Deaf West's production of SPRING AWAKENING floored the critics when it premiered in California, prompting the Los Angeles Times to write, "It's hard to enumerate all the ways in which Deaf West's SPRING AWAKENING is so very, very good." Now this unapologetically brilliant new production is coming to New York.
When it debuted on Broadway, SPRING AWAKENING's raw and honest portrayal of youth in revolt shattered expectations of what a musical could do, earning it 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (for writer, Steven Sater) and Best Score (for composer, Duncan Sheik). Deaf West's innovative new production takes this already revolutionary musical to electrifying new heights by choreographing sign language into the production, intensifying the rift between the lost and the longing teenagers and the adults who refuse to hear them. Directed by Michael Arden, Deaf West's SPRING AWAKENING is full of knockout performances, explosive music and soul-stirring emotion.
Arguably the strongest turn here is from Durant, whose Moritz is alternately prideful and meek, stoic and sweetly sensitive - in short, like every teenager you've ever met. But his voice counterpart, Boniello, falters as he strains to reach the high notes in 'And Then There Were None' and 'Don't Do Sadness.' The latter, a thrashing cri de couer of a boy considering suicide, should be among the show's most powerful moments, but here falls flat. Elsewhere, Manheim - making a very impressive Broadway debut - neatly defines four different adult characters. But Matlin feels wasted, and never gets a scene worthy of her potentially volcanic talents. See this 'Spring Awakening' anyway, because even a flawed performance of this great musical is still better than most of what's on Broadway right now; and because in a few instances - including the final exit of the teenage characters - Arden really has improved upon the original.
The result is an exhilarating and fluid hybrid of song, word, dance and sign - and a sheer triumph for director Michael Arden and choreographer Spencer Liff. The songs sit seamlessly in the show, often as brightly lit fantasy sequences that snap back into the grim narrative.
2006 | Off-Broadway |
Original Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
2006 | Broadway |
Broadway Transfer Broadway |
2008 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
2010 | US Tour |
NETworks National Tour US Tour |
2015 | Broadway |
Deaf West Broadway Revivial Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Spring Awakening |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Spencer Liff |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Michael Arden |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical | Ben Stanton |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | She Loves Me |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Spring Awakening |
2016 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Spring Awakening |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Spencer Liff |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Michael Arden |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) | Ben Stanton |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Projection Design (Play or Musical) | Lucy Mackinnon |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Spring Awakening |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Direction of a Musical | Michael Arden |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Ben Stanton |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Spring Awakening |
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