ECC Musical Theatre to put on 'Spring Awakening' musical July 27 to Aug. 5
Elgin Community College Musical Theatre will present its production of the Tony Award-winning, R-rated, coming-of-age musical "Spring Awakening" July 27 to Aug. 5.
Based on the play by Frank Wedekind, the musical features music by Duncan Sheik with a book and lyrics by Steven Sater.
ECC Musical Theatre's production is directed and choreographed by Andy Bero with musical direction by Chris Cherry.
Performances will take place in the SecondSpace Theatre, located in the ECC Arts Center in Building H, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. The production starts at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays.
"Spring Awakening" debuted to acclaim on Broadway in 2006 and won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score. Entertainment Weekly lauded the musical as having "the most gorgeous Broadway score of (the) decade."
Adapted from a late 19th-century German play of the same title, the musical tells the intertwining stories of a group of teenage students exploring tantalizing and terrifying questions of sex and sexuality. The show explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with a poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable.
Director Andy Bero says that he wanted to direct the show because of the resonant themes it explores while Musical Director Chris Cherry has been a fan of the show since its Broadway premiere. Cherry says "I have loved 'Spring Awakening' since its debut and have always wanted to work on this show."
"The show tackles timeless, yet timely, ideas that weren't new in 19th-century Germany and certainly are not new today," says Bero. "The audience is introduced to a group of young men and women exposed to a spectrum of sexual experiences. The students are honest with one another about their experiences, but fail to clearly communicate with the adults in their lives. Furthermore, the adults have no strategies in which to broach the topics with their children. 'Spring Awakening' demonstrates the destructive power of miscommunication when children need answers and parents are either unable or unwilling to provide those answers."
Cherry echoes that a key message of the show is that "silence and avoiding the tough issues is never a good solution. We can only learn and grow if we are open and honest with each other. Take time to have the tough conversations with those you love."
Both directors are proud of the work the cast and production team has put into the show and are looking forward to sharing it with audiences. Says Bero, "I am most excited to bring this show to life for our audience. The actors will be within five feet of the audiences which means we - the actors, musicians and patrons - will experience the action together. The musicians will be visible and in the action. We have exciting plans and surprises that honor both the source material and our audiences. Not only is the cast's talent just ridiculous, but their dedication to telling this story is admirable."
Tickets are $20 or $18 for seniors and students. The musical is rated R for strong adult content and language. Tickets for all performances in the ECC Arts Center are available online at tickets.elgin.edu or at the ECC Arts Center box office. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call (847) 622-0300. All major credit cards are accepted.
The ECC Arts Center can be found at www.facebook.com/eccartscenter and on Twitter @eccartscenter.
"Spring Awakening" is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI (www.MTIShows.com).