Spring Awakening Broadway Cast Album

I probably should have lined up some uber-patriotic show for Independence Day, but instead I'm looking at the first musical by an independent rocker adapting a 19th century German play.

The original Spring Awakening was written by Frank Wedekind in 1891 or so. It has a long history of being banned, censored, reviled and protested over. I don't believe I've ever read the original drama, but Wedekind does make it into theatre history studies for his blending of naturalistic and expressionistic styles and, more so, for writing plays on topics that caused them to be banned, censored, reviled and protested over.

Spring is Wedekind's response to a society which is not honest in its discussion of sexuality. I assume composer Duncan Sheik and librettist Steven Slater are trying to speak to the same type of society in their 2006 adaptation. The musical aspects of the show are somewhat notorious for their explicit language and for being sung into hand-held microphones, both of which are anacronistic for a 19th Century German drama.

I don't care a hoot about that. The presentational style of the songs is a Brechtian devise that works well in this setting, where the songs act as the inner monologues of the characters more than they do as traditional plot-moving devices. The songs break the fourth wall convention to speak directly to the audience. Brecht said that Wedekind was one of his influences in developing his so-called Epic Theatre. So, either Mr. Sater and Mr. Sheik knew that and adapted accordingly, or they dipped unknowingly into some Epic Theater zeitgeist. Either way, bravo for them.

The music takes a little getting used to, and I believe that is because it uses so much guitar in the accompaniment. I'm so used to piano-based music coming from the pit. But there are beautiful tunes and powerful anthems just the same. And the cast performs them admirably.

Theater history lesson over.

Spring Awakening
Music by Duncan Sheik
Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater
Based on the play by Frank Wedekind
Original Broadway Cast Album
Released in 2006 by Decca Broadway
Cast: Lea Michele, John Gallagher, Jr., Jonathan Groff