CCM presents award-winning musical 'Spring Awakening'

CCM's Musical Theatre series ends their season with the smash-hit musical Spring Awakening, presented April 13-16, 2023, in Cohen Family Studio Theater. Tickets are currently sold out for all performances.

The winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening features book and lyrics by Steven Sater, music by Duncan Sheik, and is based on the play by Frank Wedekind. CCM’s production is led by a power-house creative team, including guest director Hannah Ryan, CCM student choreographer Jess Zylstra, and music director CCM Musical Theatre Professor Julie Spangler, keyboardist with the Cincinnati Pops.

Set in Germany in 1891, this Grammy-winning rock musical offers a fresh and un-apologetic look at the tumultuous journey from adolescence to adulthood. Follow Melchior, Wendla, Moritz, and the rest of their classmates as they face hardships, learn and dispute morals, and explore their budding sexualities, gaining exposure to the highest highs and lowest lows of teenage life. The exhilarating plot leaves nothing untold, and displays all the tragic, hilarious, and grotesque scenes in shocking detail. The stunning end is sure to leave audiences reflecting on their own lives, questioning tradition, and the role of morals.

Speaking on her inspiration in directing this work, Ryan emphasizes the show’s ties to nature. “The young people in this story turn to nature as a sanctuary, and within it they find freedom, liberation and one another,” she says. Ryan is focused on using the show as a platform for empathy, shining a “bold and brash” light on the injustices of the world and providing a voice for the voiceless.

However grim the honesties portrayed in this show may be, Ryan has found within them a hopeful mantra of perseverance: “You can’t control the cyclical patterns of nature. The seasons come and the seasons go, and through their many changes the human spirit can learn to be resilient.”

Wedekind’s original play, written in 1891, was first performed in 1906 in Berlin. The controversial and mature themes found within Spring Awakening were extremely radical for the time, and caused the work to be frequently banned or censored. For almost a century, performances were rare, and were almost always met with fervent push-back from concerned traditionalists. However, Sater and Sheik’s 2006 musical adaptation was wildly popular, and quickly moved to Broadway, starring Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff. Sheik’s catchy, somewhat unexpected score references the historical connotations of rebellion that surround rock music, further layering the plot and lyrics with an overwhelming sense of teenage angst. Continually a fan-favorite, the original cast album won the 2008 Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.

Producing such a well-renowned show is no small task, but the outstanding performances by talented CCM students leaves nothing to be desired. A beautiful union of many disciplines, Spring Awakening showcases the stunning successes of not only the on-stage performers, but those of the many CCM students working behind the scenes as well. Lighting and stage design, wig, make-up, costume design, and many others all play vital parts in creating this breathtaking masterpiece.

“Each person is bringing something uniquely themselves,” says Ryan, “and because of that authenticity the energy is palpable.”

Book & Lyrics by Steven Sater 
Music By Duncan Sheik 
Based on the play by Frank Wedekind

Content advisory: This production features adult themes and situations and is intended for mature audiences.

• 8 p.m. Thursday, April 13
• 8 p.m. Friday, April 14
• 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, April 15
• 2 p.m. Sunday, April 16

Cohen Family Studio Theater, CCM Village 
University of Cincinnati

Tickets are currently SOLD OUT. Tickets are $29.50; student discounts and group rates are available. More information is available in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online through our e-box office.

Learn about additional ticket options for current CCM students.

CCM is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. For detailed driving directions, visit ccm.uc.edu/directions.

Parking is available in UC's CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. 

CCM OnStage patrons can add pre-paid parking to their checkout carts when purchasing tickets. Pre-paid parking is date/performance specific. CCM Garage parking rates for a performance or special event is usually available for $10-15. Learn more about parking at UC's CCM Garage.

For additional information on parking at UC, please visit uc.edu/about/parking.

Featured image at the top: A promotional image for Fellow Travelers featuring two actors looking into the distance. Graphic design by Mikki Graff.