This weekend, Stevens Dramatic Society will be performing Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening is a story that deals with a lot of very sensitive subject matters, including physical abuse, sexual assault, and suicide. Focusing on several adolescents discovering their own sexualities within an oppressively conservative society, the musical deals with what director Mark Cirnigliaro calls “…subject matter that is very important today. We can’t shy away from it.”
This is the third show Mark has directed with SDS, after Guys and Dolls and Into the Woods. Mark says this show differs significantly from his previous work with SDS, since “The demands of this show on the actors are substantial. It takes great faith, commitment, and heart.” Mark is proud of the performers since they have put so much of themselves into this show.
The leading characters, Melchior Gabor, Wendla Bergmann, and Moritz Stiefel, all deal with learning about sex in their own ways, and the actors behind these characters portray this awkward time in life very accurately. Clay Lundgren, Abby Hulse, and Derek van Rouendal fill these respective roles. Abby Hulse, when asked about her role, said, “For the first time, it felt like a character I could really connect with.” She remembers her recent teenage years, and notes how anyone can relate to adults not taking teenagers seriously.
The set of this show follows a creative image, built entirely out of deconstructed pallets. The pallets are framed to mimic an explosion, those closest to center stage are less intact than the pallets further away. This explosive symbolism is meant to mirror the way the characters try to break the status quo established by their parents. Using no more set than what is on stage at all times, the set includes a few dynamic elements to differentiate locations when necessary and to change the tone depending on who is speaking.
Spring Awakening opens Thursday, April 5 at 9 p.m., with more performances on Friday, April 6 at 8 p.m., and Saturday, April 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in DeBaun Auditorium.
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