Student Reviews

Sara Sommers

Be kind to yourself and know what you are getting into with this play. It is of young love and self-discovery, with phenomenal music and spectacular acting, but there is an exceedingly sexual scene, that, if you were not prepared, you would be shocked by.

This story of three teenagers, who are confused about their bodies, their feelings, and each other, is inspiring and makes you think “Have our teen’s problems changed much at all in the past hundred years?”

The music in this play was better than any other. The on-stage orchestra produced great sound, and the vocals of all of the actors were rich and meaningful. The small orchestra was dimly lit, and there was no glare of music-lights and, for that matter, they may not have even been reading music. There were no rustling papers, and I don’t remember seeing music stands. The song themselves were wonderful, and very obviously directed at a younger, teenage audience. The rock beats and surprising lyrics were a great contrast to the 1800s Germany setting. Every time Blake Bashoff’s Moritz started to sing, the theater turned into a rock concert. He had that kind of vibe; he’s weird, depressed, and confused, making him just like any other rock star.

The score itself was amazing, and was well performed. My peers and I agree that the songs in this performance were better than the versions on Broadway. The Minneapolis songs were more up-beat and better performed. That may be a teenager’s opinion, but I think we should get some credit. One of the downsides of all of the songs is that they do not add to the plot nearly as much as any other musical I’ve seen, and seem to be there for the sole purposes of setting the mood and relieving tension.

The lighting in this play was a bit hard to look at, because it was so bright, and the rest of the theater was completely dark. Despite this, the lights were still enjoyable, with dangling bulbs of different colors hanging from the ceiling, and modern neon lights during certain scenes.

Overall, this musical was magnificent, with brilliant acting, lighting, and vocals. Just be warned: this is slightly controversial and explicit.

Ashli Henderson

As I watched spring awakening I was instantly drawn to it. From the music, to the setting of the stage, the dance moves and even the characters, I loved the story and the way it unraveled but what I liked the most was the way it made you feel. You couldn’t have one set emotion. Spring Awakening made you laugh, cry, frustrated, and even made you want to be intimate with someone. It also taught you life lessons in different ways. It was very appealing and if I had a chance to see it again I would.

Alicia Battle

Spring Awakening is a show about adolescence and discovering your own sexuality and what issues and adventures come with that. It is based on a German play by Fred Wedekind which was actually censored back in the 1900s whenever it was performed. Steven Sater [book and lyrics] and Duncan Sheik [music/orchestration] took Wedekind’s play and altered it a bit. Though they kept the time period of the story the same the music is all modern pop and rock, which was cool because it made it much more accessible to the audience.

The interesting thing about Spring Awakening was that while the music was very modern the setting of the play was still back in the 1800s and so the dialogue went along with that. Their lyrics were also very interesting, because they were never quite what you expected. I remember listening to “The Bitch of Living” and thinking that the lyrics were very pretty and poetic and then I realized that they were talking about masturbation. I think that is a very good example of one of things that makes this show so great is that it keeps you on your toes, I was never bored watching it and often very surprised by what was happening on stage.

Another cool thing about the show was that they weren’t afraid to take risks. For example, the sex scene between Melchior [Kyle Riabko] and Wendla [Christy Altomare], I was a little surprised when Melchior pulled down his pants, but was quickly able to move past it. They were always very blunt and clear about what they were talking about, which I think is really important in a musical where you are talking about serious issues such as sex, pregnancy, molestation, and suicide.

I loved how they staged the musical numbers in Spring Awakening all the characters used microphones and would sing directly to the audience. They’d also jump around the stage and climb on top of the props, it was awesome! They looked like they were having so much fun. I seriously found myself wishing I was up there with them, rocking out.

So, yes, if you like pop/rock music or less than traditional musicals then Spring Awakening is definitely a show you’d enjoy. The music is superb and the characters are accessible and all in all it is just a joy to watch. I would totally go and see it again.

Herbert Johnson

There were effects in this play that blew my mind, literally. There were lights that were too bright and some that were just right. The most creative part to me was the moon in the back and the fog effect that made it seen as if they were actually in a grave yard. Besides that the play a little too rated R. The guy didn’t have to show his behind and all this play was definitely not meant for little children to watch.

Imani McCray

This youthful play is a mixture of fun, music, teen angst, and phenomenal acting, all rolled into the words Spring Awakening. With director Daniel Sullivan, it is no surprise as to why this play is so brilliant. Mr. Sullivan is a graduate of San Francisco State University and has been involved in numerous projects, such as the Heidi Chronicles. In 2001, he won a Tony Award for Proof. Duncan Sheik, writer of the shoe tapping music that Spring Awakening is known for, is no stranger to the limelight as well.

This play is not suggested for the prudish 1906 Germans. If the lyrics aren’t enough, the suggestive choreography to the song “The Bitch of a Living” is one example of Spring Awakening’s zest. If you look close enough at the young boys’ movements, it is very similar to masturbating. Put this with the lyrics and you have solved that puzzle!

The actors take you into their world, sharing their pain and confusion. It must be extremely nerve-racking to know you will be nude in front of at least 100 viewers, but you could never see it by the focus in Wendla’s performance. I truly felt like the actors knew what I am personally going through. The awkwardness of talking to girls and the lack of understanding at first what my body was doing.
Overall, Spring Awakening is a delight to watch and one you will remember for many years to come.

Latoya Miller

When I first heard that our Next play was called Spring Awakening, I honestly could not think of what it could possibly be about. I honestly just thought about springtime and a whole bunch of flowers, I also imagined lots of bright colors. It was surprising to find out that the play/ musical was actually about teenagers discovering sex for the first time, how it leads to pregnancy, and how stressing about school and stress from parents and adults can impact your life and sometimes lead to suicide.

I liked the fact that it seemed like the music was especially for teens. The music went from slow and sad to a loud, fast, rock band. The songs were very catchy and hilarious. The topics varied, it also discussed young love, and raging teenage hormones. The best thing about it all overall is that it addressed issues that teens actually go through and experience.

Through almost every scene the lights were bright and flashing. It had just about every genre in one, comedy, drama, tragedy, and strangely a bit of mystery in some areas. The professors were very strange to me, anytime someone makes a little progress or improvement that are usually doing terrible, people think they cheated their way through. These days, I think parents’ expectations for their children are a little too high in some cases. They don’t understand that it’s extremely hard and that it is completely different from when they were in school.

Honestly, the play was great! After the parents see it I think they are in for a rude awakening! Yeah kids go through those things. But, I guess it can make sex and relationships a little easier to discuss with their children.

Diamond Billiger

As soon as I walked in the Orpheum Theatre I was excited to see the play “Spring Awakening” I did not know what to expect. This was a famous play and I did not know what to expect. Their were all dirrerent types of people coming to see Spring Awakening. The diversity was amazing.
When given the title of the play I was thinking it was going to be a play that was really light and had a lot to do about the sprig it was called “Spring Awakening”. As wendla (Christy Altomare) entered the stage asking her mom about sex I thought to myself would my mother let me see this play. I got a little more compfortable In the seat I thought let me get ready for this ride.

The music was so amazing. The songs expressed the children in the perfect way. They all came together and helped me understand what they were going through. And I was so into it that I forgot I was attending a play. As they exited the stage it was done so well. Moritz (Blake Bashoff) was the most exciting character ever. The way he had his hair cut excited me. When he came out and started singing the song “The Bitch of Living." I was completely taken and they had a fan of the “Spring Awakening” play.