Griffin Theatre's intimate 'Spring Awakening' packs a punch
Griffin Theatre securing the rights to the first local production of “Spring Awakening” comes as a bit of a surprise.
Snagging the premiere of the 2007 Tony Award-winning musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater is the kind of coup usually reserved for titans like Oak Brook's Drury Lane or Lincolnshire's Marriott.
But Griffin — which has previously demonstrated sensitivity in adapting the stories of young adults to the stage — is an ideal company to stage this poignant, artfully composed show about adolescent sexuality, ignorance and despair, and the tragedy that results when adults fail to provide teenagers with appropriate support and guidance.
Frank Wedekind's 1891 play inspired the musical. It is set in late 19th century Germany, but remains rooted firmly in the present thanks to Sheik's vital, achingly lovely rock score and Sater's contemporary lyrics and dialogue. That juxtaposition of the 19th and 21st centuries gives this cautionary tale about suppressed sexuality a timeless appeal.
The musical centers on the eloquent, enlightened rebel Melchior (Josh Salt, a newcomer with potential); naive young Wendla (Aja Wiltshire, another talented newcomer); and the increasingly anxious Moritz — played by Northwestern University undergrad Matthew Fletcher, who comes alive in the second act — whose newly discovered sexual urges wreak havoc on his studies.
The trio isn't alone in their angst. Paige Collins plays Martha, a waif who hides a terrible secret; Adam Molloy (a lovely singer) plays the earnest, easily seduced Ernst and Lindsay Leopold earns kudos for her incisive portrayal of the outsider Ilse. Amber Robbin, Lauren Paris, Adam Fane, Harter Klingman and Matt Babbs play similarly conflicted teens.
Compounding their misery is the absence of comfort from their oppressive, controlling, fearful and dangerously flawed parents and teachers played by Larry Baldacci and Vanessa Greenway, whose deeply felt performances transform minor caricatures into characters.
The influence of Michael Mayer's New York production is clear, especially in Nicole Pellegrino's choreography, which references Bill T. Jones' fitful original work.
But Griffin Theatre's production is far more intimate — and more impactful. Theater Wit's small, black box space is much more suitable than Chicago's expansive Oriental Theater where “Spring Awakening” played earlier this year and during its 2009 Broadway tour. There's an immediacy to director Jonathan Berry's up-close-and-personal production which places the actors so close to the audience, they can see the tear tracks running down Salt's face.
The action unfolds on Marianna Csaszar's set — comprised of bicycle chains and metal scaffolds that suggest the industrial age — and featuring a narrow thrust stage, which is surrounded by the audience on three sides.
The scale is reduced, yet Berry retains the raw energy and tension that is so crucial to the show. Moreover, he has assembled a cast of young, imminently watchable singer/actors (several making their professional debuts) who personify the notion of the whole-as-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts. Individually, they're good. Together they're glorious, as evidenced by their performance of pulsating anthems like “Totally (expletive),” an expression of defiance in the face of defeat. Credit music director and conductor Allison Kane, whose rockin' quintet plays Sheik's lovely, haunting score. The opening night audience prolonged their applause for the Wheaton native who, with a gracious wave, acknowledges what propels this “Awakening.”
“Spring Awakening”
★ ★ ★
<b>Location: </b>Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. (773) 975-8150 or griffintheatre.com
<b>Showtimes: </b>7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 8
<b>Tickets:</b> $28 to $38
<b>Running time: </b>Two hours, 15 minutes with intermission
<b>Parking: </b>Paid street parking nearby
<b>Rating: </b>For adults; sexual content, mature language and topics