Thought Provoking Exploration of Coming-Of-Age, Sexuality, & Censorship In A Folk-Infused Tony Award Winning Rock Musical
Opens June 22 on Mill Mountain Theatre’s Waldron Stage
Mill Mountain Theatre will continue its 2018 Waldron Fringe season with Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s Spring Awakening, which will preview on June 21 and open on June 22 on Mill Mountain Theatre’s Waldron Stage.
Spring Awakening is a rock musical about teenagers caught between the tumult of adolescence and the frustrating lack of experience with sex, pregnancy, abortion and suicide, guilt, innocence and death, all with wailing guitars, driving percussion and tortured young voices. The musical, based on a 19th century German play, won 8 Tony Awards in 2006.
Continuing the Waldron Fringe Series goal of providing intimate, thought-provoking, and contemporary work in the Roanoke community, director Travis Kendrick describes Spring Awakening as dealing with topics that are still taboo in many places. “I think in 2018 it’s just as relevant subject matter as in 1890.” The original 1890 German play was banned when it was produced and was censored twice in New York, only adding to the already present themes of censorship and expression in the show. “It’s a tragedy of circumstances. It’s a tragedy of truth-withholding. The heart of the argument in Spring Awakening is that when young people are denied permission to express themselves or be told the truth, crisis rises.” Despite the dark themes in the musical, Kendrick expressed the positive message of this provocative show: “Melchior says, ‘In the end we only have each other—we must build a different world.’ Despite it all, there’s hope.”
Mill Mountain Theatre’s production of Spring Awakening will feature the 2018 Summer Apprentice Company of college students as well as local high school students and industry professionals. This diverse cast exemplifies the themes of childhood versus adulthood in the musical. The Apprentice Company can also be seen in A Year With Frog And Toad and Shrek The Musical – TYA Version this season.
This production contains mature language and content. Viewer discretion is advised.
Spring Awakening will be presented on June 21 (discounted preview performance), 22-23, and 27-30 at 7:30pm, and June 24 at 2:00pm on the Waldron Stage at Mill Mountain Theatre. Tickets can be purchased online at https://millmountain.org/shows/, by calling 540-342-5740, or Tuesday-Saturday from 9:45am-4:45pm and Sunday from 12:45-4:45pm at the Box Office, located in the lobby of Center in the Square. Tickets are $20 or $15 for preview performances.
For more information on the 2018 Mill Mountain Theatre season and to purchase season tickets, visit https://millmountain.org/tickets/.
