This past weekend I was very pleased to be invited to see a new little show we have playing at the Arsht Center called Spring Awakening.. You know that little musical that won 8 Tony Awards in 2007 for everything from best musical to best book and score and has been playing on Broadway since 2006?Not only was the music phenomenal, but the storyline was great. Its set in an early 19th century German prep school and as you can imagine what goes on in kids minds at that pubescent age, well lets just say there are more than flowers blooming.
This musical takes you on a journey of love, sex, desire and the confusion of puberty. And if you can believe it, it is actually an adaptation of a controversial German play from 1891 that was banned due to its portrayal of adult content such as, masturbation, homosexuality, rape, bondage, child abuse and suicide.
I could just imagine how ahead of its time this play was in that era. I was blown away and I thought I was pretty liberal. Some of the scenes caught me a bit off guard. I was like, "Is that boy really masturbating on stage and did he just take off his pants?"
Hey nudity, rock and roll and kids defying their parents, what more can you ask for out of a musical!
For the most part it was fun and upbeat. Some of the songs they performed jump out at you and its electrifying! But there were some songs I felt were just too serious and/or sad, but then I realized, teenagers going through puberty are supposed to be depressed and emotional so I guess they had to put some of that in there.
One of the things that stuck to me was the story about how a girl begs her mother to tell her about sex and the mother refuses. But since her mother refuses to tell her about sex how is she supposed to detect it when its happening? She now knows nothing about it so when faced with it what is she supposed to do?
This is the same conundrum girls have been faced with forever. Because to tell boys about sex is easier, dad's usually have less gripes about talking to their sons about it.
But when it comes to the daughter, both parents just freak out! Its a no-go! The last thing they want is for their daughter to be having sex, so they figure that by not telling her about it, they are protecting her from it some how. BIG MISTAKE!
Just as the girl in the play, she is still going to do it at some point no matter what so wouldn't you rather she was at least prepared for it when it does happen?
I really liked the musical for the clever way it portrays touchy issues. I recommend getting seats close up so you could see the facial expressions and the cool hair doo's. I also noticed that audience members were ushered to seats on stage before the show!
I wonder what I'd have to do to get a pair of those seats? Flirt with the teacher I assume... ;)
tah tah..
This musical takes you on a journey of love, sex, desire and the confusion of puberty. And if you can believe it, it is actually an adaptation of a controversial German play from 1891 that was banned due to its portrayal of adult content such as, masturbation, homosexuality, rape, bondage, child abuse and suicide.
I could just imagine how ahead of its time this play was in that era. I was blown away and I thought I was pretty liberal. Some of the scenes caught me a bit off guard. I was like, "Is that boy really masturbating on stage and did he just take off his pants?"
Hey nudity, rock and roll and kids defying their parents, what more can you ask for out of a musical!
For the most part it was fun and upbeat. Some of the songs they performed jump out at you and its electrifying! But there were some songs I felt were just too serious and/or sad, but then I realized, teenagers going through puberty are supposed to be depressed and emotional so I guess they had to put some of that in there.
One of the things that stuck to me was the story about how a girl begs her mother to tell her about sex and the mother refuses. But since her mother refuses to tell her about sex how is she supposed to detect it when its happening? She now knows nothing about it so when faced with it what is she supposed to do?
This is the same conundrum girls have been faced with forever. Because to tell boys about sex is easier, dad's usually have less gripes about talking to their sons about it.
But when it comes to the daughter, both parents just freak out! Its a no-go! The last thing they want is for their daughter to be having sex, so they figure that by not telling her about it, they are protecting her from it some how. BIG MISTAKE!
Just as the girl in the play, she is still going to do it at some point no matter what so wouldn't you rather she was at least prepared for it when it does happen?
I really liked the musical for the clever way it portrays touchy issues. I recommend getting seats close up so you could see the facial expressions and the cool hair doo's. I also noticed that audience members were ushered to seats on stage before the show!
I wonder what I'd have to do to get a pair of those seats? Flirt with the teacher I assume... ;)
tah tah..
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