"Spring Awakening: Causing Sexual Tension In Audiences Everywhere"

I am just going to fawn over Spring Awakening a little more. I have had some thoughts on it these past couple days....things I didn't mention perviously I guess.

I think my title should be a headline for the show. I mean seriously though, and maybe this only happened to me, but it makes you want to go out, find a sweet, good looking guy and just kiss him. Besides making you feel awkward and somehow, free at the same time, this show has a lot to offer.

I was thinking about certain characters:

Wendla: In the original play, it opens with Wendla's 14th birthday. The musical doesn't yet this play is focused on how the kids are too young to know what is going on with them. I think it is an important thing to leave out. There is no mention of age at all in the musical....we know they are in school, that's it. Strangely enough, when Lea Michele was cast as Wendla, she was 14 years old. She was cast when it was in workshop. Woah. She does a great job at playing Wendla, she has a soft, childish, almost innocent voice. In the play we get a sense the Wendla is a female version of Melchior, but not so education driven. She is curious and wanting. She needs to learn, she wants to understand. In the musical....we get that, but to a much lesser degree. However, we do see that she is a lot like Melchior in wanting to learn things and this is something that might attract Melchior to her.

Moritz: Probably one of the best characters in the show. I really felt like Blake knew what he was getting into. Maybe he really was that kid who wasn't the brightest in the class, who tried but just couldn't focus, who got picked on, or maybe he wasn't. I don't know how John Gallagher Jr. played Moritz, but I know Blake did a great job. To put that much into a character and to really know or at least make the audience really feel what is happening. It was great. Mad props Blake!!

Melchior: I loved how we saw this character develop. In the play it's laid out for us. We understand that he understands but at the same time he is so confused. We know his parent's stance on things is more relaxed then the others. We know he is smart, charming, and the girls love him. The musical helps us see this even more. The songs Melchior sings, are ones that show struggle and angst and even though he is not like Moritz in wanting to die for it, he wants it to change. He doesn't know how, but he wants it to change. His journal, the prop (there are no props in the play written at least), adds so much to that character. Wendla getting a hold of it and having a purpose to find him in the barn and give it to him, makes the audience go...what is going to happen? We see Melchior throw two fits of rage and we understand why. In terms of the character of Melchior, the musical and the play are very similar...except at the end. I will not ruin the end for anyone so I won't make mention of it here. John Groff....I give you props. A character like this requires a lot and you were extremely believable.

Those being the three main characters that I wish to explore, I have nothing else really to say. Perhaps I will see it again before Michele and Groff leave and have more to comment. Perhaps I will see it again after the leave and have even more to say. I laughed and I cried. I was touched to the core. It was amazingly beautiful. This is a broadway show that screams to the world. I want to scream to the world to see it. We need to understand, we need to know, we need to learn, and most importantly the world needs to let us grow.

My thoughts.