2008 Woodie Awards
Spring Awakening is bold and beautiful
Jennifer Cox
Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Broadway is changing, and I love it. Though I value the traditional orchestral sound that has defined Broadway shows with rich, intricate numbers, Spring Awakening is different, and it's more than beautiful. Of course, it's definitely not the first show to rock the stage. When Hair opened in 1968, audiences were overjoyed because Broadway had finally discovered rock. Rent opened in 1996, and audiences were overjoyed because Broadway had finally discovered rock. It's 2007 and Spring Awakening has opened...and guess what? Rock is back, and it's as powerful as ever.
Though it is true that many new shows are ripping Broadway into a world of cheap pop music and stupid cuteness, Spring Awakening, a musical written by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, defies this trend. It suggests that musical theatre's recent spiral into the pop genre does not have to be a death trap. It shows that untraditional music can be haunting, powerful and gripping. Newsflash: show tunes are not the only way to bring a story alive on stage. Against great odds, a pop songwriter and a bunch of teenagers have made the new age of the Broadway musical seem a bit more grown-up.
The play itself is controversial, vivid, and centers on German teenagers growing up in the late 1800's. Though they've toned down the content a little bit for the stage, Spring Awakening is still one of the most risqué shows on Broadway. Sex, violence, homosexuality, and suicide all build on the basis of deep teenage angst that permeates through the characters' thoughts and actions. These kids are trying to figure out the world without the guidance of adults, and for the most part they're failing miserably. I suppose that's why they're so easy to love.
Since I have not seen the play, I feel as though listening to the soundtrack alone is comparable to looking at gems removed from a necklace. Though I cannot speak for the necklace, the songs are true diamonds. Songs like "Totally F---," "The Bitch of Living," and "Don't do Sadness," are high-power pop rock numbers that are thrilling and slightly comical because of their present day usage of slang. These songs are fun and are probably highlights of the stage performance, but it is the slower, sadder songs that have made me fall head-over-heels in love. Songs like "Left Behind," and "Those You've Known," are moving and profound. Other songs such as "Touch Me," and "The World of Your Body," cut deep. These songs have the power to create sensuality as an emotion instead of a physical reaction, a sensation that is rare and beautiful in music and other media.
Though it is true that many new shows are ripping Broadway into a world of cheap pop music and stupid cuteness, Spring Awakening, a musical written by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, defies this trend. It suggests that musical theatre's recent spiral into the pop genre does not have to be a death trap. It shows that untraditional music can be haunting, powerful and gripping. Newsflash: show tunes are not the only way to bring a story alive on stage. Against great odds, a pop songwriter and a bunch of teenagers have made the new age of the Broadway musical seem a bit more grown-up.
The play itself is controversial, vivid, and centers on German teenagers growing up in the late 1800's. Though they've toned down the content a little bit for the stage, Spring Awakening is still one of the most risqué shows on Broadway. Sex, violence, homosexuality, and suicide all build on the basis of deep teenage angst that permeates through the characters' thoughts and actions. These kids are trying to figure out the world without the guidance of adults, and for the most part they're failing miserably. I suppose that's why they're so easy to love.
Since I have not seen the play, I feel as though listening to the soundtrack alone is comparable to looking at gems removed from a necklace. Though I cannot speak for the necklace, the songs are true diamonds. Songs like "Totally F---," "The Bitch of Living," and "Don't do Sadness," are high-power pop rock numbers that are thrilling and slightly comical because of their present day usage of slang. These songs are fun and are probably highlights of the stage performance, but it is the slower, sadder songs that have made me fall head-over-heels in love. Songs like "Left Behind," and "Those You've Known," are moving and profound. Other songs such as "Touch Me," and "The World of Your Body," cut deep. These songs have the power to create sensuality as an emotion instead of a physical reaction, a sensation that is rare and beautiful in music and other media.
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