Spring Awakening Tour Has Warm-up In San Diego 8/14

The producers of the groundbreaking Broadway musical SPRING AWAKENING have announced that Kyle Riabko and Blake Bashoff, currently starring in SPRING AWAKENING on Broadway, will lead the cast of the national tour when it launches on the West Coast this fall.       

Canadian singer/song writer Kyle Riabko, who made his Broadway debut in Spring Awakening in May of 2008, will reprise the pivotal role of Melchior Gabor, the thoughtful and soul-searching young man who dares to defy conventional principles in repressive 19th century Germany.  Television and film actor, Blake Bashoff who debuted on Broadway in December 2007, will continue as the ill-fated best friend Moritz Stiefel who valiantly struggles to measure up to his father's and his very own high expectations.  

The producers released a joint statement saying "We are thrilled that Kyle and Blake will join SPRING AWAKENING on its journey across America, and that audiences from coast to coast will be able to experience the incredible performances these two exceptionally talented young men deliver every night."  

As a singer/songwriter, Riabko has toured extensively with such artists as John Mayer, Maroon 5, BB King and others. His solo album, "Before I Speak", is on the Columbia label.    "I have been performing and touring as a musician since I was 10 years old.  The fact that I now get to tour America as Melchior in Spring Awakening is an incredible dream come true." said Riabko.

"I am excited to bring this role to cities across America", said Bashoff. "Moritz is a complex character but very relatable. I think audiences of every age will understand and recognize him and be moved by the story."   

Bashoff, who was recently seen on ABC's "Lost" in a recurring role, has also been seen on the television series "Judging Amy," "Numb3rs," "Without a Trace" and "One Tree Hill." His film credits include "Bushwhacked," "Big Bully," HBO's "A Child Betrayed: The Calvin Mire Story" and "The New Swiss Family Robinson." Bashoff will be seen in the upcoming feature "Together Again for the First Time."    

SPRING AWAKENINGg will launch a multi-city national tour beginning in the Curran Theatre in San Francisco on September 4th as part of the SHN Best of Broadway Series.  A pre-tour west coast premiere will take place mid August in San Diego in the historic Balboa Theatre.

Cities in the first year of the tour include: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Tempe, Houston, Tampa, Cleveland, Columbus, Des Moines, East Lansing, St. Louis, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C, Toronto, Boston and Chicago.

On Broadway, SPRING AWAKENING continues its record-breaking run at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 230 West 49th Street. The musical, with music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater is choreographed by Bill T. Jones and directed by Michael Mayer.   

SPRING AWAKENING swept the 2007 Tony Awards® winning eight out of its eleven nominations, including Best Musical and has been hailed as a challenging, compelling and ground-breaking new musical.

Performance schedule is as follows: Monday at 8 pm, Tuesday at 7 pm, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 pm, and Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm. For information and tickets call Telecharge.com at 212 239-6200.

For additional information go to www.springawakening.com 

Photo by Joan Marcus.
 

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