It Felt Good to Take Over

This review contains spoilers.

I saw less gray hair in the audience at Spring Awakening than any other show I have seen at The 5th Avenue Theatre. With this, most of the remaining gray vanished at intermission, and even some during the first act. I am not sure if the show brought in a greater amount of young people than the volume of typical 5th Avenue patrons it turned off, but it felt good to take over.

Filled to the brim with sex and death, Spring Awakening is intentionally provocative yet never gratuitous. Adapted in the aughts from a late 19th century play by Frank Wedekind, the timeless story explores the grim results of misinformation. A defining musical for teenagers, the musical utilizes Duncan Sheik’s infectious rock score paired with Steven Sater’s modernized dialogue to express the angst and longing tied to the restrictions of teenhood.

Teenage sexuality is a topic that lends itself perfectly to the extremes of musical theater, and I appreciate that the 5th does not hold back with this staging. Director Jay Santos, who serves as the 5th’s Associate Artistic Director, heavily utilizes symbolic design elements, such as red fabric featured in many of the show’s most critical moments. This includes Wendla’s period at the top of the show as well as a scene violently depicting an abortion. Scenic Designer Matthew Smucker incorporates a tree breaking through an otherwise plain white backdrop, nature forcing itself into the sterile environment. Santos shapes the atmosphere well, integrating ensemble members in chairs on the perimeter of the set’s central platform to amplify the communal nature of the storytelling.

Santos guides her impressive young cast to present the show with tastefully raw energy, never teasing the audience. At the heart of it all are Melchior and Wendla, played by a charming Ricky Spaulding and emotionally dynamic Caitlin Sarwono respectively. The entire supporting cast is strong, but Donovan Mahannah, the understudy for Hanschen, stands out for his grounded yet humorous presence.

In an attempt to serve as a comprehensive take on teenhood, the show piles on a few too many subplots without a sense of cohesiveness. Juxtaposition between storylines can create depth, but it is not used successfully, or at least the intention behind the relationships between the subplots are not made apparent in this interpretation even if the subplots are thematically connected. This makes this production often feel overstuffed as well as a bit confusing.

The intense imagery, vibrant choreography, and powerful performances certainly create a visceral theatrical experience, perhaps most notably in the delightfully titled “Totally Fucked.” However, when a show is too much of a vibe, it can be difficult to effectively end it. I was frustrated by the emotional resolution in the second act; the momentum is lost as the show progresses, largely because Melchior is portrayed as powerless following his expulsion, which makes it so he is no longer an active protagonist. Santos’ interpretation of the ending, revealing the characters in Heaven with confetti, feels inconsistent with the tone of the rest of her interpretation without a clear purpose. For such an otherwise cathartic show, there is no clear arc.

The production also includes a strange sense of comedic self-awareness surrounding the schoolmaster and teacher, thoughtfully portrayed along with all of the other adult characters by Michael Sharon and Dedra D. Woods. Perhaps Santos’ intention here is to present the scenes through the frustrated lens of teens, but it instead comes across as one-note. Spring Awakening is about the tragic results of the ways adults treat teens, so I believe this idea could be strengthened if the adults are centered more as it is their actions driving the narrative.

Despite inconsistencies, Spring Awakening provides one of the only Seattle theater experiences I have had this season that truly feels whole. Santos’ engaging productions of classics, including last year’s Sweeney Todd and Beauty and the Beast the year before, have stood out as the 5th’s most culturally relevant yet widely popular works. Although I disagree with some of the choices that were made for the production, I continue to be impressed by Santos’ work and very much look forward to her work in seasons to come.

Lead Photo: Ricky Spaulding and Caitlin Sarwono in Spring Awakening at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Tracy Martin

The cast of Spring Awakening at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo by Tracy Martin.

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