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A Rocking Spring Awakening
Date: 02/23/2009
The Key Bank Broadway Series at Playhouse Square is bringing the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening to the Palace Theatre stage March 3-15. The production received eight Tony Awards in 2007, including Best Musical, Choreography, and Director, along with rave reviews.
Based on the 1891 play by Frank Wedekind, Spring Awakening is a story of self-discovery and budding sexuality as seen through the eyes of three teenagers. Their journey from youth to adulthood is accompanied by the Tony and Grammy Award-winning orchestration and original score composed by singer/ songwriter Duncan Sheik.
Some Mimi readers may recognize Duncan Sheik from his radio-friendly hit singles. “Barely Breathing” from his 1996 debut album led to a Grammy nomination and the record was awarded certified gold.
A decade later, Sheik again had a hit with “White Limousine.” But in 2001, Sheik collaborated with poet and writer Steven Sater for his third release titled Phantom Moon. A lay Buddhist, Sheik met Sater through their involvement with Soka Gakkai (a Japanese new religious movement) and were sending each other music and words, respectfully, to create the album’s content.
It was here that Spring Awakening was born as the two artists worked on the musical project for the next five years. The play appeared off-Broadway in May of 2006 and by December made it’s way to Broadway’s Eugene O’Neill Theatre. Along with Sheik garnering awards, Sater also took home a Tony Award for Best Book besides writing the lyrics to Spring Awakening.
Duncan Sheik just released a new album titled Whisper House—a collection of songs written for a forthcoming theatrical piece. Much like Spring Awakening, this album has a pop sound feel through the narrative story of a child’s grief and spinster’s longing as seen through the eyes of the ghosts that haunt the remote World War II-era Maine lighthouse where they live.
Now on tour, Sheik hasn’t added NE Ohio to his itinerary, but you’ll be able to hear and appreciate his musical style if you have the chance to see the play—and baby, it rocks!
Reach Jay at blues4bird@aol.com.
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