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Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening . Background. Spring Awakening  is a rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater .

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Spring Awakening

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  1. Spring Awakening

  2. Background • Spring Awakening is a rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. • It is based on the controversial German play Spring Awakening (1891) by Frank Wedekind which was banned in Germany for some time due to its brutally honest portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. • Set in late-19th century Germany.

  3. Production • Originally Spring Awakening debuted off Broadway. • The original Broadway production opened at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006. • It also won 8 Tony Awards; including: • Best musical • Best direction • Best book • Best score • Best featured actor

  4. Controversy? • Spring Awakening features a suicide and sex scene that occur on stage. • The show contains no nudity but the adult subject matters discussed throughout include: • Teen suicide • Sexual orientation • Masturbation • Abortion

  5. Synopsis Act I Act II

  6. “Mama Who Bore Me” • Wendla Bergmann dwells on the fact that her mother has not taught her lessons she needs to learn and is eager to find out where babies come from. • When Wendla confronts her mother her mother gives her a naïve answer and the other young girls around town realize that they are all lacking common knowledge on sexual matters.

  7. “All That’s Known” • At school, some teenage boys are studying in a Latin. • Moritz misquotes a line and the teacher criticizes him severely. • Melchior tries to defend him but the teacher does not allow it. • The boys reflect on the narrow-mindedness of school and society and hope to one day change things.

  8. “The Bitch of Living” • Moritz discusses with Melchior a series of dreams that having that have kept him up at night. • Melchior realizes that Moritz has been experiencing erotic dreams. • Moritz is convinced that his is going insane. • Melchior comforts Moritz with his knowledge of sexual information in a form of an essay; due to Moritz’s uncomfortable state when discussing this issue verbally

  9. “My Junk” • A group of girls in the town gather together after school to discuss and fantasize about marrying the boys around the town. • At the top of the girls’ list Melchior.

  10. “Touch Me” • All of the boys and girls of the town express their growing desires for physical intimacy.

  11. “The Word of Your Body” • Wendla runs into Melchior while searching for flowers for her mother. • While sitting in front of a tree the two share a moment about memories from their past. • The discuss what it would be like to give into their physical desires.

  12. “The Dark I Know Well” • Martha accidentally tells her friends that her father physically abuses her. • Her friends are horrified but promise to remain silent of her father’s abuse. • Martha does not want to end up like their childhood friend Ilse who now is homeless because her parents kicked her out. • Afterwards Wendla finds Melchior and tells him of Martha’s troubles. • Wendla talks Melchior into hitting her with a switch so she can feel the pain Martha Endures. • Melchior runs off disgusted with his actions after Wendla ends up being struck to the ground. • Wendla finds Melchiors journal and takes it with her. video

  13. “And Then There Were None” • Moritz is told he has failed his examination. • His father reacts very harshly to his unpleasant news. • His father’s only concern was how the town would view “the man with the son who failed”. • Moritz writes a letter pleading for money from Melchior’s mother to flee to America. • Unfortunately she denies his request.

  14. “The Mirror Blue Night” • While in a stuffy hayloft during a storm, Melchior contemplates his status between child and adult. • Wendla finds him and apologizes for her action the last time they were together.

  15. “I Believe” • Wendla and Melchior begin to kiss. • She resists his advances in the beginning. • As he becomes more persistent he overpowers her objections and they have sex.

  16. “The Guilty Ones” • Melchior and Wendla reflect on what just happened. • And are very confused by the level of intimacy the two shared.

  17. “Don’t Do Sadness” • Moritz has been thrown out of his home. • He takes to the street while carrying a pistol. • He comes across a childhood friend named Ilse, who is secretly in love with him. • Ilse tells him she has found refuse at an artists’ colony and that he may accompany her there. • He refuses and Ilse leaves. • Moritz realizes he has true feelings for her but turns and she is already gone. • Feeling he had no where to turn he kills himself. video

  18. “Left Behind” • At Moritz’s funeral each of the children drop a flower into his grave.

  19. “Totally Fucked” • The schoolmaster find the essay on sex Melchior wrote for Moritz. • The school places the blame unrightfully on Melchior. • Melchior is expelled

  20. “Whispering” • Wendlabecomes ill and her mother takes her to the doctor. • The doctor confirms she is pregnant. • Wendla blames her mother for lying to her about where babies come from. • She tells her mother Melchior is the father. • Melchior’s parents disagree about their sons faith. • But inevitably they decide that he should be sent away to reform school with no knowledge of Wendla’s pregnancy.

  21. “Those You’ve Known” • Melchior and Wendla keep contact by relaying letters back and forth through Ilse. • Melchior is made aware of her pregnancy and escapes to take care of Wendla and the baby. • Melchior tells Ilse to tell Wendla to meet him in the grave yard at midnight. • When she does not show he stumbles upon her grave and realizes she was killed in a botch abortion. • He contemplates suicide then Wendla and his friend Mortiz’s spirits offer him strength and persuade him to carry on and remember them forever. video

  22. “The Song of Purple Summer” • The entire ensemble joins Ilse onstage to sing the finale number.

  23. Importance • Spring Awakening is important to musical theatre in various ways. • The play broke boundaries when it opened and is still pushing the limits now with it’s controversial subject matter.

  24. Bibliography • http://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&newwindow=1&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=637&bih=638&q=spring+awakening&oq=spring+awakening&gs_l=img.3..0l10.1193.3122.0.3296.16.9.0.7.7.0.115.599.6j3.9.0...0.0...1ac.1.tYt86hA91ZQ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Awakening • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R2kvWjUJ1w • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4t31XkvRco • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ9dsCjZ1aU

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