REVIEW: CCM's Spring Awakening

This production makes the story as clear as I've ever seen it. And I've seen it a lot.

“Spring Awakening” is my favorite musical of all time. Many of you already know that because I talk about it often. You probably also know how anxious I get when someone announces it in their season because I’m fearful they will go crazy with it and try to be inventive and set it on the moon or something crazy.

But then I heard that Hannah M. Ryan, the current resident director of “Hamilton” was slated to direct, and I became curious. What is a working director of this caliber capable of? She’s already used to working with the best talent in the world, so she should hopefully know how to utilize the “stars of tomorrow best,” right? Plus, she’s got a great resume full of notable productions. And I listened to a podcast interview and learned she’s from the other side of the small county I grew up in, amid cattle and cornfields. So, she’s got a midwestern sensibility, too. So, I became hopeful.

I was not disappointed. I’ve probably seen ten to twelve versions of this show; never has the story been clearer than it is through the directorial lens of Ryan. Typically, it feels as if the action is moving swiftly to get us to the next song. But in CCM’s current production, running just this weekend, the pacing is different. It’s deliberate and methodical - but now slow. The actors take their time with the exposition so that when we get to the powerful music, the emotionally charged (but sometimes nonsensical lyrics) matter.

Julie Spangler is the musical director, and despite copious sound balance issues (as well as missed mic cues, which at a school of this reputation should never happen), the band sounds great. Musical Theatre senior Jack D’Angelo plays lead guitar, and his opening strums gave me chills.

I may get a little nerdy in my critique; it’s because I’m passionate about the show. Spoilers are in the following paragraphs; I’ll alert you when they are complete.

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For those unfamiliar, Spring Awakening tells the story of a group of kids in 1800’s Germany, where they are discovering themselves, full of raging hormones, teenage angst, and the same kind of rebellious spirit you’d expect from an adolescent in 2023. There’s Melchior, a gifted student who’s well-read but still naive. Moritz, his best friend, is ridden with anxiety and insecurity. And there’s Wendla, a curious girl who desperately wants to explore the world - and feel all the emotions available to her despite the repressed society and home she lives in. There’s Marta, the victim of abuse, who is likely on the same path as Ilse, a girl who was thrown out of her home. There’s Hanshcen, a narcissistic fellow whose homosexuality is begging to reveal itself. There’s Ernst, a shy kid with a massive crush on Hanschen - which has as much to do with his projection of confidence as his looks. Otto is helplessly horny for his piano teacher. Georg, Anna, and Thea fill out the ensemble of young people. The same actor plays all the men in the story; the same is true of the women.

Here’s the A Story: Wendla and Melchior fall for one another and have several intimate encounters, one of which results in her pregnancy. Her mother arranges an illegal abortion, which results in her death. Meanwhile, Moritz fails to get the grades needed to advance in school, and as a result of his failure and the rejection of his father, he kills himself. Melchior is blamed for Moritz’s suicide because he wrote an essay about men, women, sex, and God that enraged the powers that be. On top of that, he impregnated Wendla, sending him to reform school. He escapes to find his love, and while visiting Mortiz’s grave, he also sees Wendla’s tomb. He considers suicide, but the ghosts of his two best friends convince him otherwise.

I really loved the way Ilse shows up throughout the storylines as almost a “stagehand,” delivering letters, setting up microphone stands, and generally taking care of the others. As a professional counselor, I’d make the case that her trauma has resulted in her desire - no, need - to caretake. But she’s a mess and can barely take care of herself.

Another thing about this production that I found interesting was the de-emphasis on the comedic moments. There are some, for sure, and it feels like a conscious effort was made not to overplay the scenes that sometimes require bigger acting choices. It definitely makes the show feel more realistic.

Finally, and something that usually really galls me is the staging of the big love scene at the end of Act One. In the original production, there was nudity from both actors. I’ve never been offended by this, as the intense nature of that scene is best served by bold choices. This production does not contain nudity; I suppose in 2023, at a college level, it’s less likely to be done. That said, I do not believe the scene suffers due to the blocking, the intimacy of the moment, and the careful staging of the entire scene.

OK, spoilers are over.

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Another concern I had was the casting of a freshman in the lead as Melchior. Declan Smith is in his first year of the conservatory; would he rise to the challenge of this role? Uhhhh… yeah. No worries there, as his commitment to the role is spectacular, and his piercing eyes felt as if they were staring right through me (I was sitting dead center at eye level, so maybe not everyone will have that experience, but it was special.) His voice is strong, his acting choices are spot-on, and his presence is commanding. Grace Rusnica plays “Wendla,” and she is equally charismatic. Her emotionality resonates the entire show, whether she’s singing or acting - or even playing the guitar in one genius moment of staging. August Bagg, who I think can literally play any role, hits a home run with “Moritz.” Bagg slumps his shoulders, transforming himself into a sympathetic character but not so much that others are vilified by their treatment of him.

SJ Nelson (“Ilse”) is a powerhouse vocalist, but her star quality appears when she first walks on stage. The way she carries herself, with a chip on Ilse’s shoulder that makes her intriguing and a little dangerous, is beyond cool. Garrett Van Allen (“Adult Men”) plays a broad spectrum of characters from a teacher to a preacher as well as various fathers, each one with a different wig and costume (which is a non-traditional choice). While I’m glad those technical departments were allowed to show off, Van Allen didn’t need the outfits to differentiate from man to man. His nuances were subtle but intelligent, and none of the characters were anything other than realistic. Delaney Benson plays the women, shining most as the mothers of both Wendla and Melchior, showing such dichotomy in parenting - and has an elegance about her that can’t be matched.

The rest of the ensemble, including Sean Polk II, Coty Perno, Brian Cheung, Julia Schick, Madison Mosley, Tate McElhaney, and Kassi McMillan, support the structure of the show with professional acting ability and gorgeous voices. (The standbys, Julia Yameen, Nick Pattarini, Nate Jones, Tomi Newman, Madison Osment, and Annalise Prentiss) also fill the room with their vocals during the more significant musical numbers - and appear in the balcony on the final number.

Musical Theatre senior Jess Zylstra’s choreography is inspired. It’s modern and accentuates the storytelling, as well as the mood of each scene. Assistant Director Haley Root also should be mentioned for her contributions to the production.

I could continue gushing about this show, but I must get to bed. After all, I’m seeing it again on Saturday and need to save more praise for the second viewing. While the show is sold out, there were empty seats tonight - so if you’d like to try lining up for the waitlist, the Box Office does take names, and you might get a seat. It’s worth trying to see if you can - especially if you’re as big a fan of the show as I am.

This production is modern musical storytelling at its finest.

SPRING AWAKENING runs through Sunday at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Click here for more information.