SPRING AWAKENING Comes to Northern Stage in Vermont Next Week

Performances begin next week for Northern Stage's production of Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening, which will be performed September 27 - October 23, 2022, in the Byrne Theater at the Barrette Center for the Arts in White River Junction, VT. Spring Awakening replaces the previously announced new musical Shook, which has been postponed to allow for further development before its world premiere at Northern Stage.

The 2007 Tony Award winner for Best Musical which has since become a cult phenomenon, Spring Awakening energetically pushes modern teen angst against the backdrop of an 1891 German school. Based on a controversial 19th-Century play and featuring a contemporary folk-rock score to express the essence of adolescence, Spring Awakening has music by Grammy and Tony Award-winning composer Duncan Sheik, a pop rock composer known for his 1996 debut hit single "Barely Breathing," with a book and lyrics by Grammy, Tony and Olivier Award winner Steven Sater. Northern Stage's BOLD Theater Associate Artistic Director Sarah Elizabeth Wansley, whose Northern Stage credits include last season's Heisenberg, directs, with choreography and intimacy direction by Ashleigh King (Northern Stage's recent Monty Python's Spamalot).

"The original play that the musical is based on was written in Germany in 1891, but it could have been written in America last week," explains director Wansley. "The play explores this powerful story of teenage rebellion and brings the hidden, electric inner life of the teens to the stage in music and dance with a contemporary rock score. We want this production to break down barriers between generations and inspire open communication and action."

The talented young cast includes Amaya Braganza (Broadway revivals of Annie and The King and I) as Martha; Thani Brant (Off-Broadway's Notes from Now) as Ernst; César Carlos Carreño (Odds and Ends at NYC's 54 Below) as Melchior; Anissa Griego (Grease at The Cape Playhouse) as Thea; Mia Cherise Hall (winner of Broadway World's "Next on Stage" competition) as Anna; Ashton Heyl (The Norman Conquests at Northern Stage, Dorset Theatre Festival, and Weston Playhouse) as Adult Woman; Derek Dubrae Jackson (Best Male Lead NAACP Award winner for LA's Gunshot Medley) as Hanschen; Tony Moreno (Northern Stage's recent Shook workshop) as Georg; Noah Ruebeck (NYC's recent Nightclub Cantata) as Moritz; Jack Russell (Northern Stage's Monty Python's Spamalot) as Otto; Josy Soriano (Porthouse Theatre's Tintypes) as Ilse; Lily Talevski (Once at Northern Stage) as Wendla; and Paul West (Northern Stage's A Christmas Carol, The Little Mermaid and Oslo) as Adult Man; with Aurora Penepecker and Rob Kellogg as the female and male understudies, respectively.

Along with Wansley and King, the creative team also includes Kevin A. Smith (Music Director), Carolyn Mraz (Scenic Designer), Rodrigo Hernandez Martinez (Costume Designer), Travis McHale (Lighting Designer), Kevin Heard (Sound Designer), JuanCarlos Contreras (Production Stage Manager), Thalia Schramm (Assistant Director), and Jaclyn Pageau (Assistant Stage Manager). The band consists of Emily Davies (Bass), Michael Harrington (Guitar), Jessi Nelson (Drums/Percussion), Kevin A. Smith (Piano/Conductor), and Brian Stuligross (Violin/Guitar).

Performance times are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 5 p.m. SPECIAL TALKBACKS: Dive deeper into the content of Spring Awakening with audience talkbacks with the cast and crew following select Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday performances. Ticket prices start at $19 for students of all ages. Access for All tickets (for EBT card holders) are $5 and are available for any performance while ticket supplies last. The Byrne Theater at the Barrette Center for the Arts is located at 74 Gates Street, White River Junction, VT.