“Explosive!” – Spring Awakening Awakens ZACH’s New Season
Spring Awakening at ZACH - Set rendering by designer Michael Raiford
The Tony Award-winning rock musical Spring Awakening is ZACH’s 2011-12 Season opener next week – but don’t expect your typical Broadway musical.
A story about teenagers exploring the inner and outer bounds of sexuality, this explosive new musical was adapted from a once-banned, controversial 19th Century German play by Frank Wedekind of the same title. And, as with most anything that was ever banned, how could it not be scandalously delectable?
The masterful Steven Sater adapted and wrote the play, and ubertalented songwriter Duncan Sheik, famed singer of “Barely Breathing,” wrote the score. “Best Direction” and “Best Score” – not to mention “Best Musical” – were among the eight Tony nods the show won in 2007.
ZACH is now bringing the Texas regional premiere to Austin. As final rehearsals are held this week under the direction of Michael Baron, who is Artistic Director of Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, it’s easy to see why The New York Times wrote “Broadway may never be the same again!”
This is a monumentally explosive score and script, and the frank and vivid expression of teenage (and adult) self-discovery makes Spring Awakening unlike any musical you’ve ever seen.
Brace yourselves for an experience you will never forget. Vibrant, lively, provocative, tender and ultimately entertaining, Spring Awakening is a phenomenon – with an utterly brilliant rock score – that, like the musical Rent, unites a whole new generation of theatregoers with a generation that, though they may never admit it, knows these issues far too well.
Check back on ZACH’s blog for more behind-the-scenes photos, music and video through the run: http://www.zachtheatre.org/blog. Tickets to Spring Awakening and all other ZACH shows can be purchased online 24/7 or with a box office representative at 512-476-0541 x1.