All Shall Know the Wonder: SPRING AWAKENING Arrives in Coral Gables

Directed by BroadwayWorld Award-winning director Darius J. Manuel, and co-choreographed by Darius J. Manuel and Christine Kerber, comes an intimate, innovative and intense production of Duncan Sheik's Spring Awakening.

Performances begin June 2nd, 2017 at the Award-winning Area Stage Company and Conservatory (1560 S. Dixie Hwy. Coral Gables, FL 33146).

Manuel has paired together a luscious duo to star, that includes two of South Florida's rising stars: Jose Vaszquez taking over the role of Melchior Gabor, and Somerset Arts Conservatory Senior, Isabella Lopez (Carrie The Musical, Footloose, Jekyll and Hyde) as Wendla Bergmann, this new production of Spring Awakening brings fresh prospective to the classic rock musical with the use of truthful storytelling, 18 chairs, and a band of actors in space, to create a rich and raw retelling of this timeless coming of age story. The score has captured our hearts, and now, we finally get to witness a group of South Florida young actors use these characters as vehicles to tell stories similar to their own.

This winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with a poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable. Darius J. Manuel pulls off all the brakes in his version of this landmark musical, making it even more of an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll.

The beautiful young Wendla explores the mysteries of her body. Moritz - a boy so traumatized by puberty that he can't concentrate on anything, begins to toy with his present failures and try to find ways to cope. While Melchior, who seemingly has life figured out, begins to accept and become overwhelmed by his closeness to adulthood and the consequences of having to grow up far to fast. In a world where adult figures are failing to listen, these teens have to search and find within themselves answers to the desire unlike anything they've ever felt.

Rounding out this dynamic band of actors will be performances by Daniela Vazquez as the earthy and bohemian Isle, Ryan Bauta as the troubled and crazed Moritz and Nayomi Braaf, who is a graduate of the Hartt School of the Arts with a BFA in Musical Theatre and was most recently seen leading the Philadelphia Premier of Polkadots: The Cool Kid Musical by Lyons and Pakchar (Lily Polkadot), as the beaten and abused Martha.

Also featured are: Anjuli Kaufman (Anna), Isis Palma (Thea), Alberto Castro (Hanschen), O'Ryan Montgomery (Ernst), Tedrick Wilson (Georg), Bobbly Morales (Otto) with Imani Cooper-Williams, Aleyna Morales, Justin Cook, Nathalie Saliba, Matias Souto, Gianna Milici (Adult Femal), June Romero (Adult Male).

This 2016 BroadwayWorld Award winning Director has moved back to South Florida and began taking the community by storm, yet again only eight months after affecting young artists in the South Florida community with "Carrie the Musical" and going on to sweep at the 2016 BroadwayWorld Awards, winning Best Ensemble, Best Director, Best Choreographer, Best Lighting Design and Best Musical.

With a live orchestra, gritty direction and actors that give a relentless pursuit of truth; this is a piece that you do not want to miss.

Performances run June 2nd-11th, 2017, playing Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm. Sundays at 5:00pm at Area Stage Company at the historic Riviera Theatre | 1560 S Dixie Hwy Coral Gables, FL 33146. Tickets on sale now: $10-$25 (discounts available for students under 22). Please call (305) 666-2078 or visit areastagecompany.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.