Abby Elizabeth for Curtains Up
Persephone Theatre definitely took a risk with ‘Spring Awakening’. Not only is the content ‘R’ rated, it’s a musical, too. Singing, dancing, lights, sound, live music…A lot of work for such a tiny theatre company and yet they really pulled it off. Directors Gabrielle Soskin and Christopher Moore should be proud.
The ensemble is very young, most of them recent University and College graduates. However, I was extremely impressed, not only by the amount of talent on stage, but also in the way a Broadway production was adapted to fit a much smaller set, crew and cast.
The original story written by Frank Wederkind in 1891 is about a group of adolescents in the midst of puberty. They are awakening to their sexual urges, while simultaneously trying to repress the budding symptoms of ‘growing up’ in a oppressed society.
Although the original script was written at the end of the 19th century, the context remains disturbingly relevant. Spring Awakening is not a story about teen angst but rather a unspoken social discourse on the irony that is our education system. In the play we have a group of students under insane amounts of pressure from both their parents and teachers. The headmaster and professors demonstrate the importance of education through discipline, fear and threats of failure. Unfortunately, these archaic forms of teachings still play major roles in the lives of present day teens.
Yet, while the adults preach their lessons of attending school, passing exams and studying subjects like arithmetic, latin and english they purposefully ignore the topic of sexual health and reproduction. The irony is that the adults are to blame for the amount of trauma that enfolds within the story. Their resistance to talk to their kids about sex, relationships, love and marriage or the responsibility that accompanies sexual behavior eventually destroys a community.
Wederkind’s script is usually interpreted as too progressive for its time. What with the topics of : homosexuality, incest, teen pregnancy, premarital sex, suicide, masturbation and sexual abuse. However, these ‘subjects’ have always existed. When it was first adapted to the stage, the play was accused of being pornographic and nearly shut down, and yet even in today’s modern world, the show still has it’s prudish critics…Stressing the following point: if a play from 1891 is still making audiences gasp in shock in the year 2013, then the times have not changed all that much in relation to being sexually inhibited.We as a society were taught that education is everything, if this is true then why not teach kids lessons they can actually utilize? Education should be about more than Science and Math exams.
One of the play’s characters Ilsa, played phenomenally by Marie-Pierre de Brienne (a definite standout performance) is depicted as a bad example to girls her own age. She had dropped out of school in order to run away from her abusive household and is viewed as the town ‘tramp’. Instead of being sought after and helped, she is looked down on and scrutinized. This could be related to modern ‘group homes’ for girls.Then we have Wendla the plays female protagonist, portrayed by Gab Lubin. Lubin reminds me very much of Emmy nominated actress/singer Lea Michelle, who weirdly enough portrayed Wendla in the New York production of Spring Awakening. Her voice is pitch perfect and beautiful to listen to and her performance is award worthy. If Lubin continues down this Broadway path she will definitely shoot to stardom.The play opens with Wendla asking her mother how babies are made. Her mother is unresponsive and then says it is the stork and that one can only have a baby after she is married… Suffice to say when one of the characters becomes pregnant out of wedlock,Wendla is shocked because she was told that babies are delivered to those who wed. It is this sort of ignorance that makes the audience realize the importance of educating the young by answering their questions and concerns instead of avoiding them.
The casting team did an amazing job at selecting their actors. The musical scenes are really fun to watch and you can see the passion in each one of the scenes. Recent Dawson College graduate, Rosie Callaghan, turns her small role of Anna into something unforgettable. She has one of the nicest voices I’ve ever heard, and her ability to project and articulate every word while singing is extraordinary. Adam Capriolo who only graduated from his theatre program last year, plays Hanschen. Capriolo is absolutely hilarious and captivating as a queer teen. He steals each one of his scenes and is truly uninhibited when it comes to performing. Zach Creatchman plays male lead, Melchior, and is outstanding in his portrayal of a confused teenage boy full of conflicting thoughts on love. Creatchman proves that he is talented enough for the big leagues. I can’t say enough good things about his performance.
Every single one of the cast members played their role supremely well. The live band was outstanding too, enhancing every moment with perfectly cued music. I was thoroughly impressed by the professionalism and, though there were a few technical difficulties, it did not take away from an amazing production.
It’s about time Montreal utilized its youth! It’s really nice to see a play that features up and coming talent. Support the local theatre scene and go see Spring Awakening. It’s beautifully scripted, crafted and executed.
Tickets are $30.00 for adults and $20.00 for students. It is well worth the fee, however the location is a bit tricky and audience members should know that the Calixe-lavelee theatre is under some construction and should not be confused with an abandoned building. The Venue is also extremely tiny so tickets will likely sell out fast, get them while you can.
For more information visit the Persephone productions website.http://www.persephoneproductions.org/spring-awakening-the-musical.html
