Review: SPRING AWAKENING at Mānoa Valley Theatre
The production runs March 19-April 12.
Spring Awakening is, in a sense, a cautionary tale about what happens when we are told to abandon ourselves to fit into a small, rigid box that promises stability and strength at the cost of our self-expression and humanity. Sadly, this power dynamic has not stayed a relic of 1891 when the original play by Franz Wedekind was written. As director Lurana Donnels O’Malley points out in her Director’s Note, the youth of 2026 are still suffering, still contending with draconian parenting practices, isolation, and ignorance.
This illusion of order through rigidity and unquestioned conformity is cleverly reflected in set designer Teia O’Malley’s off-kilter platforms, doors, and window frames, with not a single right angle in sight. With the audience situated in the round, the young characters struggling with fear and shame and lack of information seem constantly surveilled by us all, as if they can never simply let go and be their true selves, constantly being scrutinized by a system that seeks to punish them for even the smallest misstep. This is further driven home by the banks of blinding lights (design by Janine Myers) from the voms, used effectively to provide side lighting and to sometimes ominously root characters on the spot with nowhere to hide. Soundscapes (design by Sarah Velasco and Timothy Manamtam) were effective in enriching certain scenes, especially the ominous tolling of the church bell, and the various rainstorms throughout. Velasco and Manamtam should also be commended for what I can only imagine was a Herculean undertaking of mixing not only body mics, but the army of handhelds and headset mics that made multiple appearances throughout the show. Their hard work was not in vain, and the show’s sound was a triumph.
The whole cast is quite strong, and I applaud them all for taking on such heavy material with full commitment and sincerity. Which such strong sexual and violent themes throughout, I was relieved to see that an intimacy coordinator was on staff for this production—Jonathan Clarke Sypert, pulling double duty as choreographer. I enjoyed the stylized movement for the cast, especially during “The Bitch of Living” and “Totally Fucked”, as well as a brief but beautiful lyrical solo moment in “Touch Me” danced by Victoria Chang. I was intrigued by the utilization of the enigmatic pariah Ilse, played by Myla Pellegrini, as she weaves in and out of practically every scene, either witnessing the events and capturing them through painting, or inviting another character to express their repressed inner lives by providing them with a microphone and a spotlight. Whether Ilse is flesh-and-blood or a phantom caught between worlds is never really spelled out, but she is all the more intriguing for it, providing validation for Martha’s confessions in “The Dark I Know Well” (sung beautifully by a criminally underutilized Nikki Bagaw) and counterpoint to Moritz’s (Kyle Connor) distressing swan song “Don’t Do Sadness”.
As the only two people playing adults in the entire production, Amy K. Sullivan and Mathias Maas handled about a dozen roles between them. I found the use of masks for the adults—turning them into literally faceless enforcers of the oppressive society—was very effective (costume design by Ka’iukapu Baker). Sullivan’s adult women encompassed a broad range of characters, including a beautiful interpretation of Melchior’s mother, the only character (mostly) without a mask. And while I enjoyed Maas’s goofy take on the geriatric Headmaster character, he did not come across as particularly imperious or intimidating as the corporal punishment enthusiast Professor or as either Moritz or Melchior’s domineering fathers.
Kyle Connor as Moritz gave an excellent vocal performance and imbued the character with a ton of pathos and inner life, though some of his choices came off a bit too slapstick for my taste. Rounding out the leads are Isiah Gundermann Graham as the golden boy Melchior, and Ainsley Shearer as the naive Wendla. Graham is a wonderful anchor to this cast of talented performers, and is able to deliver both raw teenage angst in “Bitch of Living” and a heartbreaking tenderness in “Left Behind”. Shearer is an absolute star as Wendla, especially considering how categorically different Wendla is from last character I saw her play, the wild and powerful Maureen in RENT at UHM last year. Shearer has quite the range! Her Wendla was so gripping to watch, as she constantly seemed like she was about to fly out of her own skin, not being allowed to understand how to transition from a child to a woman. Add to that a strong voice that goes from plaintive to enraged and back again with ease, and I am excited to see what’s next for Shearer.
While Spring Awakening may not be for all tastes, this production at Mānoa Valley Theatre nonetheless delivers a wealth of excellent performances, satisfying design and directorial choices, and an enduring message of connection and freedom that feels relevant and necessary.
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