto - Nathan Oasis Ensemble 1- Nadav Furgang Ensemble 2- Aidan MacBain Wendla - Frances Cooke Ilse - Anya Graubard Martha - Emma Gomez-Rivas Thea - Ellie Yorke Anna - Isabel Silverston Ensemble 1- Stephanie Foster Ensemble 2 - Nikki Caminetsky Adult Male - Sam Fidler Adult Female - Stephanie Seiden |
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Notes on the Selection of Spring Awakening
for Production in Fall 2013
The Purpose and Mission of South Stage
The purpose of educational theatre is to help students become ethical, thoughtful, and compassionate people by telling engaging stories with sophisticated characters in challenging situations. Our students learn how to be adults by experiencing the complexities of life in the safety of theatre.
To that end, South Stage is dedicated to:
Why is South Stage producing Spring Awakening?
With our purpose and mission in mind, producing Spring Awakening with high school students seems a logical, though edgy, choice for South Stage. Written in 1891, the source play, Spring’s Awakening by Frank Wedekind, indicts adult authority figures for their willful neglect in keeping teenagers ignorant of biological and behavioral processes. The play’s frank and expressionistic portrayal of teenagers’ struggles in the secretive and oppressive German society created a scandal and subsequent performance ban when first published. The Tony-Award winning musical adaptation combines the unflinching story of fourteen-year-olds taking the first steps toward adulthood with a contemporary alt-rock score that highlights the timelessness of the teenage condition. Seeing and hearing teenagers in 19th Century German school uniforms recite their Latin lesson in rows of desks, then suddenly jump up, grab a microphone, and sing rock music is at once both an historical and timeless teen experience.
Just as teenagers in Western cultures share many common experiences in school, all experience the secret in plain sight that is puberty. While students in communities with sex education curricula and support such as Newton may find their path a little less treacherous as a result of their exposure to the challenges that come with changes to their bodies and feelings, any South student would agree being a teen is still not easy. As most adults remember, the affirmation that comes with knowing we are not alone in having a taboo urge or thought eases the tension to a bearable level. The characters in Spring Awakening suffer from nearly complete ignorance of their bodies and have been told physical desire is evil. When the teenagers have the thoughts and feelings we have all had, each sees herself as alone in the struggle. By producing this musical, we hope to acknowledge the struggles of our teenagers and help them realize they are not alone in their journey through adolescence.
In performing or seeing this cautionary tale, students will understand they will not suffer the fate of the characters in the story. Theatre students involved in the production, as well as students who see it, will benefit from the community acknowledgement outside that these feelings exist. Additionally, parents who attend with their teenagers may see an opportunity for discussion. After our Fall 2012 production of Avenue Q, in which a gay character comes out to his friends, a community member noted in an email to me that gay students in Newton are fortunate to grow up in a culture that supports them so publicly. So many students in so many communities never have the chance to see a play that reflects their lives. Receiving this email made the teacher and producer in me as proud as any artistic achievement could. Not only was the production a theatrical and educational success, it was, in this sense, a civic success. We produced a piece of theatre that reflects and projects Newton’s values. Messages such as these are an inspiration and a reminder that theatre can be more than entertainment in the lives of our students and in the life of our community. Spring Awakening also reflects Newton’s values of openness, acceptance, and the importance of family and education. Acknowledging the plot and thematic elements of this show exist in the lives of teenagers, as well as the use of explicit language we all used as teenagers, makes Spring Awakening provocative to many. This musical would not be appropriate in many communities. Newton is exceptional in many ways; one way is the level of sophistication of parents and high school students.
How will a South Stage production of Spring Awakening differ from a production intended for a general audience?
Dialogue vs. Stage Directions
While the Broadway production or professional premiere often becomes the standard approach to a well-known play or musical, a director of a subsequent production is obligated only to the dialogue, music, and lyrics. Stage directions in a published script are often a description only of the premiere production and are considered informative, but optional. The stage directions in the published Spring Awakening script describe the Broadway production staging, not necessarily a South Stage production staging. The dialogue and lyrics will not be changed.
The South Stage Approach
To have a meaningful conversation about whether this show is a good choice for South Stage, we needed to consider how the more provocative scenes in the script would be staged. While we will not modify the dialogue or lyrics, the staging (as in every production) is the prerogative of the director, whose goal is to effectively communicate the story and intent of the playwright. For some scenes, literal staging or the Broadway staging won't be appropriate for our audience that is 9th grade and older. We have found ways to stay true to the story while making it appropriate for our audience.
Download this document for more details about the approach of a the South Stage production.
How did we decide whether Spring Awakening is a good choice for South Stage?
We discussed with the principal and parents the educational benefits of doing the play and how our approach avoids the more provocative images of the Broadway staging:
1. Made the proposal and script available to parents, students, and administration.
2. Educated the students on how to rationally and maturely discuss production of the play in a high school setting.
3. Held an evening meeting to discuss the benefits and concerns with parents on Monday, April 8 at 7PM in the Auditorium.
4. Gathered responses to the proposal from the community and made a decision with the principal whether to produce the play.
How will a South Stage production protect students involved and support parents who do not want their students to see this play?
Email Jeff_knoedler@newton.k12.ma.us with questions or concerns.
Jeff Knoedler
Teacher and Director of Theatre
Newton South High School
The purpose of educational theatre is to help students become ethical, thoughtful, and compassionate people by telling engaging stories with sophisticated characters in challenging situations. Our students learn how to be adults by experiencing the complexities of life in the safety of theatre.
To that end, South Stage is dedicated to:
- Facilitating artistic collaboration among a diverse company of students and professional theatre artists
- Developing creative expression, teamwork, critical thinking, and communication skills through the theatre arts
- Producing plays that challenge and educate ourselves and the Newton South community
Why is South Stage producing Spring Awakening?
With our purpose and mission in mind, producing Spring Awakening with high school students seems a logical, though edgy, choice for South Stage. Written in 1891, the source play, Spring’s Awakening by Frank Wedekind, indicts adult authority figures for their willful neglect in keeping teenagers ignorant of biological and behavioral processes. The play’s frank and expressionistic portrayal of teenagers’ struggles in the secretive and oppressive German society created a scandal and subsequent performance ban when first published. The Tony-Award winning musical adaptation combines the unflinching story of fourteen-year-olds taking the first steps toward adulthood with a contemporary alt-rock score that highlights the timelessness of the teenage condition. Seeing and hearing teenagers in 19th Century German school uniforms recite their Latin lesson in rows of desks, then suddenly jump up, grab a microphone, and sing rock music is at once both an historical and timeless teen experience.
Just as teenagers in Western cultures share many common experiences in school, all experience the secret in plain sight that is puberty. While students in communities with sex education curricula and support such as Newton may find their path a little less treacherous as a result of their exposure to the challenges that come with changes to their bodies and feelings, any South student would agree being a teen is still not easy. As most adults remember, the affirmation that comes with knowing we are not alone in having a taboo urge or thought eases the tension to a bearable level. The characters in Spring Awakening suffer from nearly complete ignorance of their bodies and have been told physical desire is evil. When the teenagers have the thoughts and feelings we have all had, each sees herself as alone in the struggle. By producing this musical, we hope to acknowledge the struggles of our teenagers and help them realize they are not alone in their journey through adolescence.
In performing or seeing this cautionary tale, students will understand they will not suffer the fate of the characters in the story. Theatre students involved in the production, as well as students who see it, will benefit from the community acknowledgement outside that these feelings exist. Additionally, parents who attend with their teenagers may see an opportunity for discussion. After our Fall 2012 production of Avenue Q, in which a gay character comes out to his friends, a community member noted in an email to me that gay students in Newton are fortunate to grow up in a culture that supports them so publicly. So many students in so many communities never have the chance to see a play that reflects their lives. Receiving this email made the teacher and producer in me as proud as any artistic achievement could. Not only was the production a theatrical and educational success, it was, in this sense, a civic success. We produced a piece of theatre that reflects and projects Newton’s values. Messages such as these are an inspiration and a reminder that theatre can be more than entertainment in the lives of our students and in the life of our community. Spring Awakening also reflects Newton’s values of openness, acceptance, and the importance of family and education. Acknowledging the plot and thematic elements of this show exist in the lives of teenagers, as well as the use of explicit language we all used as teenagers, makes Spring Awakening provocative to many. This musical would not be appropriate in many communities. Newton is exceptional in many ways; one way is the level of sophistication of parents and high school students.
How will a South Stage production of Spring Awakening differ from a production intended for a general audience?
Dialogue vs. Stage Directions
While the Broadway production or professional premiere often becomes the standard approach to a well-known play or musical, a director of a subsequent production is obligated only to the dialogue, music, and lyrics. Stage directions in a published script are often a description only of the premiere production and are considered informative, but optional. The stage directions in the published Spring Awakening script describe the Broadway production staging, not necessarily a South Stage production staging. The dialogue and lyrics will not be changed.
The South Stage Approach
To have a meaningful conversation about whether this show is a good choice for South Stage, we needed to consider how the more provocative scenes in the script would be staged. While we will not modify the dialogue or lyrics, the staging (as in every production) is the prerogative of the director, whose goal is to effectively communicate the story and intent of the playwright. For some scenes, literal staging or the Broadway staging won't be appropriate for our audience that is 9th grade and older. We have found ways to stay true to the story while making it appropriate for our audience.
Download this document for more details about the approach of a the South Stage production.
How did we decide whether Spring Awakening is a good choice for South Stage?
We discussed with the principal and parents the educational benefits of doing the play and how our approach avoids the more provocative images of the Broadway staging:
1. Made the proposal and script available to parents, students, and administration.
2. Educated the students on how to rationally and maturely discuss production of the play in a high school setting.
3. Held an evening meeting to discuss the benefits and concerns with parents on Monday, April 8 at 7PM in the Auditorium.
4. Gathered responses to the proposal from the community and made a decision with the principal whether to produce the play.
How will a South Stage production protect students involved and support parents who do not want their students to see this play?
- In addition to the above parent meeting to discuss a potential production, we have ensured every student who participates in the production has a parent's consent and understanding of the content and language, including online access to the script and permission slips for auditions.
- Posters, tickets, and all promotional material clearly indicate the content and language in this production is inappropriate for children under thirteen.
Email Jeff_knoedler@newton.k12.ma.us with questions or concerns.
Jeff Knoedler
Teacher and Director of Theatre
Newton South High School