SPRING AWAKENING tonight

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 11:52pm

Sat next to James Bond, Daniel Craig. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

Still loathe the show, find it pretentious and so overly sentimental that Wedekind's rolling over in his grave. But I'm a purist. I can write a discourse about the original play and how Ilse's really the Masked Man, etc., etc.

This current cast as a whole is leagues better than the original. They're younger, the girls are sexier (though it makes me feel weird to say that, since none of them looked older than 16), the guys are gawkier. What's with playing Hanschen like a class-five predator?

Hunter Parrish is a good-enough singer, doesn't capture the conflict in Melchior; ditto Gerard Canonico as Moritz (the one downgrade from the Original - makes you wonder how the role was Tony worthy). Alexandra Socha, however, is in a category far ahead of Lea Michele, and the fact that she's so young-looking adds an element of tragedy not previously seen. She also sings better. Emma Hunton is also an improvement over the previous Ilse, giving her a spunky charm.

Still love the choreography and lighting and most of the score; hate the script, most lyrics. "Totally F*CKed" still brings the house down, deservedly, and, in 10 years, we'll probably look at it as a Broadway standard along with the likes of "Lullaby of Broadway," "Some Enchanted Evening," and "Adelaide's Lament."
Updated On: 9/25/08 at 11:52 PM

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/25/08 at 11:58pm

"we'll probably look at it as a Broadway standard along with the likes of "Lullaby of Broadway," "Some Enchanted Evening," and "Adelaide's Lament."
--------------------------------

I REALLY hope not.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 12:05am

"Totally F*CKed" still brings the house down, deservedly, and, in 10 years, we'll probably look at it as a Broadway standard along with the likes of "Lullaby of Broadway," "Some Enchanted Evening," and "Adelaide's Lament."

I LOVE THIS SONG and I sorta like Spring Awakening as a whole, but...NO NO NO A THOUSAND TIMES NO to the last part.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 12:08am

Come on, you can't see Streisand doing it on her next Broadway album?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 12:12am

Couldn't disagree more. I thought the new cast lacked any sort of connection to the play. They seemed to be going through the motions, and seemed to be indicating more than acting. Hunter Parrish was a letdown, as was most of the rest of the cast. Alexandra Socha sang so softly that I forgot she was on stage at times. She got lost in the crowd, and overshadowed, and her acting was just boring - but, I agree, that could be a fault of the book. Nothing really excited me about the show. Sure, the design elements are beautiful, but it does come off a little pretentious at times - and I hate how they come out of the floor at the end, it seems to go against the whole design element of the show. And I find Moritz to be such a bland, boring character. And I have to agree, the lyrics are sometimes so hard to understand, that I think I missed the point of the song. Like, what does "Purple Summer" even mean? It doesn't sum anything up for me.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 9:24am

I could not disagree more about your statement that this cast is worlds better than the original. I found most to be sub par at best. I did like Hunter Parrish. He is a good singer and I thought he acted the role well. Gerard is ok, I liked blake why better than him and John was in a class of his own. Alexandra is good but i feel lea was why better.

The rest of the cast I feel were going through the motions and dont get me starting on their signing because I felt it was not up to broadway standards. Well I take that back, I thought Emma H was a good singer but she did not do it for me at all in the acting very wooden.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 12:06pm

Glad to see someone else enjoyed Alexandra Socha. I saw her last Feb when Lea was still in the cast, but out. I had seen Lea a few months earlier and enjoyed her performance (I do like her voice a lot), but Socha's youthful appearance and acting choices added a new dimension to the role I hadn't experienced before.

[crushgroove]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 12:51pm

"Still loathe the show, find it pretentious and so overly sentimental that Wedekind's rolling over in his grave....hate the script, most lyrics"

Then why keep seeing the show?
That's like going back to the same restaurant that the food and service sucks but you music they play in the background.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 12:55pm

Glad you went back to see it but I disagree with a lot of the points you make, yankee.

I, personally, think its the best musical to hit Broadway in years. And I also think the original cast (PARTICULARLY Lea Michele as Wendla) are much better than the current cast which I found underwhelming and mediocre.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 2:22pm

"Keep seeing the show"? I've seen it twice - once in Nov. '06 and last night. You make it out to sound like I go every week, Crushgroove.

Wickedrocks, that's what makes ballgames.

For the record,
Let me stress - I enjoy the PRODUCTION very much - Michael Mayer's staging really is something (I think I'm in the minority in terms of enjoying the microphones, choreography, etc.). It's the material I find weak.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 2:36pm

I think the OBC was better but I felt a little more connection to the curernt cast. And I agree Alex is in a leauge of her own above Lea.

[log13124]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 2:37pm

"Come on, you can't see Streisand doing it on her next Broadway album?"
----------------------------------------

I'll be... I think you found the one thing that might actually get me to buy a Streisand album.

[Kev]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 3:00pm

I recently caught up with the show again (I, too, think Spring is majorly flawed, but I returned for the performers.)

Whatever Hunter Parrish and Alexandra Socha lack in bold vocals, they make up for in the acting department. Parrish is still providing a Melchior with the perfect combination of maturity and naivety. And Socha's genuine confusion and despair in the scene prior to "Whispering" is darn near perfection.

I must give special mention to understudy Zach Reiner-Harris as an excellent Hanschen; he captured all the right elements and managed to make the shoddy, yet tricky, role his own (something that Matt Doyle still has yet to do.)

The supporting players are a mixed bag in terms of distinction, but the performance never felt stale. I'd recommend a return.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/26/08 at 11:55pm

I'm sorry, but what? I felt like Parrish was acting for an invisible camera because he came across as so boring, so understated, so plastic, that I felt like he was just reading a script. The "crying" at the end didn't seem genuine or honest, and his singing was decent at best. I'm a huge fan of Weeds, and I think he's great on the show, but I thought he was an utter disappointment in this show. Although, I do agree, the staging is beautiful. I love how Isle has flowers, and then they're used in the next scene.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 9/27/08 at 12:17am

"Come on, you can't see Streisand doing it on her next Broadway album?"

Oh, indeed I can. But, instead of "blah, blah, blah" etc., it'll just be one long belted, "BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH".

[Bobby Maler]

Posted: 9/27/08 at 2:14am

Really, Rentboy?? You're entitled to your opinion of course, but I thought he was one of the best Melchoirs I have ever seen. Saw it two weeks ago. He understands the text so well and was so specific. I completely believed that he was in 1890s Germany...it almost sounded like he put on a slight German accent (but that could be because he speaks from the back of the throat a lot). True, his singing wasn't as good as Groffs (though his falsetto brings tears to my eyes), but I thought he made better choices as an actor. Some specifics: I HEARD "Because it makes us feel something??" in a completely different way. For the first time, it became clear to me that Melchoir is saying that as a direct response to Wendla telling him she has never felt anything in her life in the earlier scene. It's almost as if Hunter is challenging Alexandra, as if to say, "look, I thought you said you wanted to feel...why are you backing out now?" Indeed, that is what reels her in. You can feel him having an effect on her. With Groff, that line was more about his own moral indignation, railing against society again.

Last example: I really liked Hunter's reading out loud of the tombstone better..Groff always took such long pauses that I didn't believe he was really reading the tombstone in real time (don't want to quote what is written on the tombstone here in case it will be a spoiler for those who havn't yet seen the show). I think it also indicates Hunter's artistry that he has changed the blocking of where the smaller tombstones are first found. Hunter discovers them where he is standing, as if stumbling upon them by accident. Groff always moved to the spot, which seemed stagey to me. Hunter made me understand the text in a completely fresh way, thanks to his superb and specific choices.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/27/08 at 9:09am

I agree about Socha vs. Lea. (although I feel Lea's voice is stronger) The first time I saw her I was blown away and continued to be impressed with her. Her acting is far superior to Lea's and I like her singing well enough...though I've heard it is inconsistent.

I actually have the same feeling about Emma as Ilse. While I'd rather LISTEN to a cd of Lauren Pritchard, I felt the role finally had real substance played by Emma.

I saw the "new cast" very early in their run and was not very impressed. I liked Morgan Karr (ensemble, Gerard's seat) as Ernst and liked him very much.

Other than that...meh. I didn't really like any of the girls at all. And had true DISLIKE for the new Thea. (reminded me of Moaning Myrtle from the HP movies...ugh.)

I adore Gerard and find his Moritz to be passable....but he doesn't truly hold a candle to either Bashoff or Gallagher.

I'm still debating whether or not to catch the tour. But have a while before it comes to Boston.