By Reshelle Bihasa, Staff Writer
Xavier Theatre put on an outstanding performance of “Spring Awakening” over the last two weekends, commemorating their 100th production. The show features many important, though rarely addressed, themes from adolescence to adulthood, including mental health and suicide, abuse, sexuality, authority and rebellion.
The musical has had several adaptations over the years, but this rendition tells the story of teenagers discovering their identity and the harsh realities of the world set in late 19th century Germany. “Spring Awakening” has won eight Tony awards, with its authentic performances exploring the struggles of youthfulness and connecting with audiences worldwide.
All the cast members had phenomenal performances portraying each characters’ emotional struggles. Several actors shared their experience of how they brought their part to life.
“I had the pleasure of playing the young and confident Melchior Gabor. He is 15 years old, but certainly well above his age intellectually. The emotional depth of the role certainly played into how I approached the character. My thought process was to allow any sort of emotions I felt throughout the course of the show to happen naturally. As the character Melchior, I would do my best to respond to those emotions as I believe he would,” senior theatre and psychology double major Sean Moss said.
“I played Georg and Dieter. Georg was one of the six boys in the same grade that interacted throughout the show. Dieter was one of the guys in the reformatory. I connected with Georg in a couple of ways. The biggest trait of his that I connected with was his desire to be seen. I was able to meet Georg there with some of my own experiences,” freshman theatre and finance double major Enzo Battaglia said.
Many Xavier Theatre alumni came back to support and assist with rehearsals by working with the cast as a group and individually with scene partners.
Xavier Theatre recently put on “Spring Awakening,” a musical that tackles heavy themes like mental health and abuse.
“The rehearsal process was phenomenal. We had the fortunate opportunity to work with a few Xavier Alumni: Kelsey Schwarber, Regan Utrup and Jenna Treinen, who made the process of working on this show a joy every single day. I want to give a special shout-out to Taylor Mattingly, who played my counterpart in the show, Wendla. Being able to work with her one-on-one and personally witness the talent, strength and dedication that she brought to the role elevated my performance to a whole new level,” Moss said.
Along with the notable performances, a lot of effort went behind the scenes to make this production possible. Joe Beumer, the light designer for the show, helped bring the show to life and set the stage for those intense, powerful scenes.
The lighting changed colors during different scenes to highlight significant parts of the story. Warm tones represented comfort and happiness, while cool tones represented sadness and angst. The backstage crew also helped design the costumes and assist with quick changes.
The audience was seated on stage alongside the actors surrounding the podium, creating an intimate and engaging environment where the viewers could feel they were a part of the story.
“I genuinely enjoy these performances, and I am consistently impressed by the level of talent our students bring to the stage. Having seen many Broadway productions during my time living in New York City, I can say that Xavier’s productions rival, and in some cases, even surpass, what I’ve seen professionally,” English professor Rita Rozzi said.
As “Spring Awakening” marks their 100th production, Xavier Theatre continues to deliver and portray powerful performances, bringing each story to life.
“This is a show that offers a mirror to the audience, presenting an opportunity to examine our own lives and our responsibilities to each other and especially those who are most vulnerable,” Moss said.