Welcome to the HVSS Theater Coop’s Presentation of Spring Awakening the Musical!
This show is very near and dear to me for many reasons, and a show I never thought I'd help to produce here, at a school. As we present this show, we are aware it is filled with controversial content that might be uncomfortable. Because of this, we added some important steps into our process to ensure the topics were handled with care and understanding.
The original play was written by a radical German playwright in 1891, had its first performance in 1906 and has had a long history of being banned or censored ever since. In fact the musical followed in this history of banning and censoring as highschools throughout the country wanted to start producing it after its 2006 debut on Boardway.
When the idea of this show was brought up at our coop meeting, I had a little trepidation, but after much deliberation and conversation it was decided that the benefits of taking on this controversial piece was well worth it. In fact, just floating the idea about doing this show stirred up so many of the conversations we wanted to start by producing this show in the first place.
The trials of “adult” life, budding sexuality, deeping anxieties, depression, the wonders of reproduction, and the loss of loved ones don’t just suddenly start at age 18. In fact when societies have a lack of desire to talk about, or even hide these things it actively hurts our youth and communities.
Another huge benefit in having young actors perform this show is that it is fresh to them, they are right in the thick of it, learning so many of the things in this show, and they get to voice them through art without shame.
One thing we liked about this show is that all the characters are deeply flawed, whether by their unwarranted confidence, lack of parental guidance or too much belief in what they are told is important vs what actually is important to them this leads them all through so much unnecessary suffering. Which could be, for the most part, avoidable if the adults “just listened to what’s in the heart of a child”.
Though we might think all the topics from this show are no longer an issue in our communities, what things are our youth fighting for now, that might seem strange to us, but will be commonplace in 100 years?
Thank you for being here with us and enjoy the show,
Trine Boode-Petersen
