SPRING AWAKENING at OCPAC: $20 Student Rush Tickets Plus Post-Show Discussions

Discounted Student Rush Tickets Available to Spring Awakening
$20 student rush tickets can be purchased one hour before each performance November 17 – 29

Post-Performance Talkbacks Created to Encourage Dialogue Relevant to Show's Topics
November 17 & 21 – Center President Terry Dwyer to lead panel on parent/teen communication
November 18 & 24 – Cast fields questions from audience in post-performance talk backs

COSTA MESA, CA-The Orange County Performing Arts Center is offering discounted student rush tickets to Broadway's most talked about musical and the biggest Tony® Award-winner in years, Spring Awakening which visits November 17 – 29. Student rush ticket prices are just $20. Regular ticket prices for Spring Awakening are $20 - $70. Student rush tickets are available one hour before each performance. A valid student ID is required at the time of purchase, with a limit of two tickets per person, which must be paid for in cash. Students are advised to call the Orange County Performing Arts Center's information line at 714.556.2787 to confirm availability.

Spring Awakening swept the 2007 Tony Awards winning eight out of its 11 nominations, including Best Musical, Best Director (Michael Mayer), Best Book (Steven Sater), Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), Best Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik), Best Lighting Design (Kevin Adams) and Best Featured Actor (John Gallagher, Jr.).

Hailed as the "Best Musical of the Year" by the NY Drama Critics Circle, the Drama Desk, the Outer Critics Circle and the Tony Awards, Spring Awakening has emerged as the most talked about new musical on Broadway. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times proclaimed, "Broadway may never be the same. This brave new musical, haunting and electrifying by turns, restores the mystery and the thrill to that shattering transformation that stirs in all of our souls." John Heilpern with The New York Observer called the show, "A miracle that must be seen to be believed…The best new musical in a generation." And Michael Sommers of The Star-Ledger said, "The most explosive new musical since RENT!"

POST-PERFORMANCE TALKBACKS

Center President Terry Dwyer said, "The Center is proud to offer Spring Awakening. It is a thrilling, theatrical and passionate work, and we recognize that it does explore some powerful and provocative themes. Its message of adolescent awakening, which is in many ways even more relevant today, is sure to both entertain and inspire spirited debate. We have already provided a number of resources on our web site, OCPAC.org, including several video previews and a parents guide, which we hope you will find useful prior to attending this adventurous new musical. We feel that these post-performance discussions offer our audiences added opportunities to enhance their theater-going experience."

Four free post-performance discussions have been scheduled:

· Following the November 17, 7:30 p.m. opening night performance and November 21, 2 p.m. matinee will be post-performance panel discussions with audience participation. These panels will be led by Center President Terry Dwyer and include a mother and daughter who have seen Spring Awakening and family counseling and social service experts.

· Following the November 18 & 24, 7:30 p.m. performances will be post-performance talk backs with Spring Awakening cast members. Audience members will have the opportunity to speak
with cast members about their careers and their experiences as characters in Spring Awakening.

The talkbacks are free, but tickets to those performances of Spring Awakening are required.

Based on the infamous 1891 Frank Wedekind play, Spring Awakening features an electrifying score by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater, direction by Michael Mayer and choreography by award-winning Bill T. Jones.

Set against the backdrop of a repressive and provincial late 19th century Germany, Spring Awakening tells the timeless story of teenage self-discovery and budding sexuality as seen through the eyes of three teenagers. The musical deals frankly with social and sexual issues that still fAce Young people today. Haunting and provocative, Spring Awakening celebrates an unforgettable journey from youth to adulthood with a power, a poignancy and a passion you will never forget.

Set design is by Christine Jones, costume design is by Tony Award-winner Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Kevin Adams and sound design by Brian Ronan.

Spring Awakening opened on Broadway on December 10, 2006 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, following its world premiere at the Atlantic Theatre Co. The original cast recording of Spring Awakening won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Spring Awakening is produced by Ira Pittelman, Tom Hulce, Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and the Atlantic Theatre Co.

Spring Awakening contains mature themes, sexual situations and strong language.

Photo: Kimiko Glenn, Gabrielle Garza, Christy Altomare & Sarah Hunt by Paul Kolnik.

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Tickets to see Spring Awakening are $20 - $70 and are available at OCPAC.org, at the Center's Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling 714.556.2787. For inquiries about group ticket discounts for 15 or more, call the Group Services office at 714.755.0236. The TTY number is 714.556.2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, November 28 will be sign-language interpreted. Please note that on-stage seats are sold out.

Cox Communications is the Media Partner of the Center's 2009-2010 Broadway Series.

For more information please visit springawakening.com. To join the Guilty Ones and be eligible for discount tickets, merchandise, autographed items and a chance to meet the cast go to OCPAC.org/GuiltyOnes.