“Spring Awakening” is coming to Palisades Charter High School! PaliHi’s finest actors are bringing this multiple Tony Award-winning musical to the Mercer stage.
Set in a repressive, paternalistic culture within the authoritarian enclave of a small German town, “Spring Awakening” is a true coming-of-age story. PaliHi will bring this complicated high school tale to its own high school stage starting March 16 and running through March 25.
In 1891, “Spring Awakening” first premiered as a drama by renowned German playwright Frank Wedekind. Audiences of the time were stunned by the play’s confrontational approach to traditional authority and frank presentation of explicit subject matter. Audiences were shocked. As a result, the play was censored and banned on multiple occasions in the 1900s.
However, in the late 1990s, Steven Sater, an aspiring playwright and lyricist, decided to turn the show into a rock opera and successfully portrayed the complicated yet universally familiar exploration of teenage development in a manner resonant to modern audiences.
Sater and composer Duncan Sheik finally started working with Michael Mayer, who had previously directed the rock opera “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” In 2006, the new musical premiered, receiving exceptional reviews. The next year, the musical was honored with eight Tony Awards, including best musical and best score.
After a whopping 859 performances, it closed in 2009, launching the careers of “Glee’s” Lea Michele and “Hamilton’s” Jonathan Groff.
“Spring Awakening’s” astounding pertinence shines as its characters face the looming angst of their teenage years head-on. The musical takes place in late 19th-century Germany and follows the lives of high school students on the verge of self-discovery.
Melchior Gabor, a would-be rebel questions the unrelenting stiffness of the authority figures that constantly surround him. His best friend, Moritz Stiefel, is crippled by anxiety over both his failing academic performance and haunting dreams. Meanwhile, young Wendla Bergmann, enraptured by the development of her own body, allows her curiosity to take her down an unfamiliar new path to Melchior.
The teens express themselves through the as-yet-unknown language of anthemic rock music to deal with their confusion, frustration and yearn for answers. Cheri Smith and Monique Smith, along with musical director Joshua Elson, are excited to tackle the feat of heading this production of “Spring Awakening.”
The Smith sisters have drawn inspiration from Michael Mayer’s Tony-winning direction to put on what will doubtless be one of PaliHi’s most memorable musicals. They are leading the cast through this mature text and guiding them as they learn the intricate harmonies and soaring vocal lines of the show’s memorable musical numbers, combining it all with organic breath infused movement and dance.
The Westside’s most talented young actors, singers, dancers, stage technicians and designers are working together to bring “Spring Awakening’s” motifs to fruition. Spotlight Awards semi-finalist Roberta Alaman, a junior at PaliHi and one of the schoo’s two Eva Pérons from last year’s production of “Evita,” is excited to be back and share her powerful voice as one of the leading players, Wendla Bergmann.
“Playing Wendla has been a longtime dream of mine and I’m so excited to share my story in the upcoming production!” she said.
The senior quarterback of PaliHi, Gabe Galef, has stepped into the shoes of the rebellious Melchior Gabor.
“I am ecstatic to be playing my dream role in my last hurrah at PaliHi,” he said. A fixture of the school’s musicals, Galef was first seen onstage in PaliHi’s production of “In the Heights” as Benny, the singing and dancing taxi service operator from “Hamilton’s” creator Lin Manuel Miranda.
The cast and crew of “Spring Awakening” invites everyone to come and experience the story, the music and the magic of “Spring Awakening.” However, it is important to note that the show is intended for mature audiences only and covers very intense topics and subject matter.
Tickets are available at palispringawakening.brownpapertickets.com.
Opening Night: March 16th at 7 p.m
March 17th at 7 p.m.,
March 18th at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.,
March 23 at 7 p.m., March 24th at 7 p.m. and March 25th at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
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