 "Photo: Paul Kolnik / Courtesy Broadway in Detroit")
The off-Broadway musical “Spring Awakening” is playing at the Fisher Theatre April 20 to May 9. The play is critically acclaimed and won eight Tony awards in 2007.
“Spring Awakening” takes place in late 1891 Germany and is about a group of teenagers who are who are dealing with their sexuality. It involves them finding love and playing tug-of-war with their sexual urges and their conservative upbringing.
The musical is based on Frank Wedekind’s play of the same name that was originally written in 1891. Wedekind’s version was banned in Europe because of its mature themes. No other stage production at the time dealt with sex, abortion and bondage.
Duncan Sheik created the music for the play. Sheik has made music for stage productions such as “The Golden Rooms of Nero” and feature films like “A Home at the End of the World.” He has won two Tony awards, one for best original score and another for best orchestration.
“All the music is rock music from now,” said Krystina Alabado, 20, who sings in the ensemble for the show and is the understudy for all the female roles, “The scenes are from the past, but the music is from the present.”
Alabado describes the music as folk rock played with a rock band, violins and cellos.
“The music is my favorite part of the show,” Alabado said. “Young people understand the tunes and the music is so now.”
Michael Mayer, the director of “Spring Awakening” is also a Tony-award winner, and has been nominated three times. Mayer won best director in 2007 for “Spring Awakening.”
“Michael is one of the smartest people I have ever known. Honestly, he is such an inspiration,” Albado said. “He is easy to work with and talk to. He doesn’t pressure you.”
Albado was a freshman at Arizona State University studying musical theatre when she was cast in “Spring Awakening.” She has done many regional productions, such as “Crazy for You” and “High School Musical,” but this is her first national tour.
“I was really excited, it’s something that I wanted,” Albado said. “I learned so much about myself, I wouldn’t do anything differently.”
The two-year national tour ends May 23, and Albado plans to move to New York to further her career.
Ticket prices for “Spring Awakening” range from $25 to $80 and are on sale now.
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