SPRING AWAKENING

Directed by Ryan Jason Cook

Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of the controversial 1892 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. It features music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. Set in late-19th c…entury Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. The original play was banned in Germany for some time due to its frank portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. It received eleven 2007 Tony Award nominations, winning eight, including Tonys for best musical, direction, book, score and featured actor.

It’s Germany, 1891. A world where the grown-ups hold all the cards. The beautiful young Wendla explores the mysteries of her body, and wonders aloud where babies come from, till Mama tells her to shut it, and put on a proper dress. Elsewhere, the brilliant and fearless young Melchior interrupts a mind-numbing Latin drill to defend his buddy Moritz – a boy so traumatized by puberty he can’t concentrate on anything. Not that the Headmaster cares. He strikes them both and tells them to turn in their lesson. One afternoon – in a private place in the woods – Melchior and Wendla meet by accident, and soon find within themselves a desire unlike anything they’ve ever felt. As they fumble their way into one another’s arms, Moritz flounders and soon fails out of school. When even his one adult friend, Melchior’s mother, ignores his plea for help, he is left so distraught he can’t hear the promise of life offered by his outcast friend Ilse. Naturally, the Headmasters waste no time in pinning the “crime” of Moritz’s suicide on Melchior and expel him. And soon Mama learns her little Wendla is pregnant. Now the young lovers must struggle against all odds to build a world together for their child.

Character Breakdown:

Melchior (Male, lead, baritone, 16-24), headstrong, handsome, and charismatic. He knows much more than the others because of what he reads in books. He sees the corruption in society. He falls in love with Wendla.

Moritz (Male, lead, tenor, 16-24), Melchior’s intense and nervous best friend, whose dreams of women haunt him to the point that he is too afraid to fall asleep. His strict and harsh parents (particularly his father) push him over the edge when he doesn’t pass an exam. He is in love with Ilse, but he never gets to admit this.

Wendla (Female, lead, soprano, 16-24) a childhood friend of the boys. She falls in love with Melchior, and later discovers that she is pregnant with his child.

Ilse (Female, supporting, mezzo, 16-24), another childhood friend who runs away from a sexually abusive home to become a Bohemian. She was Moritz’s last offer of hope, she has mutual feelings for him, but never gets the chance to admit this.

Hänschen (Male, supporting, tenor, 16-24), a very humorous, almost arrogant classmate of the boys. An effortless perfectionist who easily seduces Ernst.

Georg (Male, supporting, tenor, 16-24), another classmate who lusts after his older, busty piano teacher.

Martha (Female, supporting, alto, 16-24), one of Wendla’s friends who is sexually abused by her father.

Ernst (Male, supporting, tenor, 16-24), a naive classmate of the boys who falls deeply for Hänschen’s seduction.

Otto (Male, supporting, tenor, 16-24), another classmate who dreamt of his mother, as Melchior humorously reveals to Moritz in an effort to help him relax.

Thea (Female, supporting, mezzo, 16-24), one of Wendla’s friends, a girl who tries to brush her feelings of sexual desire under the carpet to please adults. She’s been sheltered by adults and can’t comprehend how they could be wrong.

Anna (Female, supporting, alto, 16-24), one of Wendla’s friends, who cannot wrap her head around Martha’s trials. She believes children should grow up to be free and begins to see the error of the adults’ ways.

Adult Women (Female, supporting, spoken, 35-55) plays all adult female roles including: Frau Bergmann, Wendla’s mother, doesn’t want her daughter to grow up and tries to keep her young and innocent by refusing to give her lessons about her changing body, yet after discovering her daughter is pregnant, refuses to accept any responsibility for her part in her daughter’s situation. Fanny Gabor, Melchior’s mother, is very open to the idea of her son understanding his body and desires and tries to provide counsel to her son’s friend Moritz. Fräulein Grossenbustenhalter, Georg’s piano teacher who he dreams of. She humorously becomes the object of his fantasy during the song “My Junk.” Teacher, who favours Melchior in the beginning and who dislikes Moritz; sees him as a bad egg who will contaminate the others. She does not let him continue at school despite succeeding on his exams, an act which ultimately leads to Moritz’s suicide.

Adult Men (Male, supporting, spoken, 35-55) plays all adult male roles including: Herr Gabor, Melchior’s father, allows Fanny to dictate the way their son lives his life, but ultimately is the one to send him away. Herr Stiefel, Moritz’s father, has high standards for his son and is furious when Moritz fails. Many of the children believe when he weeps at his son’s funeral, it is for not the loss of his child but his own selfish ego of how he will face others in town after Moritz’s death. Herr Rilow, Hanschen’s father, appears briefly during “My Junk.” Teacher, who favours Melchior in the beginning and who dislikes Moritz; sees him as a bad egg who will contaminate the others. He does not let him continue at school despite succeeding on his exams, an act which ultimately leads to Moritz’s suicide.

Ensemble (Male and Female, All ranges, 16-24) will be providing vocal and dance support for the large musical numbers.

Audition details:

Saturday, May 5th
9 am to 12 pm: Females (16-24) ONLY
1 pm to 4 pm: Males (16-24) ONLY
4 pm to 6 pm: Dance (by invitation)

To sign up for an audition, please email your full name, headshot (or current photo), resume (or list of experience), vocal range, age, and phone number to stagemanager@abqlt.org. At that point, you will receive your vocal audition time for Saturday, May 5th, the tentative rehearsal schedule, and your audition piece from the score of Spring Awakening.

Deadline to sign up for an audition slot: Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Auditions will be held in the ALT rehearsal hall at the top of the white staircase on the North-east side of the building. Please dress properly. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your audition time slot.

At your vocal audition, you will be asked to return to the dance auditions if we need to see you move. If you are not asked to come to the dance audition, you will be notified that afternoon with your next step.

You will receive a call that afternoon notifying you of your workshop time on Sunday. You will receive an email with your workshop music and staging scene so you can work on it and be prepared as close to off-book as possible.

Sunday, May 6th
9 am to 11 am: Melchior/Wendla Workshop
11 am to 1 pm: Moritz/Ilse Workshop
2 pm to 4 pm: Adults (35-55) ONLY

The workshops are by invitation only. You will receive the material for the workshops Saturday afternoon after your vocal and dance audition.

Adults: To sign up for an audition, please email your full name, headshot (or current photo), resume (or list of experience), vocal range, age, and phone number to stagemanager@abqlt.org. At that point, you will receive your audition time for Sunday, May 6th and the tentative rehearsal schedule. You will be asked to prepare two contrasting monologues, showing two different strong character choices, off-book.

Auditions will be held in the ALT rehearsal hall at the top of the white staircase on the North-east side of the building. Please dress properly. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your audition time slot.

You will receive a call that afternoon notifying you of your callback time on Monday. You will receive an email with your callback music and staging scene so you can work on it and be prepared as close of off-book as possible.

Monday, May 7th
6 pm to 9 pm: Callbacks

Callbacks will be tentatively called in this order:
6:00 PM: Adults
6:15 PM: Add Wendla/Moritz
6:45 PM: Add Females, Release Adults
7:30 PM: Add Melchior, Release Females
8:00 PM: Add Males

All auditioners will receive a call or email by end of day Friday, May 11th to notify them of the cast list.

Rehearsals begin: May 27th
Performances: July 19th – 29th
Thurs, Fri & Sat nights at 8:00; Sun evenings at 6:00