An Invigorating Spring Awakening @ Kennedy Center
Blake Bashoff in "Spring Awakening"
After all, what we're watching are late 19th century German schoolchildren discovering their sexuality for the first time, all the while gyrating and head-banging to decidedly contemporary, emo-intense lyrics like "We've all got our junk, and my junk is you" or, say, "Touch me/Just like that/And that, oh yeah/Now that's heaven." But for every time the show teeters on the edge of ridiculous, there are many more instances of true emotional impact and glimmers of musical theater innovation.
Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's rock musical cleaned up at the Tonys back in 2007 and is now touring the country with a stop at the Kennedy Center. With so many cookie cutter musicals and anemic remakes coming out of Broadway, it feels almost a privilege to get a glimpse of one of the more experimental productions to find some New York success. Bill T. Jones' jerky, explosive choreography (which is particularly arresting during the rebellious, ensemble-driven number "Totally Fucked") and the diverse collection of songs, from the plaintive "Mama Who Bore Me" to the angst-ridden anthem, "Don't Do Sadness", push along a piece that can run thin on plot and character development, but is consistently high on expressionism.
It's easy to connect with the cast of adolescents, including the intellectually hedonistic Melchoir (Jake Epstein), the underachiever Mortiz (Blake Bashoff) and the naive but captivating Wendla (Christy Altomare). Part of the thrill of Spring Awakening is watching the young but extremely talented cast, clearly in the early stages of their careers. Bashoff's goofy hair and nasal vocals fit perfectly with the score's whiny-pop numbers, in contrast with Altomare's angelic but nonetheless powerhouse pipes. Epstein feels more archetype than type in the role of the intellectual rebel with the clean-cut good looks, but he's still a forceful presence.
Spring Awakening's numbers are frequently effective as stand-alone songs rather than just tools to advance the story of the musical, which is refreshing. Their modern sound proves a thrilling anachronism to the story, and it is that contrast that is at the crux of what makes the show exciting. Only occasionally does the disconnect become a problem (namely, the superfluous closer, "The Song of Purple Summer", which seems tacked on to provide unwarranted optimism). While the show has some valuable warnings to provide about the dangers of sexual repression and parental deception, Spring Awakening's strengths lie more in what it makes you feel than what it makes you think.
The show runs through Aug. 2 at the Kennedy Center. Tickets are available online.