[NEohioPAL] Berko review: SPRING AWAKENING @ Beck Center

[Roy Berko]

*Mesmerizing SPRING AWAKENING at Beck*



Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)



On the way out of SPRING AWAKENING at Beck Center, my 16-year old grandson,
known as the kid reviewer, said, “That was awesome.  The singing, the
acting, the music, the choreography, the staging, were all great!”  Yes,
Alex, you just experienced one of the finest theatrical works you may ever
see.



SPRING AWAKENING, the Steven Sater (book and lyrics)-Duncan Sheik (music),
folk-infused rock music drama, is based on a 1892 play by Frank Wedekind of
Germany.  The subject matter, which centers on teenagers on the road to
self-discovery, portrays abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and
suicide.  It was so controversial that its original source was banned for
public view for over one hundred years.



The play is a powerful indictment against late 19th century Germany, where
strict rules regarding right and wrong, and wide-spread hypocrisy were
rampant.  Sex wasn’t discussed, the reasons for actions weren’t revealed,
and adults held strict control.  It is relevant  to modern day American
where the religious right sometimes parallels the machinations of the
adults in Wedekind’s script.



The play consists mainly of spoken and sung dialogues among the children,
with an interspersing of voices of the adults.  Wedekind has given the
voices the ability to open our eyes, in gripping ways, to the joys and
sorrows, hopes and despair, and struggles and the resulting tragedies.
 Tragedies
in which the most promising children are sacrificed due a lack of
appreciation and understanding from their teachers and parents.



We meet Melchior, intelligent, handsome and charismatic, who sees the
corruption around him, but is powerless to change the events.  There is
Moritz, physically stronger but psychologically frail.  He’s the product of
a harsh father, and is pushed to near insanity when he fails an exam and
eventually is led to suicide.  Wendla is in love with Melchior, and naively
becomes pregnant by him.  Her fall from grace is based on her lack of
knowledge about human sexuality, and still believing that “children are
brought by storks.”  She, too, becomes a tragic product of her culture’s
rules.   We also view Ilse, who runs away from a sexually abusive home,
another product of the rules of the game of life.



We are left at the end of the epic with Melchior, his friends all
destroyed, needing to find a reason to go on with his life.



This is a relevant play that has already, and should open additional eyes
of the hypocritically blind to the need for sex education, understanding of
the teenage mind and the hypocrisy of developing illogical and unbending
rules for the sake of tradition.



The Broadway production won eight Tony Awards in 2007.  The Baldwin
Wallace-Beck Center collaboration, under the keen eye of Victoria Bussert,
is as good as the professional shows I saw on Broadway and on-tour.  This
is Bussert at her best!



The staging is creative, encompassing, focused.  The pacing is fine…slow
when necessary, fast when appropriate.  Ryan Fielding Garrett’s band, which
is on stage during the entire production, expertly backs up, rather than
drowning out the singers, the vocal blends are excellent, and even though
several of the cast don’t have superb singing voices…they so well interpret
the words of the songs, that it matters naught.



Zach Adkins, a young Brad Pitt look-alike, is compelling as Melchior.  He
displays a complete understanding of the mental and emotional workings of
the role.  As we see him standing alone at the end of the play we can only
feel strong emotional bonding with the real person Adkins has created.  His
song *All That’s Known* is appealing, while *Left Behind* is emotionally
revealing.



James Penca is spot-on as the conflicted Moritz.  He develops a young man
unable to fight off the power of his father and members of the school
staff, who demand what Moritz is unable to give.  His *The Bitch of
Living*is a show highlight, as is
*Don’t Do Sadness*.



Pretty Kyra Kennedy makes for a perfect Wendla.  She creates a complete
character who displays appropriate naivety and passion.  Her *Mama Who Bore
Me *was a strong curtain raiser and *Those You’ve Known*, a trio with
Adkins and Penca, was tear-inducing.



The chorus was excellent, weaving in an out of the scenes with clarity and
concentration.



Gregory Daniel’s choreography, Jeff Herrmann’s set and light designs,
Richard Ingraham’s sound design, and Alison Garrigan’s costumes all make
SPRING AWAKENING a special evening of theatre.



The show is advertised as 17 and older.  When I asked Alex if he was
uncomfortable, especially in the presence of his grandparents, he gave a,
“no way” response.  You have to know your teen, but the lessons to be
learned from this script are great.  In fact, if the characters in this
play had known what they could have learned from being exposed to this
material, there would have been no need for Wedekind to write the play.



*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  SPRING AWAKENING is an emotionally stirring, relevant,
and well staged production.  This is not a should see, it’s a must see
presentation.  Bravo!  Bravo!  Bravo!*

SPRING AWAKENING is scheduled to run through March 4 at Beck Center for the
Arts.  For tickets and information on the possibility of the run being
extended, call 216-521-2540.


Roy Berko's commentaries and reviews appear on coolcleveland.com,
neohiopal.com,artsamerica.com,broadwaynews.com, and The Times Newspapers.
 His blog is: www.royberko.info
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