Photo Flash: Zeitgeist Stage Presents Spring Awakening: The Play

Zeitgeist Stage presents the original Wedekind play in a new adaptation. Spring Awakening, written in the 1890's, is Frank Wedekind's ground breaking play about adolescent sexuality that is the most censored play in theater history, not getting produced as originally written for 75 years. The show examines the lives of teenagers in provincial Germany as their sexual awakenings are repressed by the conservative society of their parents. Proving timeless over a century later, the play is the basis for the Tony® Award winning musical of the same name.

Zeitgeist Stage is presenting Wedekind's play in a new translation by Reinhold A. Mahler adapted by Zeitgeist Stage Company's Artistic Director David J. Miller. The impetus to translate and present the play came to them when they attended a Broadway preview of the musical in December 2006. After seeing the musical, they decided to collaborate on a new adaptation of the play and present it when the musical made its way to Boston. That time is coming this spring, with Zeitgeist's production of the play opening on April 17 while the musical begins performances April 28 at the Colonial Theater.

For Zeitgeist's Spring Awakening: The Play production, the roles of the teenagers will be played by actual local teenagers, from 13 through 17 years of age. Wendla will be played by Rebecca Stevens (SpeakEasy's Blackbird), Melchior by Paul McCallion (Wheelock's To Kill A Mockingbird) and Moritz by Carlos Rojas (Actor's Shakespeare Project's Julius Caesar). The other school children are played by Keenan Cochrane (SLAMBoston), Amelia Estrada, Gabe Goodman (Huntington's The Rose Tattoo), Cameron VanderWerf (Actor's Shakespeare Project's King John), & Talia Weingarten (New Rep's A Christmas Carol). The adult roles will be played by Jake Berger, Douglas Cochrane, Michael Steven Costello, Michelle Dowd, Ruby Fox, Sara Jones, Maria Mogavero, Bill Salem, & Chuck Schwager.

Spring Awakening: The Play will be presented in the Plaza Black Box Theatre at the Boston Center for the Arts from April 17 through May 9, 2009 with performances Thursdays & Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 3 & 8 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM. Tickets are $35, with discounted tickets for Seniors & Students at $25. The Press Performance is scheduled for Sunday, April 19 at 3 PM.

The three Thursday night performances - 4/23, 4/30 & 5/7 - will be Pay-What-You-Can nights, $5 minimum. Tickets may be purchased from the Calderwood Pavilion box office at 527 Tremont Street or by calling 617-933-8600. Tickets can also be purchased on-line at BostonTheatreScene.com. The Boston Center for the Arts is located at 539 Tremont Street in Boston's South End and is handicap accessible. For more information visit the company's web site at ZeitgeistStage.com.

Photos courtesy of Richard Hall/Silverline Image

Gabe Goodman and Cameron VanderWerf