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{{short description|Rock musical}}
{{Refimprove|date=March 2008}}
{{about|a musical adaptation premiering on Broadway in 2006|the original 1891 play|Spring Awakening (play)}}
{{otheruses1|the musical}}
{{Infobox Musical {{Infobox musical
|name= Spring Awakening |name = Spring Awakening
|subtitle= |subtitle =
|image= Spring_awakening.jpg |image = Spring Awakening 2006 album cover.jpg
|caption= Original Broadway Recording |caption = Original Broadway recording
|music= ] |music = ]
|lyrics= ] |lyrics = ]
|book= ] |book = Steven Sater
|basis= ]'s play <br> '']'' |basis = '']''<br>by ]
<!-- PLEASE do not include specific international productions and productions that have not yet opened. See ] -->
|productions= ] ] <br> ] ] <br> ] North American Tour <br> Major international productions <br>
|productions = 2006 ] <br> 2006 ] <br> 2008 First US Tour <br> 2009 ] <br> 2010 Second US Tour <br> 2015 Broadway ] <br> 2021 ]
<!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards -->
<!-- Please do not include production-specific (acting, directing, etc.) awards -->
|awards= ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ] Outstanding Musical <br> Drama Desk Outstanding Music <br> Drama Desk Outstanding Lyrics <br> ] Outstanding Musical <br> Outer Critics Outstanding Score <br> ] for ]
|awards = ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ] <br> ]
|web = http://broadwaysbestshows.com/show/Spring-Awakening
|ibdb =
}} }}
'''''Spring Awakening''''' is a ] ] with music by ] and a book and lyrics by ]. It is based on the 1891 German play '']'' by ]. Set in late 19th-century Germany, the musical tells the story of teenagers discovering the inner and outer tumult of ]. In the musical, ] is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score.


Following its conception in the late 1990s and various workshops, concerts, rewrites and its ] debut, the original ] production of ''Spring Awakening'' opened at the ] on December 10, 2006. Its cast included ], ], and ] while its creative team comprised director ] and choreographer ]. The original Broadway production won eight ]s, including Tonys for Best Musical, Direction, Book, Score and Featured Actor. The production also garnered four ]s, while its original cast album received a ]. In addition, the show was revived in 2015 on Broadway and garnered three Tony Award nominations, among other honors.
'''''Spring Awakening''''' is a ]-winning ] with music by ] and book and lyrics by ]. Contemporary ] is employed to dramatize the lives of late-] ] ] who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of ]. The musical is based on the controversial 1891 German ] by ]. The original play was banned in Germany due to its extremely controversial content, which included ], ], ] and ]. During the musical, characters sometimes break the ] to express their frustrations, motivations, and desires directly to the audience.


The success of the Broadway production has spawned several other productions worldwide, including various US productions, a ] production that won four ]s including ], and a series of international productions. In 2022, '']'', a documentary film chronicling the 15-year reunion of the original company, was released on ].
After a number of workshops, concerts and rewrites over a seven-year period, ''Spring Awakening'' premiered ] at the ] on ] ] and ran through ] ], before making the leap to Broadway.


==Synopsis==
The show opened on ] at the ] on ] ] and received favorable reviews.<ref></ref> ''Spring Awakening'' received eleven 2007 ] nominations, winning eight, including Tonys for best musical, direction, book, score and featured actor. The show also won four ]s, including Outstanding Musical. The production is directed by ] and choreographed by ].


===Act I===
] released the original ] on ] ], with the recording later winning the ] for Best Musical Show Album on February 10, 2008.<ref></ref> The guitar Sheik used to compose songs for Spring Awakening is on display at the New York Library For The Performing Arts.
Wendla Bergmann, an ] in late 19th-century ], laments that her mother gave her "no way to handle things" and has not taught her the lessons she is meant to know as a young woman ("Mama Who Bore Me"). She tells her mother that it is time she learned where babies come from, considering that she is about to be an aunt for the second time. Her mother cannot bring herself to explain the facts about conception clearly to Wendla, despite knowing her daughter is reaching ]. Instead, she simply tells Wendla that to conceive a child a woman must love her husband with all of her heart. The other young girls in town – Martha, Thea, Anna and Ilse – appear to be similarly naïve and are upset about the lack of knowledge presented to them ("Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)").
<ref></ref>


At school, some teenage boys are studying ] in ] class. When Moritz Stiefel, a very nervous and anxious young man, sleepily misquotes a line, the teacher chastises him harshly. Moritz's classmate, the rebellious and highly intelligent Melchior Gabor, tries to defend him, but the teacher will have none of it, and hits Melchior with a stick. Melchior reflects on the shallow narrow-mindedness of school and society and expresses his intent to change things ("All That's Known").
== Synopsis ==
;Act I
Wendla Bergmann, an ] girl in late-19th century ], laments that her mother gave her "no way to handle things" and has not taught her the lessons she needs to learn ("Mama Who Bore Me"). She tells her mother that it is time she know where ] come from, considering that she is about to be an aunt for the second time, but her mother cannot bring herself to explain the facts about conception clearly to Wendla. Instead, she simply tells Wendla that to conceive a child a woman must love her husband with all her heart. The other young girls in town appear to be similarly innocent and are upset about the lack of knowledge presented to them ("Mama Who Bore Me" (reprise)).


Moritz describes a dream that has been keeping him up at night, and Melchior realizes that Moritz has been having ] which Moritz believes are signs of insanity. To comfort the panicked Moritz, Melchior, who has learned sexual information from books, tells Moritz that all of the boys at their age get these dreams. Moritz, Melchior and the other boys – Ernst, Hänschen, Otto and Georg – share their own sexually frustrated thoughts and desires ("The Bitch of Living"). Moritz, who is not comfortable talking about the subject with Melchior, requests that he give him the information in the form of an essay, complete with illustrations.
At school, some teenage boys are studying ] in ] class. When Moritz Stiefel, a very nervous and intense young man, sleepily misquotes a line, the teacher chastises him harshly. Moritz's classmate, the rebellious and intelligent Melchior Gabor, tries to defend him, but the teacher will have none of it, and hits Melchior with a stick. Melchior reflects on the shallow narrow-mindedness of school and society and expresses his intent to change things ("All That's Known").


All the girls, except Ilse, are gathered together after school; they tease each other as they fantasize about marrying the boys in the town. Martha admits that she has a crush on Moritz, but is made fun of by the other girls. At the top of the list is the radical, intelligent, and good-looking Melchior ("My Junk"). Moritz has eagerly digested the essay that Melchior prepared for him, but complains that his new knowledge has only made his dreams even more vivid and torturous. Melchior tries to calm and comfort his friend, but Moritz runs off in frustration. All of the boys and girls express their desires for physical ] ("Touch Me").
Moritz describes a dream that has been keeping him up at night, and Melchior realizes that Moritz has been having dreams of an erotic nature. To comfort the panicked Moritz, Melchior, who has learned sexual information from books, tells Moritz that all the boys their age get the dreams. All the boys tell about their own frustrating thoughts and desires ("The Bitch Of Living"). Moritz, who is not comfortable talking about the subject with Melchior, insists that he give him the information in the form of an ], complete with illustrations.


]'s 2013 production of ''Spring Awakening'']]
Some girls are gathered together after school and tease each other as they fantasize about marrying the boys in the town. At the top of the list is the radical, intelligent, and good-looking Melchior. Meanwhile, Hanschen ] as he looks at an erotic ], and the ] student Georg indulges in some lively fantasies about his well-endowed female piano teacher ("My Junk"). Moritz has eagerly digested the essay that Melchior prepared for him, but complains that his new knowledge has only made his dreams even more vivid and torturous. Melchior tries to calm and comfort his friend, but Moritz runs off in frustration. All of the boys and girls express their desire for physical ] ("Touch Me").


Wendla stumbles upon Melchior while walking through the woods. The two share a moment while sitting together in front of a tree. Each of them considers what it would be like to give in to their physical desires, but they do not do so ("The Word Of Your Body"). Meanwhile, at school, Moritz is thrilled to learn that he has passed his midterm ], but the teacher and schoolmaster can't pass everyone, so they decide to fail Moritz no matter what. Searching for flowers for her mother, Wendla stumbles upon Melchior. The two reminisce on the friendship they once shared as children and share a moment while sitting together in front of a tree. Each of them considers what it would be like to give in to their physical desires for one another ("The Word of Your Body"), but they do not do so. Meanwhile, at school, Moritz sneaks a look at his test results and is thrilled to learn that he has passed his midterm examinations, and tells the other boys. They are ecstatic, save the skeptical Hänschen. However, the teacher and schoolmaster, who claim they cannot pass everyone, decide to fail Moritz anyway, deeming his passing grade still not up to the school's lofty standards.


Martha, one of the teenage girls, accidentally admits to her friends that her father abuses her physically (including ]) and that her mother is either oblivious or uncaring. The other girls are horrified to hear this, but Martha makes them promise not to tell anyone, lest she end up like Ilse, a friend from childhood who is now homeless because her parents kicked her out of their house ("The Dark I Know Well"). Later, Wendla finds Melchior again at his spot in the woods and tells him that one of her friends regularly gets abused by her father. Melchior is appalled to hear this, but Wendla convinces him to hit her with a switch, so that she can understand her friend's pain. Melchior reluctantly complies but gets carried away and throws her to the ground. He then runs off, disgusted with himself. Alone, Wendla finds that Melchior has left his journal on the ground. She picks it up and takes it with her. Martha accidentally admits to her friends that her father abuses her physically and sexually and that her mother is either oblivious or uncaring. The other girls are horrified to hear this, but Martha makes them promise not to tell anyone, lest she end up like Ilse, a friend from childhood who now wanders homeless and aimless after her similarly abusive parents kicked her out of the house ("The Dark I Know Well"). Later, Wendla finds Melchior again at his spot in the woods and tells him about Martha's abuse. Melchior is appalled to hear this, but Wendla convinces him to hit her with a ], so that she can try to understand Martha's pain. At first Melchior is determined to do nothing of the sort, but reluctantly complies. He gets carried away in the beating, taking his own frustrations out on Wendla and throws her to the ground. Disgusted with himself, Melchior runs off as Wendla is left lying on the ground, weeping. Alone, Wendla finds that Melchior has left his journal on the ground. She picks it up and takes it with her.


Moritz has failed his final examination, and his father reacts with disdain and contempt when Moritz tells him that he will not progress in school. Moritz writes to Melchior's mother, his only adult friend, for money to flee to ]; she tenderly but firmly denies his request but promises to write his parents to discourage them from being too hard on him ("And Then There Were None"). Moritz is told he has failed his final examination, and his father reacts with disdain and contempt when Moritz tells him that he will not progress in school. Rather than attempting to understand his son's pain, Moritz's father is only concerned with how the others in town will react when they see "the man with the son who failed." Moritz writes to Melchior's mother, his only adult friend, asking for money to help him flee to ]; she tenderly but firmly denies his request and promises to write his parents to discourage them from being too hard on him ("And Then There Were None"). Devastated by her refusal, and feeling he has few choices left, Moritz contemplates suicide.


In a stuffy hayloft during a storm, Melchior considers his own frustration at being caught between childhood and adulthood ("The Mirror-Blue Night"). Wendla finds him once again, telling him she wants to return his journal, and each awkwardly apologizes for what happened the last time they met. Before long, they begin to kiss; Wendla resists his advances at first. Though she seems uncertain about how far she wants to take their physical relationship, they begin to have ] ("I Believe"). In a stuffy hayloft during a storm, Melchior expresses his frustration about being caught between childhood and adulthood ("The Mirror-Blue Night"). Wendla finds him once again, telling him she wants to return his journal, and each apologizes for what happened in the forest. Melchior, disappointed in himself from the night before, urges her to leave. Wendla ignores this, instead suggesting they run in the rain until they "get soaked to the skin". Before long, they begin to kiss. Both of them nervous, they continue to entangle themselves and then hesitate sensing that what they are doing is something very powerful. Wendla is not entirely sure of what they are about to do but is certain that it is unlike anything that she has known before. They continue and then have sex in the hayloft; as Melchior penetrates her, Wendla cries out ("I Believe"). (Note: This scene was very much softened from the show's Off-Broadway run, where consent from Wendla was unclear and stage notes suggest explicit rape. Later, as staged by the Broadway show, Wendla gives explicit consent to Melchior, but does so without full understanding of what they are going to do.)<ref name="NYT Review">{{cite news|last=Isherwood|first=Charles|author-link=Charles Isherwood|title=Sex and Rock? What would the Kaiser think?|url=http://theater.nytimes.com/2006/12/11/theater/reviews/11spri.html|access-date=16 September 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=11 December 2006}}</ref>


;Act II ===Act II===
Wendla and Melchior are finishing their moment of intimacy in the hayloft; they reflect on and discuss what has just happened ("The Guilty Ones"). Meanwhile, Moritz, having been thrown out of his home, wanders the town at dusk, carrying a ] ("Don't Do Sadness"). He happens upon free-spirited Ilse, also homeless, who invites him to join her in sharing some old childhood memories, and perhaps something more, but Moritz refuses ("Blue Wind"). After she has left, he calls after her, but it is too late; she is gone. Believing that he has nowhere to turn, Moritz shoots and ].


Moritz, having been thrown out of his home, wanders the town at dusk, carrying a ] when he comes across Ilse, a childhood friend of his. Ilse, who it is implied has feelings for Moritz, tells him she has found refuge at an artists' colony, and they reminisce in some childhood memories and "remarkable times". She invites him to come home with her and join her in sharing some more childhood memories, and maybe something more. Moritz refuses and Ilse does everything she can to change his mind ("Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind"). After affirming to Ilse that he truly wished he could go with her, Moritz refuses and Ilse leaves – distraught and upset. Realizing that Ilse was his last chance to escape the fate he's set out for himself, Moritz quickly changes his mind and calls after her, but it is too late – she is gone. Alone and believing that he has nowhere to turn, Moritz shoots himself.
At Moritz's ], each of his friends drops a flower into his grave, and Melchior chastises Moritz's father for being so cruel to his friend, as the other students look at Moritz's father with disgust for pushing Moritz too hard when he was alive ("Left Behind"). Back at school, the schoolmaster and teacher inform Melchior that Moritz's parents found the sex essay he had written for him. They lay the blame on Melchior for his friend's suicide, and although Melchior knows that he is not to blame, he knows there is nothing he can do to fight them, and he is expelled ("Totally Fucked"). Elsewhere that night, Hanschen meets up with his shy and delicate classmate Ernst. In a ] scene, Hanschen shares his pragmatic outlook on life with his classmate before seducing him. It is Ernst's first sexual experience, and he tells Hanschen that he loves him as the two share a passionate kiss ("The Word Of Your Body" (reprise)).


Wendla and Melchior are finishing their moment of confused intimacy in the hayloft; they reflect on and discuss what has just happened ("The Guilty Ones". In the Off-Broadway production, Act II began with "There Once Was a Pirate".)
Wendla has become ill, and her mother takes her to visit a doctor. He gives her some medication and assures them both that Wendla is suffering from ] and will be fine, but he takes Wendla's mother aside and tells her that Wendla is ]. When her mother confronts her with this information, Wendla is completely shocked, not understanding how this could have happened. She realizes that her mother lied to her about how babies are made. Though she berates her mother for leaving her ignorant, her mother rejects the guilt and insists Wendla tell her who the father is. Wendla reluctantly surrenders a passionate note Melchior sent her after they consummated their relationship. Wendla reflects somberly on her current condition and the circumstances that led her to this difficult position but ends with optimism about her future child ("Whispering"). Meanwhile, Melchior's parents argue about their son's fate; his mother does not believe that the essay he wrote for Moritz is sufficient reason to send him away to ]. When Melchior's father tells his wife about Wendla's pregnancy, however, she agrees that they must send Melchior away, which they do without telling him that Wendla is pregnant.


]
At the reform school, Melchior gets into a fight with some boys who grab a letter he has just received from Wendla and use it in a ] game. As one of the boys reads from the letter, Melchior finally learns about Wendla and their child, and he escapes from the institution to find her. He does not know that Wendla's mother has already taken her to an underground practitioner to have an ]. When Melchior reaches town, he sends a message to Wendla's friends to have her meet him at the cemetery at midnight. There, he stumbles across Moritz's grave, and swears to himself that he and Wendla will raise their child in a compassionate and open environment. Spotting a freshly dug grave, Melchior discovers that Wendla has died from 'anemia.' Overcome with grief, he takes out a ] with the intention of killing himself. Moritz's and Wendla's spirits rise from their graves to offer him their strength. They persuade him to journey on, and he resolves to live and to carry their memories with him forever ("Those You've Known").


At Moritz's ], each of the children drops a flower into his grave as Melchior laments the passing of his friend while touching on the factors that led to his death, including the way his parents treated him ("Left Behind").
Led by Ilse, everyone assembles onstage to sing "The Song of Purple Summer" about life and hope.

Back at school, the schoolmaster and teacher feel the need to call attention away from Moritz, whose death was a direct result of their actions. They search through Moritz's belongings and find the essay on sex which Melchior wrote for him. They seize the opportunity to lay the blame of Moritz's death on Melchior, and although Melchior knows that he is not to blame, he knows there is nothing he can do to fight them and is expelled as a result ("Totally Fucked").

Elsewhere that night, Hänschen meets up with his shy and delicate classmate Ernst. Ernst tells Hänschen about his plans to become a pastor after school, and Hänschen shares his pragmatic outlook on life. He is amazed with how Ernst has remained so innocent despite the horrible things happening around them. They kiss and Ernst reveals that he loves Hänschen. ("The Word of Your Body (Reprise)").

Wendla has become ill, and her mother takes her to visit a doctor. He gives her some medication and assures them both that Wendla is suffering from ] and will be fine, but takes Wendla's mother aside and tells her that Wendla is ]. When her mother confronts her with this information, Wendla is completely shocked, not understanding how it could have happened. She realizes that her mother lied to her about how babies are made. Although she berates her mother for leaving her ignorant, her mother rejects the guilt and insists Wendla tell her who the child's father is. Wendla reluctantly surrenders a passionate note Melchior sent her after they consummated their relationship. She reflects somberly on her current condition and the circumstances that precipitated it, but resolves with optimism about her future child ("Whispering").

Meanwhile, Melchior's parents argue about their son's fate; his mother does not believe that the essay he wrote for Moritz is sufficient reason to send him away to ]. When Melchior's father (Callum) tells his wife about Wendla's pregnancy, she finally agrees that they must send Melchior away, which they do without telling him that Wendla is pregnant.

During this time, Melchior and Wendla keep contact through letters, delivered by Ilse. At the reform school, Melchior gets into a fight with some boys who grab a letter he has just received from Wendla and use it in a masturbation game. As one of the boys reads from the letter, Melchior finally learns about Wendla and their child, and he escapes from the institution to find her. Meanwhile, a very terrified and clueless Wendla is taken to a back-alley abortionist by her mother.

When Melchior reaches town after a few days, he sends a message to Ilse, asking her to have Wendla meet him at the cemetery at midnight. Ilse, however, can take no action, as Melchior "hasn't heard" about Wendla. She shows Anna, Martha, and Thea the letter. They are equally horrified, and decide not to tell Melchior what has happened. At the cemetery, Melchior stumbles across Moritz's grave and swears to himself that he and Wendla will raise their child in a compassionate and open environment. When Wendla is late to the meeting, Melchior begins to feel a little uneasy. Looking around, Melchior sees a fresh grave he had not noticed before. He reads the name on the stone – Wendla's – and realizes that Wendla has died after a botched ]. Overwhelmed by shock and grief, he takes out a razor with intent to kill himself. Moritz's and Wendla's spirits rise from their graves to offer him strength. They persuade him to journey on, and he resolves to live and to carry their memories with him forever ("Those You've Known").

Led by Ilse, everyone assembles onstage now (in some stagings, wearing modern clothes) to sing about how although the adults may still call the shots with their uptight views, they will not last forever, and the seeds are already being planted for a new, open-minded, informed generation ("The Song of Purple Summer").

==Characters==

=== The children ===
*Melchior Gabor – An intelligent schoolboy with radical ideals who falls in love with Wendla
*Wendla Bergmann – An innocent, curious girl who has a relationship with Melchior
*Moritz Stiefel – Melchior's best friend. He is tormented by growing up and feelings of failure.
*Ilse Neumann – A friend of the other children who was kicked out of an abusive home and now lives in an artists' colony
*Hänschen Rilow – An intelligent and bisexual schoolboy. Ernst's love interest.<ref name=mti> Music Theatre International</ref>
*Martha Bessell – A friend of Wendla's who is abused by her father. She has a crush on Moritz.
*Ernst Röbel – A ] classmate who is ashamed of his sexuality. He is Hänschen's love interest.<ref name=mti/>
*Georg Zirschnitz – A classmate who lusts after his older, busty piano teacher
*Otto Lämmermeier – A classmate who has a disturbing dream about his mother
*Thea – Wendla's best friend. She has a crush on Melchior.
*Anna – Martha's best friend
*Greta Brandenburg (2015 Broadway revival)
*Bobby Maler (2015 Broadway revival)
*Melitta – Thea's twin sister (2015 Broadway revival)

=== Boys in the reformatory ===
*Dieter – Usually played by the same actor as Georg
*Rupert – Usually played by the same actor as Hänschen
*Reinhold – Usually played by the same actor as Ernst
*Ulbrecht – Usually played by the same actor as Otto

=== Adults ===
''Traditionally, the roles of all the adults are performed by one man and one woman. However, in the 2015 Broadway revival, there were two pairs of adults: one hearing pair, and one deaf/HoH pair.''
*Frau Bergmann – Wendla's mother
*Fanny Gabor – Melchior's mother
*Frau Bessell – Martha's mother
*Fräulein Großebüstenhalter – Georg's piano teacher
*Fräulein Knuppeldick – an associate of Headmaster Knochenbruch
*Headmaster Knochenbruch – the boys' school headmaster
*Herr Sonnenstich – a schoolteacher
*Herr Gabor – Melchior's father
*Herr Stiefel – Moritz's father
*Herr Rilow – Hanschen's father
*Herr Neumann – Ilse's Father
*Father Kaulbach – a priest
*Doctor von Brausepulver – Visits Wendla during her pregnancy
*Schmidt – the abortionist


==Musical numbers== ==Musical numbers==
{{col-begin}} {{col-begin}}
{{col-2}} {{col-2}}
;Act I ; Act I
* "Mama Who Bore Me" - Wendla * "Mama Who Bore Me" Wendla
* "Mama Who Bore Me" (Reprise) - Wendla & Girls * "Mama Who Bore Me" (Reprise) Girls
* "All That's Known" - Melchior * "All That's Known" Melchior
* "The Bitch of Living" - Moritz, Melchior, & Boys * "The Bitch of Living" Boys
* "My Junk" - Girls & Boys * "My Junk" – Boys and Girls (except Ilse)
* "Touch Me" - Boys & Girls * "Touch Me" Boys and Girls
* "The Word of Your Body" - Wendla & Melchior * "The Word of Your Body" Wendla and Melchior
* "The Dark I Know Well" - Martha & Ilse * "The Dark I Know Well" Martha, Ilse, Boys
* "And Then There Were None" – Moritz and Boys
* "The Word of Your Body" (Interlude) - Otto & Georg
* "And Then There Were None" - Moritz & Boys * "The Mirror-Blue Night" Melchior and Boys
* "I Believe" – Boys and Girls
* "The Mirror-Blue Night" - Melchior & Boys
* "I Believe" - Boys & Girls
{{col-break}}
;Act II
* ++"There Once Was a Pirate"/"The Guilty Ones" - Wendla, Melchior, Boys, & Girls
* "Don't Do Sadness" - Moritz
* "Blue Wind" - Ilse
* "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" - Moritz & Ilse
* "Left Behind" - Melchior, Boys, & Girls
* "Totally Fucked" - Melchior & Full Company (except Moritz)
* "The Word of Your Body" (Reprise) - Hanschen, Ernst, Boys, & Girls
* "Whispering" - Wendla
* "Those You've Known" - Moritz, Wendla, & Melchior
* "The Song of Purple Summer" - Ilse & Full Company

'''++Note''': "The Guilty Ones" replaced off-Broadway version's Act II opening, "There Once Was A Pirate"; the latter is available as a bonus track sung by composer Duncan Sheik on the original cast recording.


{{col-2}}
; Act II
* "The Guilty Ones" – Wendla, Melchior, Boys, and Girls
* "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" – Moritz and Ilse
* "Left Behind" – Melchior, Boys, and Girls
* "Totally Fucked" – Melchior and Full Company (except Moritz)
* "The Word of Your Body" (Reprise) – Hänschen, Ernst, Boys (except Moritz), and Girls
* "Whispering" – Wendla
* "Those You've Known" – Moritz, Wendla, and Melchior
* "The Song of Purple Summer" – Ilse and Full Company
{{col-end}} {{col-end}}


'''Note''': "The Guilty Ones" replaced off-Broadway version's Act II opening, "There Once Was a Pirate"; the latter is available as a bonus track sung by composer Duncan Sheik on the iTunes version of the original Broadway cast recording. A reprise of "Touch Me," sung by Melchior, appeared in "Whispering" during the Chicago, Vienna, London runs, was added to the tour, and is part of the amateur rental materials. On the original Broadway cast recording CD, the order of "The Guilty Ones" and "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" is switched.
==Roles and cast information==
The 2021/22 London run re-introduced "There Once Was a Pirate", in place of "The Guilty Ones".
;Original Broadway cast
* Melchior – ]
* Wendla – ]
* Moritz – ]
* Adult Men – ]
* Adult Women – ]
* Ilse – ]
* Georg/Dieter – ]
* Martha – Lilli Cooper
* Ernst/Reinhold – ]
* Otto/Ulbrecht – Brian Charles Johnson
* Anna – Phoebe Strole
* Hanschen/Rupert – ]
* Thea – ]


'''Orchestration'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spring Awakening – Broadway Musical – Original {{!}} IBDB |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/spring-awakening-448811 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=www.ibdb.com}}</ref>
;Notable replacements
* Moritz - ]
* Melchior - ]
* Hanschen - ]
<!-- Please do not add names here unless the actor has their own Misplaced Pages article. Thanks! -->


The original Broadway pit consisted of a 7 piece orchestra:
==Differences between the play and the musical==


* ]: 1 ]/], 1 ], 1 ], 1 ], 1 guitar
In addition to being shorter, having scenes in a different order, and being phrased differently, the book of the musical has some characterization and plot differences from the Wedekind play.
* ]: 1 player
* ]: 1 player


==Major production casts==
In the play, there is another young male character, Robert, and the character Anna does not exist.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Character
!Off-Broadway<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spring Awakening|url=http://www.iobdb.com/production/4272|access-date=2021-08-01|website=www.iobdb.com}}</ref>
! Broadway<ref name="IBDB">{{cite web|url=http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=448811 |title=''Spring Awakening''|publisher=Ibdb.com|access-date=July 24, 2010}}</ref>
! North American National Tour
! London<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8821224867008/Cast:+Spring+Awakening+Stars,+Atherton+Back+on+Q.html |title=London Theatre News, Reviews, Interviews and more |publisher=WhatsOnStage |access-date=2014-03-10 |archive-date=2011-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615173641/http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8821224867008/Cast:+Spring+Awakening+Stars,+Atherton+Back+on+Q.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
! First Broadway Revival<ref>{{Cite web|title = ''Spring Awakening''|url = http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=501403|website = ibdb.com|access-date = 2015-08-17}}</ref>
!First London Revival<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Spring Awakening revival at the Almeida full cast announced {{!}} WhatsOnStage |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/spring-awakening-revival-at-the-almeida-full-cast-_55089.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=www.whatsonstage.com |date=8 October 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |<small>2006</small>
!<small>2008</small>
!<small>2009</small>
!<small>2015</small>
!<small>2021</small>
|-
! Melchior
| colspan="2" |]
| ]
| ]
| ]
| ]
|-
! Wendla
| colspan="2" |]
| ]
| Charlotte Wakefield
| ]<br>Katie Boeck (voice/guitar){{ref|1|a}}
|]
|-
! Moritz
| colspan="2" |]
| ]
| ]
| ]<br>] (voice/guitar){{ref|1|a}}
|Stuart Thompson
|-
! Ilse
| colspan="2" |]
| ]
| ]
| ]
|Carly-Sophia Davies
|-
! Hänschen
| colspan="2" |]
| ]
| ]
| ]
|Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea
|-
! Martha
| colspan="2" |]
| Sarah Hunt
| Hayley Gallivan
| Treshelle Edmond<br>] (voice/guitar){{ref|1|a}}
|Bella Maclean
|-
! Ernst
| colspan="2" |]
| Ben Moss
| ]
| Joshua Castille<br>] (voice/piano){{ref|1|a}}
|Zheng Xi Yong
|-
! Adult men
|]
| ]
| ]
| ]
| ] <br> ]
|Mark Lockyer
|-
! Adult women
|Mary McCann
| ]
| Angela Reed
| ]
| ] <br> ]
|Catherine Cusack
|-
! Georg
| colspan="2" |]
| Matt Shingledecker
| Jos Slovick
| ]
|Joe Pitts
|-
! Otto
| colspan="2" |Brian Charles Johnson
| Anthony Lee Medina
| Edd Judge
| Miles Barbee<br>] (voice/bass){{ref|1|a}}
|Kit Esuruoso
|-
! Anna
| colspan="2" |]
| Gabrielle Garza
| Natasha Barnes
| ]
|Maia Tamrakar
|-
! Thea
| colspan="2" |]
| ]
| ]
| Amelia Hensley<br>Lauren Luiz (voice/Melitta){{ref|1|a}}
| ]
|-
!Gretl
|
|
|
|
|Alexandra Winter (voice/harp)
|
|}
{{refbegin}}
#{{note|1}} This person voiced the lines of a character played by a deaf or hard-of-hearing actor. A new character, Melitta, voiced the character of Thea.
{{refend}}


; Notable Broadway replacements
In the play, most of the children dislike Moritz. Except for Melchior and Hanschen, the boys hope that Moritz will get in trouble for breaking into the school records. Thea says that Moritz is always doing something weird. The other boys also insensitively gossip about the method Moritz used to kill himself. In the musical, all the children like Moritz; the other boys are happy for him when he passes his midterms, and all the children look sad at his funeral. Also, in the play Moritz's father doesn't cry at his funeral, but in the musical he breaks down sobbing.
* Melchior – ], ] and ]
* Wendla – ]
* Ernst - Blake Daniel
* Moritz – ] and ]
* Adult Women – ]
* Hanschen – ] and ]
* Anna – ]
* Thea – ]
* Ensemble – ]


; Notable Broadway swings
In the play, Hanschen is portrayed as nicer than most of the boys, and his scene with Ernst is loving. In the musical, there are several references to his peers finding him creepy and his scene with Ernst is manipulative.
* ] – Anna, Thea, Martha and Ilse
* ] – Anna, Thea, Martha, Ilse and Wendla
* ] – Hanschen, Ernst, Otto, Georg and Melchior


; Notable tour replacements
In the play, when Hanschen is talking to his postcard, he tells it that he's going to flush it down the toilet so he can have control over his masturbation. In the musical, he is masturbating as he imagines killing the girl in the postcard.
* Melchior – ], ], ]
* Moritz – ]
<!-- Please add only blue-linked cast replacements -->


==Original concept==
In the play, Martha is physically abused by her father. In the musical, Martha and Ilse are physically and sexually abused by their fathers.
Before opening the show off-Broadway, Duncan Sheik had composed an arrangement of song demos for the original concept of ''Spring Awakening''. Back then the musical's plot adhered more closely to the original play's plot. Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik had originally intended for Melchior actually to rape Wendla at the end of "I Believe," but decided to change that plot because he wanted the scene to be more loving between the two characters. In workshops, "I Believe" ended with Wendla's scream while being raped. "All That's Known" replaced a song titled "All Numb". Both songs had the same theme, but because the directors had to reduce time for the show, "All Numb" was cut and replaced with "All That's Known".


A song called "A Comet on Its Way" was replaced by "The Bitch of Living". Although both songs followed the same basic theme, Sheik thought that "The Bitch of Living", being more upbeat, fit the show better. "Those You've Known" replaced a song called "The Clouds Will Drift Away", which was cut because Sheik wanted the song between the three main characters to stay close to the "All That's Known" theme. "Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)" was originally intended to be performed after "Touch Me". Another song, entitled "Great Sex" (which was intended to be performed after "Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)"), was also cut from the show because the directors thought the song pointed out the theme of the show too specifically. It was intended to be performed during Hanschen's masturbation scene, but the song was removed and the scene moved into the middle of "My Junk".
In the play, Melchior rapes Wendla. In the musical, she says no but then puts his hand on her breast, indicating consent, and then seems to enjoy having sex. While this can still be considered rape because Wendla isn't educated about sex, it is more ambiguous than in the play.


==Production history==
In the play, Moritz slightly regrets not going with Ilse because she is promiscuous and he wanted to have sex before he committed suicide. In the musical, it's implied that he greatly wants to go with her but is unable to agree for some reason. After she leaves, he expresses his regret by saying "For the love of God, all I had to do was say yes! Ilse! ILSE!...I'll tell them all, the angels... I sang and played pirates."
''Spring Awakening'' had a number of workshops, concerts and rewrites over a seven-year period, including workshops at ], ], California, and the ], and a concert at ] in February 2005, under the auspices of actor/producer ].<ref>Estvanik, Nicole {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619190548/http://tcg.org/publications/at/mayjune06/sheik.cfm |date=2010-06-19 }} Theatre Communications Group, retrieved January 15, 2010</ref> It premiered ] at the ] on May 19, 2006 and ran through August 5, 2006.<ref name="bway">Pincus-Roth, Zachary. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604180123/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/104169-Spring-Awakening-Advance-Approaches-2-Million |date=2011-06-04 }} playbill.com, December 12, 2006</ref>


===Broadway===
In the play, the ghost of Moritz tries to convince Melchior to kill himself, but is stopped by the Masked Man. In the musical, Melchior decides to kill himself when he sees the newly-erected grave of Wendla, but then the ghosts of Moritz and Wendla convince him not to.
The musical opened on Broadway at the ] on December 10, 2006<ref name=bway/> and closed on January 18, 2009, after 859 performances and 29 previews. It was directed by ] with choreography by ], costume designs by ], set designs by Christine Jones and lighting by ].<ref>Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth. , ''Playbill'', November 16, 2006</ref> It received nearly unanimous favorable reviews,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/blogs/viewblog.cfm?blogid=1640 |title=Spring Awakening Review Roundup |publisher=BroadwayWorld.com |access-date=2014-03-10}}</ref><ref>Pincus-Roth, Zachary. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604180123/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/104169-Spring-Awakening-Advance-Approaches-2-Million |date=2011-06-04 }} playbill.com, December 12, 2006</ref> and easily recouped its initial $6 million capitalization, breaking even on August 27, 2007.<ref>Gans, Andrew and Hetrick, Adam. , ''Playbill'', August 28, 2007</ref>


] released the original ] on December 12, 2006, which won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2008.<ref name="grammy" /> The guitar on which Sheik composed songs for ''Spring Awakening'' was included in the 2008 exhibition "Writing to Character: Songwriters & the Tony Awards" at the ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Anthony |first=Ellen |url=http://www.broadway.tv/broadway-features-reviews/Hidden-Broadway-Treasures-Revealed |title=Hidden Broadway Treasures Revealed |publisher=Broadway Magazine |access-date=April 7, 2012 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923164730/http://www.broadway.tv/broadway-features-reviews/Hidden-Broadway-Treasures-Revealed |archive-date=September 23, 2011}}</ref>
==Other productions==
A U.S. national tour (with one stop in Toronto, Canada) is scheduled to open in August 2008, at ]'s ]. Tour dates have been announced through August 2009 beginning on the West Coast and moving to the East Coast by June 2009.


===United States tours===
A London production has been announced to begin in January 2009, with an official opening on February 3, 2009 at the ].<ref></ref>
A U.S. national tour (with one stop in ], Canada) opened on August 15, 2008 at The Balboa Theatre in ]. The national tour ended on May 23, 2010 in ].<ref>Hetrick, Adam. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525023045/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/139748-Spring-Awakening-National-Tour-Ends-Run-in-Orlando-May-23 |date=2010-05-25 }} playbill.com, May 23, 2010</ref> A non-equity US tour began at Shryock Auditorium on October 14, 2010 in ].<ref>Gans, Andrew. playbill.com, July 21, 2010</ref> The non-equity US tour ended its run on May 15, 2011 in ], Ontario, Canada at the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.springawakening.com/tickets-and-tour-schedule/page-2.html |title=''Spring Awakening'' on Tour – Tickets and Tour Schedule |publisher=Springawakening.com |date=2011-05-15 |access-date=2014-03-10}}</ref>
A South Korean production is slated to begin in summer 2009, to be produced by Musical Heaven.{{cn}}


===Original London production===
Other Productions have been announced for 2009 openings in Canada, Israel (in Hebrew), Germany and Austria (in German), Spain (in Spanish), Japan (in Japanese), France (in French), The Netherlands (in Dutch), Denmark (in Danish), Finland (in Finnish), Iceland (in Icelandic), Norway (in Norwegian), and Sweden (in Swedish).<ref></ref>
], spring 2009]]
The first London production began January 23, 2009 at the ], transferred to the ] on March 21, 2009, and closed on May 30, 2009.<ref>Shenton, Mark., ''Playbill'', May 19, 2008</ref><ref>Hetrick, Adam and Shenton, Mark., playbill.com</ref> It won four ], including Best New Musical.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item110508/Olivier-Winners-2010/ |title=Previous Winners: Olivier Winners 2010 |publisher=Olivier Awards |access-date=2014-03-10 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907154120/http://www.olivierawards.com/about/previous-winners/view/item110508/Olivier-Winners-2010/ |archive-date=2012-09-07}}</ref>


=== 2015 Broadway revival ===
==Awards and nominations==
] mounted a production directed by ] based on a concept of Arden's husband, first National Tour cast-member ]. The cast, made up of both deaf and hearing actors, performed the show in ] and English simultaneously. The deaf and hard-of-hearing actors in certain roles were paired with a hearing actor who voiced the roles. The majority of the hearing actors were also part of the live onstage band.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-deaf-west-theatres-spring-awakening-20140917-story.html|title=An emotionally charged 'Spring Awakening' by Deaf West Theatre|last=Foley|first=F. Kathleen|date=September 17, 2014|work=The Los Angeles Times}}</ref> The production incorporated 19th-century-appropriate aspects of ] in ] to complement the themes of miscommunication, lack of proper sex education, and denial of voice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-deaf-west-spring-awakening-20140925-story.html#page=1|title=Deaf West Theatre makes Tony winner 'Spring Awakening' all its own|last=Vankin|first=Deborah|work=]|date=25 September 2014 }}</ref> The production opened in Los Angeles in the fall of 2014 at the Rosenthal Theater. When it transferred to the ] in Beverly Hills from May to June 2015, Mientus and original Broadway cast swing ] played Ilse.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} The production transferred to Broadway at the ] with the same cast, except the addition of ], ], ], and ] in the adult roles.<ref>, Broadwayworld.com, July 30, 2015</ref> It was produced by ] and ]. The revival began previews on September 8, 2015 and opened on September 27, 2015. It closed on January 24, 2016.<ref name="revival">{{cite web|url=http://www.laweekly.com/arts/im-a-spring-awakening-superfan-but-i-dont-think-the-la-production-should-be-on-broadway-5806874|title=I'm a ''Spring Awakening'' superfan but I don't think the LA production should be on Broadway|last=Buenneke|first=Katie|date=2015-08-06|publisher=LA Weekly|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref>
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
''']'''


The production was nominated for the 2016 ]<ref>Franklin, Marc J. , ''Playbill'', September 27, 2019</ref> and received unanimously positive reviews. In his review for '']'', ] called it "a first-rate production of a transporting musical."<ref>{{Cite news|title = Review: ''Spring Awakening'' by Deaf West Theater Brings a New Sensation to Broadway|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/28/theater/review-spring-awakening-by-deaf-west-theater-brings-a-new-sensation-to-broadway.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 2015-09-27|access-date = 2016-02-23|issn = 0362-4331|first = Charles|last = Isherwood|author-link=Charles Isherwood}}</ref> The ] called it "a sheer triumph," and '']'' called it "brilliant and beautiful."<ref>{{Cite web|title = Theater Review: A Signed (But Not Silenced) ''Spring Awakening''|url = http://www.vulture.com/2015/09/theater-review-a-signed-spring-awakening.html|website = Vulture| date=27 September 2015 |access-date = 2016-02-23}}</ref> The revival focused on making theater and Broadway accessible to people with disabilities. In addition to having deaf cast members, it featured the first Broadway performer to use a wheelchair, ].<ref>{{Cite web|title = 'Spring Awakening''s Stroker Bway's first wheelchair actor|url = http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/theater-arts/ali-stroker-broadway-history-spring-awakening-article-1.2361740|website = NY Daily News| date=15 September 2015 |access-date = 2016-02-23}}</ref> ''Spring Awakening'' was also the first Broadway production to provide interpretation for deaf-blind theatergoers.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Awakening the Senses on Broadway|url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/awakening-the-senses-on-broadway-1450136087|newspaper = Wall Street Journal|access-date = 2016-02-23|issn = 0099-9660|first = Sophia|last = Hollander}}</ref> On January 15, 2016, the producers of ''Spring Awakening'', in association with ], presented a symposium titled "How to Make Broadway More Accessible," featuring members of the disability community and a keynote address from ], chairman of ].<ref>{{Cite web|title = Symposium on Accessibility – An Invitation from ''Spring Awakening'' and The Broadway League|url = http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=d37264f392b9b15b7310798e0&id=0465d6df36|website = us6.campaign-archive2.com|access-date = 2016-02-23}}</ref>
*'''Win'''/Best Musical
*'''Win'''/Best Book of a Musical (])
*'''Win'''/Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Music: ]; Lyrics: ])
*Nomination/Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (])
*'''Win'''/Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (])
*'''Win'''/Best Direction of a Musical (])
*'''Win'''/Best Choreography (])
*'''Win'''/Best Orchestrations (])
*Nomination/Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Christine Jones)
*Nomination/Best Costume Design of a Musical (Susan Hilferty)
*'''Win'''/Best Lighting Design of a Musical (])


=== 2021 London revival ===
''']'''
A London revival at the ] began previews on 30 November 2021, and opened on 14 December to critical acclaim.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All That's Known: What's the critics' verdict on the Almeida's Spring Awakening? {{!}} WhatsOnStage |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/review-roundup-spring-awakening-almeida-2021_55584.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=www.whatsonstage.com |date=20 December 2021 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Directed by ], choreographed by Lynne Page and designed by ], it was led by ] as Melchior, Amara Okereke as Wendla and Stuart Thompson as Moritz.<ref name=":1" /> The limited run closed, after a week's extension, on 29 January 2022. The production received a ] nomination for ], and won two ]s including ] in the same year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yossman |first=K. J. |date=2022-03-08 |title=Eddie Redmayne, Jessie Buckley and Emma Corrin Nominated for Olivier Awards 2022 |url=https://variety.com/2022/theater/news/olivier-awards-nominations-2022-1235199067/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Winners of Critics' Circle Theatre Awards announced {{!}} WhatsOnStage |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/winners-of-critics-circle-theatre-awards-announced_56241.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=www.whatsonstage.com |date=3 April 2022 |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* '''Win'''/Outstanding New Broadway Musical
* '''Win'''/Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
* '''Win'''/Outstanding Director of a Musical (])


=== 2024 London reunion Concert ===
''']'''
* '''Win'''/Best Musical


On 1st February 2024, it was announced that Jack Maple and original London cast member ] would present a one night reunion concert on 2nd June 2024 at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London's West End. The concert reunited a majority of the original London cast, band and stage management teams. Changes to the cast included; ] (original swing) taking over Melchior, Rich Southgate (another original Swing) as Hanschen and Olivier Award-nominee Jack Wolfe joining the cast as Moritz. The concert raised funds for one of the Original London production's producers, Imogen Kinchin.
''']'''


===International productions===
* '''Win'''/Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album
The first European production began on August 30, 2008, at Värmlandsoperan in ], Sweden, closing in March 2009.{{Citation needed|date=May 2017}} A second Swedish language production opened in Helsingborg on March 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/live-swedish-recording-of-spring-awakening-planned-157250|title=Live Swedish recording of ''Spring Awakening'' planned|last=Hetrick|first=Adam|date=2009-01-22|publisher=Playbill|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref> A Finnish production opened in Helsinki on 5 February 2009 and closed in November 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ovrtur.com/production/2898003|title=Spring Awakening, Finnish production|year=2015|publisher=Ovrtur|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref> A Hungarian-language (first non-replica) production premiered on February 7, 2009 in ] at the Nyugati Teátrum, with the title ''Tavaszébredés''. This production ran until May 26, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.operett.hu/operett.php?pid=show&rId=61&mId=2907&evad=4|title=Budapesti Operettszínház|publisher=Operett.hu|access-date=2014-03-10}}</ref> A German-language staging opened in Vienna, Austria on March 21, 2009, and closed on May 30, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicalvienna.at/|title=Musical Vienna – Die offizielle Seite der VBW mit allen Infos, Tickets und Terminen|publisher=Musicalvienna.at|access-date=2014-03-10}}</ref> A live cast recording was released. A Danish-language poduction opened at ] on June 13, 2009, and closed on September 15.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CHRISTIANSEN |first=JOHN |date=2009-05-15 |title=Det krakelerede forår |url=https://jyllands-posten.dk/kultur/teater/ECE4122430/spring-awakening-aalborg-teater/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Jyllands-Posten |language=da}}</ref> There was also Slovenian production in the ] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mgl.si/sl/program/predstave/pomladno-prebujenje/|title=Pomladno prebujenje|year=2015|publisher=MGL|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref>
{{col-break}}
''']'''
* '''Win'''/Outstanding Musical
* Nomination/Outstanding Actor in a Musical (])
* Nomination/Outstanding Actor in a Musical (])
* Nomination/Outstanding Actress in a Musical (])
* '''Win'''/Outstanding Director of a Musical (])
* Nomination/Outstanding Choreography (])
* '''Win'''/Outstanding Music (])
* '''Win'''/Outstanding Lyrics (])
* Nomination/Outstanding Book of a Musical (])
* Nomination/Outstanding Orchestrations (])


An English-language production opened in Valletta, ] at the St. James Cavalier Theatre on April 17, 2009, directed by Wesley Ellul, choreographed by Fiona Barthet and featured Davide Tucci as Georg and Daniel Casingena as Otto. This was produced by the MADC. The run was extended after it sold out.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Casingena|first1=Dan|title=Mr|url=http://www.redteatral.net/versiones-musicales-spring-awakening-11434|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011073147/http://www.redteatral.net/versiones-musicales-spring-awakening-11434|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 11, 2017|website=Red Teatral|publisher=Dan Cas|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref>
''']s'''
* '''Win'''/Distinguished Production of a Musical
* Nomination/Distinguished Performance (])
* Nomination/Distinguished Performance (])


A Japanese-language production opened in Tokyo at the Shiki Theatre Jiyu May 2, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shiki.gr.jp/applause/springawakening/index.html|title=春のめざめ作品紹介|劇団四季|publisher=Shiki.gr.jp|access-date=2014-03-10|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117014939/http://www.shiki.gr.jp/applause/springawakening/index.html|archive-date=2014-01-17}}</ref> A Brazilian production in ] ran with the title ''O Despertar da Primavera'' from August 21, 2009 to January 31, 2010. It then transferred to ]. A cast recording was released in January.<ref name="revival" /> A Philippine production opened in Manila in the Carlos P. Roumolo Auditorium, ], on September 25 and ran until the October 17, 2009. It was performed in English and was directed by Chari Arespachochaga.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atlantisproductionsinc.com|title=Atlantis Productions Inc|publisher=Atlantis Productions Inc.|access-date=2014-03-10}}</ref> A Czech-language production opened in Brno, Czech Republic at the City Theatre Brno on November 21, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mdb.cz/inscenace/221-probuzeni-jara-spring-awakening/|title=Městské divadlo Brno &#124; Inscenace Probuzení jara|publisher=Mdb.cz|access-date=2014-03-10|archive-date=2013-12-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224100635/http://www.mdb.cz/inscenace/221-probuzeni-jara-spring-awakening/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
''']'''
* '''Tie'''/Outstanding Musical (tied with ])
* Outstanding Director (])
* Outstanding Choreographer (])
* Outstanding Costume Design (Susan Hilferty)
* '''Win'''/Outstanding Lighting Design (])
* Outstanding Sound Design (Brian Ronan)


] staged an Australian non-replica production that opened on 4 February 2010 at the ] and closed on 7 March.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/photo-call-spring-awakening-in-rehearsal-for-sydney-debut-165334|title=Spring Awakening in rehearsal for Sydney debut|last=Blank|first=Matthew|date=2010-01-28|publisher=Playbill|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref> An Argentine production with the Spanish title ''Despertar de Primavera – Un Musical Diferente'' opened in ] on March 19, 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://showsargentinos.com/despertar-de-primavera/|title=''Despertar de Primavera'' 2017|date=2016-09-24|work=Shows Argentinos|access-date=2018-03-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313180411/http://showsargentinos.com/despertar-de-primavera/|archive-date=2018-03-13|url-status=live}}</ref> A production played at the Griffin Theatre, Chicago, running from December 4 to January 8, 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/theater/15045553/spring-awakening-at-griffin-theatre-company-theater-review|title=Spring Awakening at Griffin Theatre Company &#124; Theater review|last=Vire|first=Kris|date=December 6, 2011|publisher=Time Out Chicago|access-date=April 7, 2012}}</ref> A ] production toured Wales from the beginning of March 2011 visiting 8 different locations, with ] (Welsh-language national theatre).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/showbiz/theatr-genedlaethol-cymru-shows-spring-1846814|title=Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru shows ''Spring Awakening'' adaptation|date=2011-03-18|publisher=Wales Online|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref> The first UK national tour took place in May and June 2011, produced by ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831291154751/Spring+Awakening+Embarks+on+First+UK+Tour+in+May.html|title=London Theatre News, Reviews, Interviews and more|publisher=WhatsOnStage|access-date=2014-03-10}}</ref><ref>Meads, Glenn. . whatsonstage.com, 15 June 2011</ref>
{{col-end}}


==References== ==In other media==
In the television series '']'', the first few episodes contain the school and some of the characters as they prepare, and eventually perform in ''Spring Awakening'', though in reality the amateur production rights were not available at the time. Parts of some songs and scenes are performed through the episodes, such as "Mama Who Bore Me" and "The Bitch of Living". Annie and Ty played the principal roles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/90210-will-enjoy-a-spring-awakening-in-the-fall-com-152611|title=''90210'' Will Enjoy a Spring Awakening in the Fall|website=Playbill| access-date=2018-04-10}}</ref>
{{reflist}}


The 2015 Broadway revival was featured in the award-winning documentary series '']'' produced by the ].<ref>{{Cite web| title=Sign Language Theatre|url=https://americantheatrewing.org/working-in-the-theatre/sign-language-theatre|access-date=November 12, 2020|website=The American Theatre Wing}}</ref> The 2018 television series ] focuses on a high school English teacher attempting to put on a production of ''Spring Awakening'' while facing resistance from members of the community – including parents of cast members – who consider the material inappropriate for teenagers.<ref>{{Citation|title=Rise|website=NBC.com|url=https://www.nbc.com/rise?nbc=1|access-date=2018-04-10}}</ref>
==External links==
* of the Broadway production.
* article about the show moving to Broadway.
* website with information about the off-Broadway production.
* article about the show moving to Broadway.
* at
* at
*


==Major awards and nominations==
{{s-start}}

{{s-ach|aw}}
===Original Off-Broadway/Broadway production===
{{s-bef | before = '']''}}
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;"
{{s-ttl | title = {{nowrap|]}} | years = ]}}
|-
{{s-inc}}
! style="width:5%;"| Year
! style="width:25%;"| Award ceremony
! style="width:40%;"| Category
! style="width:20%;"| Nominee
! style="width:10%;"| Result
|-
| rowspan="37" style="text-align:center;"| 2007
| rowspan="11"| ]<ref>{{cite web|last=Gans |first=Andrew |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/108083-2006-2007-Tony-Nominations-Announced-Spring-Awakening-Garners-11-Noms |title=2006–2007 Tony Nominations Announced; ''Spring Awakening'' Garners 11 Noms |publisher=Playbill.com |date=May 15, 2007 |access-date=April 7, 2012 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200012/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/108083-2006-2007-Tony-Nominations-Announced-Spring-Awakening-Garners-11-Noms |archive-date=October 29, 2013 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ] and Steven Sater
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| Duncan Sheik
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="10"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dramadesk.com/press047.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725053043/http://www.dramadesk.com/press047.html |url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2008 |title=52nd Annual Drama Desk Award Nominations |publisher=Dramadesk.com |date=April 26, 2007 |access-date=April 7, 2012 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| Steven Sater
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Michael Mayer
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| Bill T. Jones
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Duncan Sheik
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Duncan Sheik
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| Steven Sater
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="6"| ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lortelaward.com/2007nominees.htm |title=2007 Nominations and Recipients |publisher=Lortelaward.com |access-date=February 3, 2013 |archive-date=August 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808152318/http://www.lortelaward.com/2007nominees.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2"| Outstanding Musical <small>(tie with ])</small>
| {{won}}
|-
| Outstanding Director
| Michael Mayer
| {{nom}}
|-
| Outstanding Choreographer
| Bill T. Jones
| {{nom}}
|-
| Outstanding Costume Design
| Susan Hilferty
| {{nom}}
|-
| Outstanding Lighting Design
| Kevin Adams
| {{won}}
|-
| Outstanding Sound Design
| Brian Ronan
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="4"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/entertainment/awards/73rd-annual-drama-league.html |title=The 73rd Annual Drama League Awards |publisher=Infoplease.com |access-date=February 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107581-73rd-Annual-Drama-League-Award-Nominees-Announced |title=73rd Annual Drama League Award Nominees Announced |publisher=Playbill.com |access-date=February 3, 2013 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021125431/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/107581-73rd-Annual-Drama-League-Award-Nominees-Announced |archive-date=October 21, 2012 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"| Distinguished Production of a Musical
| {{won}}
|-
| The Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing
| Michael Mayer
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| Distinguished Performance
| John Gallagher Jr.
| {{nom}}
|-
| Jonathan Groff
| {{nom}}
|-
| colspan="2"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theatreworldawards.org/past-recipients.html |title=Past Recipients – Theatre World Awards |publisher=Theatreworldawards.org |access-date=February 3, 2013}}</ref>
| Jonathan Groff
| {{won}}
|-
| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dramacritics.org/dc_pastawards.html#2007 |title=Past Awards |publisher=Dramacritics.org |access-date=February 3, 2013}}</ref>
| colspan="2"| Best Musical
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="3"| ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.outercritics.org/AwardArchives.aspx?_y=2006-2007 |title=Previous Award Years |publisher=Outercritics.org |access-date=February 17, 2013 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130503152330/http://www.outercritics.org/AwardArchives.aspx?_y=2006-2007 |archive-date=May 3, 2013 }}</ref>
| colspan="2"| Outstanding New Broadway Musical
| {{won}}
|-
| colspan="2"| Outstanding New Score
| {{won}}
|- |-
| Outstanding Director of a Musical
{{s-bef | before = '']''<br> by ] and ]}}
| Michael Mayer
{{s-ttl | title = {{nowrap|]}} | years = ]<br>'''by ]'''}}
{{s-inc}} | {{won}}
|- |-
| ]<ref>{{cite web|last=Gans |first=Andrew |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/108214-Champlin-Opel-Stuhlbarg-Sun-and-Miranda-Among-2007-Obie-Award-Winners |title=Champlin, Opel, Stuhlbarg, Sun and Miranda Among 2007 Obie Award Winners |publisher=Playbill.com |date=May 21, 2007 |access-date=February 3, 2013}}</ref>
{{s-bef | before = '']''<br> by ] and ]}}
| Music and Choreography
{{s-ttl | title = {{nowrap|]}} | years = ]<br>'''by ]'''}}
| Bill T. Jones
{{s-inc}}
| {{won}}
|- |-
| style="text-align:center;"| 2008
{{s-bef | before = '']''<br> ], producer}}
| ]<ref name="grammy">Gans, Andrew. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629151642/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114950-Spring-Awakening-Wins-2008-Best-Musical-Show-Album-Grammy-Krieger-and-Dale-Also-Win |date=June 29, 2011 }}</ref>
{{s-ttl | title = {{nowrap|]}} | years = ]<br>'''], producer'''}}
| colspan="2"| ]
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}} | {{won}}
|}
<!-- Please include only prestigious critical awards, not audience awards. It trivializes the awards section. See ]-->

===Original London production===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;"
|-
! style="width:5%;"| Year
! style="width:25%;"| Award
! style="width:40%;"| Category
! style="width:20%;"| Nominee
! style="width:10%;"| Result
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | 2009
|]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-28|title=2009 Results {{!}} Critics' Circle Theatre Awards|url=https://criticscircletheatreawards.com/results/results-2009/|access-date=2021-01-18}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="7" style="text-align:center;" | 2010
| rowspan="7" | ]<ref name=":0" />
| colspan="2" | ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| Charlotte Wakefield
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{won}}
|-
| ]
| Bill T. Jones
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Kevin Adams
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Brian Ronan
| {{won}}
|}

=== 2015 Broadway revival ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;"
|-
! style="width:5%;"| Year
! style="width:25%;"| Award ceremony
! style="width:40%;"| Category
! style="width:20%;"| Nominee
! style="width:10%;"| Result
|-
| rowspan="15" |2015
| rowspan="15" |]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Deaf-Wests-SPRING-AWAKENING-and-More-Top-2015-Ovation-Awards-All-the-Winners-20151110|title=Deaf West's ''Spring Awakening'' and More Top 2015 Ovation Awards; All the Winners!|date=2015-11-10|website=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=2016-04-19}}</ref><br><small>''For the Los Angeles engagements''</small>
|Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre)
|]
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre)
|]
|{{won}}
|-
| colspan="2" | Best Acting Ensemble of a Musical
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Choreography
|Spencer Liff
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Music Direction
|Jared Stein
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Direction of a Musical
|]
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Lead Actor in a Musical
|]
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Lead Actress in a Musical
|Sandra Mae Frank
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Featured Actor in a Musical
|]
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Featured Actress in a Musical
|]
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre)
|Travis Hagenbuch
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Lighting Design (Large Theatre)
|Ben Stanton
|{{won}}
|-
|Best Scenic Design (Large Theatre)
|]
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Sound Design (Intimate Theatre)
|Philip Allen
|{{nominated}}
|-
|Best Video/Production Design
|Lucy Mackinnon
|{{nominated}}
|-
| rowspan="19" |2016
| rowspan="3" |]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/production.html/|title=Tony Award Nominees|date=2016-05-03|website=TonyAwards.com|access-date=2016-05-03}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |]
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Director of a Musical
|Michael Arden
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Lighting Design of a Musical
|Ben Stanton
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="4" |]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theatermania.com/broadway/news/she-loves-me-leads-2016-drama-desk-nominations_76886.html|title=She Loves Me, American Psycho, and Bright Star Lead 2016 Drama Desk Award Nominations|date=2016-04-28|website=TheaterMania.com|access-date=2016-04-28}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |]
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Director of a Musical
|Michael Arden
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Choreography
|Spencer Liff
|{{nom}}
|-
|]
|Ben Stanton
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/SHE-LOVES-ME-HAMILTON-THE-CRUCIBLE-More-Earn-2016-Drama-League-Nominations-Check-Out-the-Full-List-20160420|title=SHE LOVES ME, HAMILTON, THE CRUCIBLE & More Earn 2016 Drama League Nominations; Check Out the Full List!|date=2016-04-20|website=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=2016-04-20}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical
|{{nom}}
|-
|Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award
|Deaf West Theatre
|{{won}}
|-
| colspan="2" rowspan="2" |]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/theatre-world-award-winners-announced|title=Theatre World Awards Announce 2016 Winners {{!}} Playbill|last=Gans|first=Andrew|date=2016-05-02|website=Playbill|access-date=2016-05-03}}</ref>
|]
|{{won}}
|-
|Austin P. McKenzie
|{{won}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/184574/american-psycho-she-loves-me-top-list-of-2016-outer-critics-circle-award-nominations/|title=American Psycho & She Loves Me Top List of 2016 Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations|date=2016-04-19|website=Broadway.com|access-date=2016-04-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=McPhee|first1=Ryan|title=She Loves Me, Long Day's Journey Into Night & More Win Big at 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awards|url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/184774/she-loves-me-long-days-journey-into-night-more-win-big-at-2016-outer-critics-circle-awards/|website=Broadway.com|access-date=9 May 2016}}</ref>
| colspan="2" |Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or off-Broadway)
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Director of a Musical
|Michael Arden
|{{won}}
|-
|Outstanding Choreography
|Spencer Liff
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical)
|Ben Stanton
|{{nom}}
|-
|Outstanding Projection Design (Play or Musical)
|Lucy Mackinnon
|{{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/184721/ana-villafane-daveed-diggs-more-among-2016-astaire-award-nominees-now-honoring-off-broadway/|title=Ana Villafane, Daveed Diggs & More Among 2016 Astaire Award Nominees, Now Honoring Off-Broadway|date=2016-05-02|website=Broadway.com|access-date=2016-05-03}}</ref>
|Best Female Dancer
|Sandra Mae Frank
|{{nom}}
|-
|Best Choreographer
|Spencer Liff
|{{nom}}
|}
<!-- Please include only prestigious critical awards, not audience awards. It trivializes the awards section. See ]-->

=== 2021 London revival ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;"
|-
! style="width:5%;" | Year
! style="width:25%;" | Award
! style="width:40%;" | Category
! style="width:20%;" | Nominee
! style="width:10%;" | Result
|-
| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | 2022
| ]
| colspan="2" | ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |]
| colspan="2" |]
|{{won}}
|-
|]
|Stuart Thompson
|{{won}}
|}

==Reunion documentary==
On May 3, 2022, ] released a documentary film entitled ''Spring Awakening: Those You've Known'', which showcases the 15-year reunion of the original company that was held in November 2021 to benefit the ].

== Proposed film adaptation ==
In April 2009, ] was announced as the director for the film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mcg-big-screen-spring-awakening-82296|title=McG has big-screen 'Spring Awakening'|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter|date=2014-04-13|access-date=2017-09-23}}</ref> In 2010, lyricist-librettist Steven Sater told '']'' that a film version of ''Spring Awakening'' could begin production in Europe in the spring of 2013.<ref>Hetrick, Adam. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504073011/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/137745-Steven-Sater-Working-on-Chitty-Remake-Musical-With-Bacharach-Spring-Awakening-Film-and-More |date=2011-05-04 }} Playbill. March 11, 2010</ref> In 2012, Duncan Sheik told Broadwayworld.com that the movie was in development, but not everything was in place yet. In March 2014, Sheik revealed to '']'' that the movie would include a new song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadway.com/buzz/175220/believe-spring-awakening-movie-still-on-trackwith-new-song/|title=Believe! ''Spring Awakening'' movie still on track with new song|first=Imogen|last=Lloyd Webber|publisher=Broadway Buzz|date=2014-03-31|access-date=2015-09-13}}</ref> As of December 2024, 15 years after the original announcement, no such film has been produced.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Spring Awakening (musical)}}
* {{Official website|http://www.springawakeningthemusical.com}}
* {{ibdb show|448809|title=Spring Awakening}}
*
* at the Music Theatre International website
* on the ]'s "Working in the Theatre" series.


{{TonyAwardBestMusical 2001-2025}}
{{Duncan Sheik}} {{Duncan Sheik}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for ''Spring Awakening''
| list =
{{DramaDesk Musical 2001–2025}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album}}
{{OlivierAward Musical 2001–2025}}
{{TonyAwardBestMusical 2001-2025}}
{{TonyAward MusicalBook 2001-2025}}
{{TonyAward MusicalScore 2001-2025}}
}}


{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spring Awakening (musical)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spring Awakening}}
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Latest revision as of 08:43, 21 December 2024

Rock musical This article is about a musical adaptation premiering on Broadway in 2006. For the original 1891 play, see Spring Awakening (play).
Spring Awakening
Original Broadway recording
MusicDuncan Sheik
LyricsSteven Sater
BookSteven Sater
BasisSpring Awakening
by Frank Wedekind
Productions2006 Off-Broadway
2006 Broadway
2008 First US Tour
2009 West End
2010 Second US Tour
2015 Broadway revival
2021 Off-West End
AwardsTony Award for Best Musical
Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
Tony Award for Best Original Score
Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical
Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album

Spring Awakening is a coming-of-age rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. It is based on the 1891 German play Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind. Set in late 19th-century Germany, the musical tells the story of teenagers discovering the inner and outer tumult of adolescent sexuality. In the musical, alternative rock is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score.

Following its conception in the late 1990s and various workshops, concerts, rewrites and its Off-Broadway debut, the original Broadway production of Spring Awakening opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006. Its cast included Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, and John Gallagher Jr. while its creative team comprised director Michael Mayer and choreographer Bill T. Jones. The original Broadway production won eight Tony Awards, including Tonys for Best Musical, Direction, Book, Score and Featured Actor. The production also garnered four Drama Desk Awards, while its original cast album received a Grammy Award. In addition, the show was revived in 2015 on Broadway and garnered three Tony Award nominations, among other honors.

The success of the Broadway production has spawned several other productions worldwide, including various US productions, a West End production that won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, and a series of international productions. In 2022, Spring Awakening: Those You've Known, a documentary film chronicling the 15-year reunion of the original company, was released on HBO.

Synopsis

Act I

Wendla Bergmann, an adolescent in late 19th-century Germany, laments that her mother gave her "no way to handle things" and has not taught her the lessons she is meant to know as a young woman ("Mama Who Bore Me"). She tells her mother that it is time she learned where babies come from, considering that she is about to be an aunt for the second time. Her mother cannot bring herself to explain the facts about conception clearly to Wendla, despite knowing her daughter is reaching puberty. Instead, she simply tells Wendla that to conceive a child a woman must love her husband with all of her heart. The other young girls in town – Martha, Thea, Anna and Ilse – appear to be similarly naïve and are upset about the lack of knowledge presented to them ("Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)").

At school, some teenage boys are studying Virgil in Latin class. When Moritz Stiefel, a very nervous and anxious young man, sleepily misquotes a line, the teacher chastises him harshly. Moritz's classmate, the rebellious and highly intelligent Melchior Gabor, tries to defend him, but the teacher will have none of it, and hits Melchior with a stick. Melchior reflects on the shallow narrow-mindedness of school and society and expresses his intent to change things ("All That's Known").

Moritz describes a dream that has been keeping him up at night, and Melchior realizes that Moritz has been having erotic dreams which Moritz believes are signs of insanity. To comfort the panicked Moritz, Melchior, who has learned sexual information from books, tells Moritz that all of the boys at their age get these dreams. Moritz, Melchior and the other boys – Ernst, Hänschen, Otto and Georg – share their own sexually frustrated thoughts and desires ("The Bitch of Living"). Moritz, who is not comfortable talking about the subject with Melchior, requests that he give him the information in the form of an essay, complete with illustrations.

All the girls, except Ilse, are gathered together after school; they tease each other as they fantasize about marrying the boys in the town. Martha admits that she has a crush on Moritz, but is made fun of by the other girls. At the top of the list is the radical, intelligent, and good-looking Melchior ("My Junk"). Moritz has eagerly digested the essay that Melchior prepared for him, but complains that his new knowledge has only made his dreams even more vivid and torturous. Melchior tries to calm and comfort his friend, but Moritz runs off in frustration. All of the boys and girls express their desires for physical intimacy ("Touch Me").

"The Word of Your Body" from Carnegie Mellon University's 2013 production of Spring Awakening

Searching for flowers for her mother, Wendla stumbles upon Melchior. The two reminisce on the friendship they once shared as children and share a moment while sitting together in front of a tree. Each of them considers what it would be like to give in to their physical desires for one another ("The Word of Your Body"), but they do not do so. Meanwhile, at school, Moritz sneaks a look at his test results and is thrilled to learn that he has passed his midterm examinations, and tells the other boys. They are ecstatic, save the skeptical Hänschen. However, the teacher and schoolmaster, who claim they cannot pass everyone, decide to fail Moritz anyway, deeming his passing grade still not up to the school's lofty standards.

Martha accidentally admits to her friends that her father abuses her physically and sexually and that her mother is either oblivious or uncaring. The other girls are horrified to hear this, but Martha makes them promise not to tell anyone, lest she end up like Ilse, a friend from childhood who now wanders homeless and aimless after her similarly abusive parents kicked her out of the house ("The Dark I Know Well"). Later, Wendla finds Melchior again at his spot in the woods and tells him about Martha's abuse. Melchior is appalled to hear this, but Wendla convinces him to hit her with a switch, so that she can try to understand Martha's pain. At first Melchior is determined to do nothing of the sort, but reluctantly complies. He gets carried away in the beating, taking his own frustrations out on Wendla and throws her to the ground. Disgusted with himself, Melchior runs off as Wendla is left lying on the ground, weeping. Alone, Wendla finds that Melchior has left his journal on the ground. She picks it up and takes it with her.

Moritz is told he has failed his final examination, and his father reacts with disdain and contempt when Moritz tells him that he will not progress in school. Rather than attempting to understand his son's pain, Moritz's father is only concerned with how the others in town will react when they see "the man with the son who failed." Moritz writes to Melchior's mother, his only adult friend, asking for money to help him flee to America; she tenderly but firmly denies his request and promises to write his parents to discourage them from being too hard on him ("And Then There Were None"). Devastated by her refusal, and feeling he has few choices left, Moritz contemplates suicide.

In a stuffy hayloft during a storm, Melchior expresses his frustration about being caught between childhood and adulthood ("The Mirror-Blue Night"). Wendla finds him once again, telling him she wants to return his journal, and each apologizes for what happened in the forest. Melchior, disappointed in himself from the night before, urges her to leave. Wendla ignores this, instead suggesting they run in the rain until they "get soaked to the skin". Before long, they begin to kiss. Both of them nervous, they continue to entangle themselves and then hesitate – sensing that what they are doing is something very powerful. Wendla is not entirely sure of what they are about to do but is certain that it is unlike anything that she has known before. They continue and then have sex in the hayloft; as Melchior penetrates her, Wendla cries out ("I Believe"). (Note: This scene was very much softened from the show's Off-Broadway run, where consent from Wendla was unclear and stage notes suggest explicit rape. Later, as staged by the Broadway show, Wendla gives explicit consent to Melchior, but does so without full understanding of what they are going to do.)

Act II

Moritz, having been thrown out of his home, wanders the town at dusk, carrying a pistol when he comes across Ilse, a childhood friend of his. Ilse, who it is implied has feelings for Moritz, tells him she has found refuge at an artists' colony, and they reminisce in some childhood memories and "remarkable times". She invites him to come home with her and join her in sharing some more childhood memories, and maybe something more. Moritz refuses and Ilse does everything she can to change his mind ("Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind"). After affirming to Ilse that he truly wished he could go with her, Moritz refuses and Ilse leaves – distraught and upset. Realizing that Ilse was his last chance to escape the fate he's set out for himself, Moritz quickly changes his mind and calls after her, but it is too late – she is gone. Alone and believing that he has nowhere to turn, Moritz shoots himself.

Wendla and Melchior are finishing their moment of confused intimacy in the hayloft; they reflect on and discuss what has just happened ("The Guilty Ones". In the Off-Broadway production, Act II began with "There Once Was a Pirate".)

"Don't Do Sadness" from Carnegie Mellon University's 2013 production of Spring Awakening

At Moritz's funeral, each of the children drops a flower into his grave as Melchior laments the passing of his friend while touching on the factors that led to his death, including the way his parents treated him ("Left Behind").

Back at school, the schoolmaster and teacher feel the need to call attention away from Moritz, whose death was a direct result of their actions. They search through Moritz's belongings and find the essay on sex which Melchior wrote for him. They seize the opportunity to lay the blame of Moritz's death on Melchior, and although Melchior knows that he is not to blame, he knows there is nothing he can do to fight them and is expelled as a result ("Totally Fucked").

Elsewhere that night, Hänschen meets up with his shy and delicate classmate Ernst. Ernst tells Hänschen about his plans to become a pastor after school, and Hänschen shares his pragmatic outlook on life. He is amazed with how Ernst has remained so innocent despite the horrible things happening around them. They kiss and Ernst reveals that he loves Hänschen. ("The Word of Your Body (Reprise)").

Wendla has become ill, and her mother takes her to visit a doctor. He gives her some medication and assures them both that Wendla is suffering from anemia and will be fine, but takes Wendla's mother aside and tells her that Wendla is pregnant. When her mother confronts her with this information, Wendla is completely shocked, not understanding how it could have happened. She realizes that her mother lied to her about how babies are made. Although she berates her mother for leaving her ignorant, her mother rejects the guilt and insists Wendla tell her who the child's father is. Wendla reluctantly surrenders a passionate note Melchior sent her after they consummated their relationship. She reflects somberly on her current condition and the circumstances that precipitated it, but resolves with optimism about her future child ("Whispering").

Meanwhile, Melchior's parents argue about their son's fate; his mother does not believe that the essay he wrote for Moritz is sufficient reason to send him away to reform school. When Melchior's father (Callum) tells his wife about Wendla's pregnancy, she finally agrees that they must send Melchior away, which they do without telling him that Wendla is pregnant.

During this time, Melchior and Wendla keep contact through letters, delivered by Ilse. At the reform school, Melchior gets into a fight with some boys who grab a letter he has just received from Wendla and use it in a masturbation game. As one of the boys reads from the letter, Melchior finally learns about Wendla and their child, and he escapes from the institution to find her. Meanwhile, a very terrified and clueless Wendla is taken to a back-alley abortionist by her mother.

When Melchior reaches town after a few days, he sends a message to Ilse, asking her to have Wendla meet him at the cemetery at midnight. Ilse, however, can take no action, as Melchior "hasn't heard" about Wendla. She shows Anna, Martha, and Thea the letter. They are equally horrified, and decide not to tell Melchior what has happened. At the cemetery, Melchior stumbles across Moritz's grave and swears to himself that he and Wendla will raise their child in a compassionate and open environment. When Wendla is late to the meeting, Melchior begins to feel a little uneasy. Looking around, Melchior sees a fresh grave he had not noticed before. He reads the name on the stone – Wendla's – and realizes that Wendla has died after a botched abortion. Overwhelmed by shock and grief, he takes out a razor with intent to kill himself. Moritz's and Wendla's spirits rise from their graves to offer him strength. They persuade him to journey on, and he resolves to live and to carry their memories with him forever ("Those You've Known").

Led by Ilse, everyone assembles onstage now (in some stagings, wearing modern clothes) to sing about how although the adults may still call the shots with their uptight views, they will not last forever, and the seeds are already being planted for a new, open-minded, informed generation ("The Song of Purple Summer").

Characters

The children

  • Melchior Gabor – An intelligent schoolboy with radical ideals who falls in love with Wendla
  • Wendla Bergmann – An innocent, curious girl who has a relationship with Melchior
  • Moritz Stiefel – Melchior's best friend. He is tormented by growing up and feelings of failure.
  • Ilse Neumann – A friend of the other children who was kicked out of an abusive home and now lives in an artists' colony
  • Hänschen Rilow – An intelligent and bisexual schoolboy. Ernst's love interest.
  • Martha Bessell – A friend of Wendla's who is abused by her father. She has a crush on Moritz.
  • Ernst Röbel – A closeted classmate who is ashamed of his sexuality. He is Hänschen's love interest.
  • Georg Zirschnitz – A classmate who lusts after his older, busty piano teacher
  • Otto Lämmermeier – A classmate who has a disturbing dream about his mother
  • Thea – Wendla's best friend. She has a crush on Melchior.
  • Anna – Martha's best friend
  • Greta Brandenburg (2015 Broadway revival)
  • Bobby Maler (2015 Broadway revival)
  • Melitta – Thea's twin sister (2015 Broadway revival)

Boys in the reformatory

  • Dieter – Usually played by the same actor as Georg
  • Rupert – Usually played by the same actor as Hänschen
  • Reinhold – Usually played by the same actor as Ernst
  • Ulbrecht – Usually played by the same actor as Otto

Adults

Traditionally, the roles of all the adults are performed by one man and one woman. However, in the 2015 Broadway revival, there were two pairs of adults: one hearing pair, and one deaf/HoH pair.

  • Frau Bergmann – Wendla's mother
  • Fanny Gabor – Melchior's mother
  • Frau Bessell – Martha's mother
  • Fräulein Großebüstenhalter – Georg's piano teacher
  • Fräulein Knuppeldick – an associate of Headmaster Knochenbruch
  • Headmaster Knochenbruch – the boys' school headmaster
  • Herr Sonnenstich – a schoolteacher
  • Herr Gabor – Melchior's father
  • Herr Stiefel – Moritz's father
  • Herr Rilow – Hanschen's father
  • Herr Neumann – Ilse's Father
  • Father Kaulbach – a priest
  • Doctor von Brausepulver – Visits Wendla during her pregnancy
  • Schmidt – the abortionist

Musical numbers

Act I
  • "Mama Who Bore Me" – Wendla
  • "Mama Who Bore Me" (Reprise) – Girls
  • "All That's Known" – Melchior
  • "The Bitch of Living" – Boys
  • "My Junk" – Boys and Girls (except Ilse)
  • "Touch Me" – Boys and Girls
  • "The Word of Your Body" – Wendla and Melchior
  • "The Dark I Know Well" – Martha, Ilse, Boys
  • "And Then There Were None" – Moritz and Boys
  • "The Mirror-Blue Night" – Melchior and Boys
  • "I Believe" – Boys and Girls


Act II
  • "The Guilty Ones" – Wendla, Melchior, Boys, and Girls
  • "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" – Moritz and Ilse
  • "Left Behind" – Melchior, Boys, and Girls
  • "Totally Fucked" – Melchior and Full Company (except Moritz)
  • "The Word of Your Body" (Reprise) – Hänschen, Ernst, Boys (except Moritz), and Girls
  • "Whispering" – Wendla
  • "Those You've Known" – Moritz, Wendla, and Melchior
  • "The Song of Purple Summer" – Ilse and Full Company

Note: "The Guilty Ones" replaced off-Broadway version's Act II opening, "There Once Was a Pirate"; the latter is available as a bonus track sung by composer Duncan Sheik on the iTunes version of the original Broadway cast recording. A reprise of "Touch Me," sung by Melchior, appeared in "Whispering" during the Chicago, Vienna, London runs, was added to the tour, and is part of the amateur rental materials. On the original Broadway cast recording CD, the order of "The Guilty Ones" and "Don't Do Sadness/Blue Wind" is switched. The 2021/22 London run re-introduced "There Once Was a Pirate", in place of "The Guilty Ones".

Orchestration

The original Broadway pit consisted of a 7 piece orchestra:

Major production casts

Character Off-Broadway Broadway North American National Tour London First Broadway Revival First London Revival
2006 2008 2009 2015 2021
Melchior Jonathan Groff Kyle Riabko Aneurin Barnard Austin P. McKenzie Laurie Kynaston
Wendla Lea Michele Christy Altomare Charlotte Wakefield Sandra Mae Frank
Katie Boeck (voice/guitar)
Amara Okereke
Moritz John Gallagher Jr. Blake Bashoff Iwan Rheon Daniel N. Durant
Alex Boniello (voice/guitar)
Stuart Thompson
Ilse Lauren Pritchard Steffi DiDomenicantonio Lucy May Barker Krysta Rodriguez Carly-Sophia Davies
Hänschen Jonathan B. Wright Andy Mientus Jamie Blackley Andy Mientus Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea
Martha Lilli Cooper Sarah Hunt Hayley Gallivan Treshelle Edmond
Kathryn Gallagher (voice/guitar)
Bella Maclean
Ernst Gideon Glick Ben Moss Harry McEntire Joshua Castille
Daniel David Stewart (voice/piano)
Zheng Xi Yong
Adult men Frank Wood Stephen Spinella Henry Stram Richard Cordery Russell Harvard
Patrick Page
Mark Lockyer
Adult women Mary McCann Christine Estabrook Angela Reed Sian Thomas Marlee Matlin
Camryn Manheim
Catherine Cusack
Georg Skylar Astin Matt Shingledecker Jos Slovick Alex Wyse Joe Pitts
Otto Brian Charles Johnson Anthony Lee Medina Edd Judge Miles Barbee
Sean Grandillo (voice/bass)
Kit Esuruoso
Anna Phoebe Strole Gabrielle Garza Natasha Barnes Ali Stroker Maia Tamrakar
Thea Remy Zaken Kimiko Glenn Evelyn Hoskins Amelia Hensley
Lauren Luiz (voice/Melitta)
Asha Banks
Gretl Alexandra Winter (voice/harp)
  1. This person voiced the lines of a character played by a deaf or hard-of-hearing actor. A new character, Melitta, voiced the character of Thea.
Notable Broadway replacements
Notable Broadway swings
Notable tour replacements

Original concept

Before opening the show off-Broadway, Duncan Sheik had composed an arrangement of song demos for the original concept of Spring Awakening. Back then the musical's plot adhered more closely to the original play's plot. Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik had originally intended for Melchior actually to rape Wendla at the end of "I Believe," but decided to change that plot because he wanted the scene to be more loving between the two characters. In workshops, "I Believe" ended with Wendla's scream while being raped. "All That's Known" replaced a song titled "All Numb". Both songs had the same theme, but because the directors had to reduce time for the show, "All Numb" was cut and replaced with "All That's Known".

A song called "A Comet on Its Way" was replaced by "The Bitch of Living". Although both songs followed the same basic theme, Sheik thought that "The Bitch of Living", being more upbeat, fit the show better. "Those You've Known" replaced a song called "The Clouds Will Drift Away", which was cut because Sheik wanted the song between the three main characters to stay close to the "All That's Known" theme. "Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)" was originally intended to be performed after "Touch Me". Another song, entitled "Great Sex" (which was intended to be performed after "Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)"), was also cut from the show because the directors thought the song pointed out the theme of the show too specifically. It was intended to be performed during Hanschen's masturbation scene, but the song was removed and the scene moved into the middle of "My Junk".

Production history

Spring Awakening had a number of workshops, concerts and rewrites over a seven-year period, including workshops at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, California, and the Roundabout Theatre Company, and a concert at Lincoln Center in February 2005, under the auspices of actor/producer Tom Hulce. It premiered Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Company on May 19, 2006 and ran through August 5, 2006.

Broadway

The musical opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006 and closed on January 18, 2009, after 859 performances and 29 previews. It was directed by Michael Mayer with choreography by Bill T. Jones, costume designs by Susan Hilferty, set designs by Christine Jones and lighting by Kevin Adams. It received nearly unanimous favorable reviews, and easily recouped its initial $6 million capitalization, breaking even on August 27, 2007.

Decca Broadway released the original cast recording on December 12, 2006, which won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2008. The guitar on which Sheik composed songs for Spring Awakening was included in the 2008 exhibition "Writing to Character: Songwriters & the Tony Awards" at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

United States tours

A U.S. national tour (with one stop in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) opened on August 15, 2008 at The Balboa Theatre in San Diego, California. The national tour ended on May 23, 2010 in Orlando, Florida. A non-equity US tour began at Shryock Auditorium on October 14, 2010 in Carbondale, Illinois. The non-equity US tour ended its run on May 15, 2011 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada at the Centrepointe Theatre.

Original London production

Spring Awakening at London's Novello Theatre, spring 2009

The first London production began January 23, 2009 at the Lyric Hammersmith, transferred to the Novello Theatre on March 21, 2009, and closed on May 30, 2009. It won four Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical.

2015 Broadway revival

Deaf West Theatre mounted a production directed by Michael Arden based on a concept of Arden's husband, first National Tour cast-member Andy Mientus. The cast, made up of both deaf and hearing actors, performed the show in American Sign Language and English simultaneously. The deaf and hard-of-hearing actors in certain roles were paired with a hearing actor who voiced the roles. The majority of the hearing actors were also part of the live onstage band. The production incorporated 19th-century-appropriate aspects of oralism in deaf education to complement the themes of miscommunication, lack of proper sex education, and denial of voice. The production opened in Los Angeles in the fall of 2014 at the Rosenthal Theater. When it transferred to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills from May to June 2015, Mientus and original Broadway cast swing Krysta Rodriguez played Ilse. The production transferred to Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre with the same cast, except the addition of Marlee Matlin, Camryn Manheim, Patrick Page, and Russell Harvard in the adult roles. It was produced by Ken Davenport and Cody Lassen. The revival began previews on September 8, 2015 and opened on September 27, 2015. It closed on January 24, 2016.

The production was nominated for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and received unanimously positive reviews. In his review for The New York Times, Charles Isherwood called it "a first-rate production of a transporting musical." The Associated Press called it "a sheer triumph," and New York Magazine called it "brilliant and beautiful." The revival focused on making theater and Broadway accessible to people with disabilities. In addition to having deaf cast members, it featured the first Broadway performer to use a wheelchair, Ali Stroker. Spring Awakening was also the first Broadway production to provide interpretation for deaf-blind theatergoers. On January 15, 2016, the producers of Spring Awakening, in association with The Broadway League, presented a symposium titled "How to Make Broadway More Accessible," featuring members of the disability community and a keynote address from Timothy Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics.

2021 London revival

A London revival at the Almeida Theatre began previews on 30 November 2021, and opened on 14 December to critical acclaim. Directed by Rupert Goold, choreographed by Lynne Page and designed by Miriam Buether, it was led by Laurie Kynaston as Melchior, Amara Okereke as Wendla and Stuart Thompson as Moritz. The limited run closed, after a week's extension, on 29 January 2022. The production received a 2022 Olivier Award nomination for Best Musical Revival, and won two Critics' Circle Theatre Awards including Best Musical in the same year.

2024 London reunion Concert

On 1st February 2024, it was announced that Jack Maple and original London cast member Evelyn Hoskins would present a one night reunion concert on 2nd June 2024 at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London's West End. The concert reunited a majority of the original London cast, band and stage management teams. Changes to the cast included; Jamie Muscato (original swing) taking over Melchior, Rich Southgate (another original Swing) as Hanschen and Olivier Award-nominee Jack Wolfe joining the cast as Moritz. The concert raised funds for one of the Original London production's producers, Imogen Kinchin.

International productions

The first European production began on August 30, 2008, at Värmlandsoperan in Karlstad, Sweden, closing in March 2009. A second Swedish language production opened in Helsingborg on March 20, 2009. A Finnish production opened in Helsinki on 5 February 2009 and closed in November 2009. A Hungarian-language (first non-replica) production premiered on February 7, 2009 in Budapest at the Nyugati Teátrum, with the title Tavaszébredés. This production ran until May 26, 2009. A German-language staging opened in Vienna, Austria on March 21, 2009, and closed on May 30, 2009. A live cast recording was released. A Danish-language poduction opened at Aalborg Teater on June 13, 2009, and closed on September 15. There was also Slovenian production in the Ljubljana City Theatre in 2009.

An English-language production opened in Valletta, Malta at the St. James Cavalier Theatre on April 17, 2009, directed by Wesley Ellul, choreographed by Fiona Barthet and featured Davide Tucci as Georg and Daniel Casingena as Otto. This was produced by the MADC. The run was extended after it sold out.

A Japanese-language production opened in Tokyo at the Shiki Theatre Jiyu May 2, 2009. A Brazilian production in Rio de Janeiro ran with the title O Despertar da Primavera from August 21, 2009 to January 31, 2010. It then transferred to São Paulo. A cast recording was released in January. A Philippine production opened in Manila in the Carlos P. Roumolo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, on September 25 and ran until the October 17, 2009. It was performed in English and was directed by Chari Arespachochaga. A Czech-language production opened in Brno, Czech Republic at the City Theatre Brno on November 21, 2009.

Sydney Theatre Company staged an Australian non-replica production that opened on 4 February 2010 at the Sydney Theatre and closed on 7 March. An Argentine production with the Spanish title Despertar de Primavera – Un Musical Diferente opened in Buenos Aires on March 19, 2010. A production played at the Griffin Theatre, Chicago, running from December 4 to January 8, 2011. A Welsh language production toured Wales from the beginning of March 2011 visiting 8 different locations, with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh-language national theatre). The first UK national tour took place in May and June 2011, produced by Sell A Door Theatre Company.

In other media

In the television series 90210, the first few episodes contain the school and some of the characters as they prepare, and eventually perform in Spring Awakening, though in reality the amateur production rights were not available at the time. Parts of some songs and scenes are performed through the episodes, such as "Mama Who Bore Me" and "The Bitch of Living". Annie and Ty played the principal roles.

The 2015 Broadway revival was featured in the award-winning documentary series Working in the Theatre produced by the American Theatre Wing. The 2018 television series Rise focuses on a high school English teacher attempting to put on a production of Spring Awakening while facing resistance from members of the community – including parents of cast members – who consider the material inappropriate for teenagers.

Major awards and nominations

Original Off-Broadway/Broadway production

Year Award ceremony Category Nominee Result
2007 Tony Award Best Musical Won
Best Book of a Musical Steven Sater Won
Best Original Score Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater Won
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Jonathan Groff Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical John Gallagher Jr. Won
Best Direction of a Musical Michael Mayer Won
Best Choreography Bill T. Jones Won
Best Orchestrations Duncan Sheik Won
Best Scenic Design Christine Jones Nominated
Best Costume Design Susan Hilferty Nominated
Best Lighting Design Kevin Adams Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Musical Won
Outstanding Book of a Musical Steven Sater Nominated
Outstanding Actor in a Musical John Gallagher Jr. Nominated
Jonathan Groff Nominated
Outstanding Actress in a Musical Lea Michele Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical Michael Mayer Won
Outstanding Choreography Bill T. Jones Nominated
Outstanding Orchestrations Duncan Sheik Nominated
Outstanding Music Duncan Sheik Won
Outstanding Lyrics Steven Sater Won
Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Musical (tie with In the Heights) Won
Outstanding Director Michael Mayer Nominated
Outstanding Choreographer Bill T. Jones Nominated
Outstanding Costume Design Susan Hilferty Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Design Kevin Adams Won
Outstanding Sound Design Brian Ronan Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished Production of a Musical Won
The Julia Hansen Award for Excellence in Directing Michael Mayer Won
Distinguished Performance John Gallagher Jr. Nominated
Jonathan Groff Nominated
Theatre World Award Jonathan Groff Won
New York Drama Critics' Circle Best Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding New Broadway Musical Won
Outstanding New Score Won
Outstanding Director of a Musical Michael Mayer Won
Obie Award Music and Choreography Bill T. Jones Won
2008 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Won

Original London production

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2009 Critics' Circle Theatre Award Best Musical Won
2010 Laurence Olivier Award Best New Musical Won
Best Actor in a Musical Aneurin Barnard Won
Best Actress in a Musical Charlotte Wakefield Nominated
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical Iwan Rheon Won
Best Theatre Choreographer Bill T. Jones Nominated
Best Lighting Design Kevin Adams Nominated
Best Sound Design Brian Ronan Won

2015 Broadway revival

Year Award ceremony Category Nominee Result
2015 Ovation Awards
For the Los Angeles engagements
Best Production of a Musical (Intimate Theatre) Deaf West Theatre Won
Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre) Wallis Annenberg Center Won
Best Acting Ensemble of a Musical Won
Best Choreography Spencer Liff Won
Best Music Direction Jared Stein Nominated
Best Direction of a Musical Michael Arden Won
Best Lead Actor in a Musical Austin P. McKenzie Nominated
Best Lead Actress in a Musical Sandra Mae Frank Nominated
Best Featured Actor in a Musical Andy Mientus Nominated
Best Featured Actress in a Musical Krysta Rodriguez Nominated
Best Lighting Design (Intimate Theatre) Travis Hagenbuch Nominated
Best Lighting Design (Large Theatre) Ben Stanton Won
Best Scenic Design (Large Theatre) Dane Laffrey Nominated
Best Sound Design (Intimate Theatre) Philip Allen Nominated
Best Video/Production Design Lucy Mackinnon Nominated
2016 Tony Awards Best Revival of a Musical Nominated
Best Director of a Musical Michael Arden Nominated
Best Lighting Design of a Musical Ben Stanton Nominated
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Revival of a Musical Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical Michael Arden Nominated
Outstanding Choreography Spencer Liff Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Design Ben Stanton Nominated
Drama League Award Outstanding Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical Nominated
Unique Contribution to the Theatre Award Deaf West Theatre Won
Theatre World Awards Daniel Durant Won
Austin P. McKenzie Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or off-Broadway) Nominated
Outstanding Director of a Musical Michael Arden Won
Outstanding Choreography Spencer Liff Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) Ben Stanton Nominated
Outstanding Projection Design (Play or Musical) Lucy Mackinnon Nominated
Fred and Adele Astaire Awards Best Female Dancer Sandra Mae Frank Nominated
Best Choreographer Spencer Liff Nominated

2021 London revival

Year Award Category Nominee Result
2022 Laurence Olivier Award Best Musical Revival Nominated
Critics' Circle Theatre Award Best Musical Won
Most Promising Newcomer Stuart Thompson Won

Reunion documentary

On May 3, 2022, HBO released a documentary film entitled Spring Awakening: Those You've Known, which showcases the 15-year reunion of the original company that was held in November 2021 to benefit the Actors Fund.

Proposed film adaptation

In April 2009, McG was announced as the director for the film adaptation. In 2010, lyricist-librettist Steven Sater told Playbill that a film version of Spring Awakening could begin production in Europe in the spring of 2013. In 2012, Duncan Sheik told Broadwayworld.com that the movie was in development, but not everything was in place yet. In March 2014, Sheik revealed to U-T San Diego that the movie would include a new song. As of December 2024, 15 years after the original announcement, no such film has been produced.

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External links

Duncan Sheik
Studio albums
Compilations
Singles
Musicals
Additional Works
Awards for Spring Awakening
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
1975–2000
2001–present
Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album
Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical
1976-2000
2001-present
Tony Award for Best Musical
1949–1975
1976–2000
2001–present
Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical
1950–1975
1976–2000
2001–present
Tony Award for Best Original Score
1947–1975
1976–2000
2001–present
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