Deaf West Spring Awakening to NYC?

[gstrus2]

Posted: 6/2/15 at 10:18pm

Anyone know if there is any move to bring this production of Spring Awakening to NYC? Have only heard wonderful things.

[mattporter17]

Posted: 6/2/15 at 10:57pm

Well that would certainly be nice, but I don't see it happening. That theater company and most of the cast live in LA, so I'd think it's staying out there. That's not to say they won't extend their run.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/3/15 at 9:25am

I don't think they have transferred any of their productions.  I know there was hope with their Pippin a few years back (from fans) but I don't think that's ever their intent.

Wait!  Was the Big River revival theirs?   I actually think it may have been.  But that was some 10 -12 years ago.

 

Have they transferred more?  (If I'm even right about BigRiver?)

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 6/3/15 at 9:29am

The 2003 revival of Big River WAS a Deaf West production, but was produced as part of Roundabout's season when it transferred.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 12:00am

There is talk of bringing this superb production to New York in the Fall. Several major producers are vying for the show. It will be a limited run, and a few venues are being discussed. Stay tuned to be blown away.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 12:05am

Hooray! I really wish I could see their Spring Awakening. I loved Big River and also saw Pippin, which I didn't care for a whole lot -- it doesn't surprise me that it never made it further. Spring Awakening looks like a more cohesive production.

[playbill-love]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 12:14am

Wonderful, I really hope this materializes.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 2:05am

I got to see it in this current run in Beverly Hills. It got extended yesterday for an extra week. It is playing at a theatre that opened in 2013. If it wasn't for Spring Awakening I would of never known. Glad I did. Andy & Krysta Rodriguez were amazing. Especially Krysta. She ownes her baldness on stage and uses it for the character. I was in tears. Such a great production. I talked to the director Michael Ardon at intermission and told him how this needs to go to Broadway and he said just smiled. This production feels most dark. Some main characters are really deaf and have another person talking/singing for them. It's so beautiful. I really hope it goes to the east coast so you guys can see it. This was one of the best theatre experience I've ever had.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 2:37am

this won't be on broadway but i wouldn't be surprised to see it pop up at New World/Minneta Lane/Union Square  

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 8:54pm

There is talk of a Broadway Theatre, but some other large spaces are also being discussed.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 9:47pm

I also caught the show over the Memorial Day weekend...

First a disclaimer-- I loved the music but very little else of the original Broadway production of SA. Problematic play with severely impaired lyrics as far as I could tell, and a God-awful moral to take home about the evils of adolescent sex and satanic teachers... 

Anyway, everything that was new about the Deaf West production was fascinating. Wonderful new set with apt use of projections and a reveal at the end that paid off nicely. Brilliant mix of hearing actors with non-hearing ones, and constantly inventive ways to convey the words of deaf actors to the audience that itself was mixed between the hearing and non-. Lovely music making, and some incredibly pretty boys and girls in that cast! Of them all, Krista Rodriguez's performance was easily the standout.

For all that creativity, we were still stuck with the same show and the same lyrics to wade through. We walked out feeling glad we had seen the production but wishing they had somehow lavished the same love and attention on a more deserving show.

 

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 9:56pm

I love the show.  And with its message that not being honest with your kids about sex leads to damage is particularly apt with DuggarGropeGate all over everything. 

 

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/4/15 at 10:01pm

Then I really think you'd adore the Deaf West production, Namo.

Hope it makes a tour stop in your vicinity.

[Fan123]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 7:50am

The cast and creatives talk a bit about the production in this video.

 

And for those who haven't seen the shorter, show footage-only highlights video for this production before, link. I'm mostly indifferent to Spring Awakening but I would love to see this.

 

 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 12:39pm

I was able to see this last night and it's really special.  This along with the La Mirada production of CARRIE have been the highlights of the Los Angeles theatre scene this year and both deserve to have future life.

There is much that is ingenious in Michael Arden's staging and I loved the cast.  I offer the following minor quibble only as a piece of constructive criticism.  My only caveat to this production is that its long...  As in the running time is the better part of 3 hours (or a good 30 minutes longer than any other staging of this show I've seen)….

There isn't any additional material, so this is just a matter of pacing.  I would imagine some of this is because with deaf actors portraying some of the roles, dialogue quite literally must be 'spelled out' -- but even the entrances and exits seem a bit lackadaisical.  So despite the beauty and ingenuity of the overall concept, for me there were some moments that felt a little leaden. I hope they will continue to tighten the pace - because everything else is gold.

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 6/5/15 at 12:39 PM

[Wildcard]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 1:03pm

I was going back and forth on whether to see the show this weekend but this thread has convinced me to go ahead and see it. Seats at the Wallis aren't necessarily cheap but I gladly found the TheaterMania coupon in my email history. 

[laurenmwendt]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 1:21pm

I'm really hoping it'll transfer, I've heard great things!

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 1:32pm

I saw this production last weekend and was absolutely blown away. This was one of those rare theatre experiences that, from the moment it starts, it has my spine tingling the whole time and my emotions boiling over – I could tell right away this was a special production. I regret not being able to see it again, but I am so grateful that I was able to go at all.

The care, creativity, and attention paid to each moment in the script made for am absolutely beautiful story-telling experience. I very much liked the original staging and direction, which this production certainly pays homage to, but this production really blew the original out of the water. So many new, important moments were found and created and everything felt like it had absolute purpose and meaning. There were moments that my breath was literally taken away.

Everything felt so natural and purposeful that it almost felt like the inclusion of the deaf actors and the use of others’ speaking/singing their lines and their lines being projected seemed like the script was written that way. I went with someone who knew nothing about the show previously and he couldn’t picture the show without the deaf actors.

The ending moment, in particular, was by far the best staging I’ve ever seen of it. What a powerful moment.

And, that talent! Every single person on the stage was extraordinary. Krysta’s Ilse brought something to the table I’ve never seen before – she was the most real Isle I’ve seen.

If you’re in LA, go!

*Also, I was in the very last row of the orchestra (which is much cheaper), and I thought it was a better seat than anything in front of me (and, this coming from someone who usually wants to be as close as possible).

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 6/5/15 at 8:56pm

"It is playing at a theatre that opened in 2013. If it wasn't for Spring Awakening I would of never known."

 

The Wallis Annenberg has rapidly become one of my favorite theaters in L.A. To begin with: they designed it right. One reviewer called it a "jewel box" and that's a very apt description. With only 500 seats at a steep rake in the main theater, even the last row of the orchestra (Row P) is pretty close. And the mezzanine (3 rows) is situated fairly low, so it too provides a good view.

Prices for front/mid orchestra hover around $100. (4th row center for SPRING AWAKENING cost me $79 with a 20% discount coupon. Patti LuPone was $49 for 1st row mezz.) And there's a wonderful outdoor garden/bar area for hanging out before the show. 

They've also been pulling out the stops with their programming. In addition to SPRING AWAKENING, I've seen the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's production of INTO THE WOODS and the National Theatre of Scotland/RSC production of DUNSINANE. And, along with the aforementioned Patti LuPone, I've been to recent concerts by Barbara Cook, Jane Lynch, and Betty Buckley. 

As for SPRING AWAKENING: Just bought a ticket to see it again next week. It was my first experience with Deaf West and I thought this was an exceptional production. The use of voice actors with signing actors was ofttimes brilliant, especially in the case of Wendla. Her voice was, in effect, her shadow, typically just over her shoulder and mimicking her actions. (The technique used with Moritz was different and less effective, imo. His voice actor was often rocking out at the rear or side of the stage and had little interaction with the other performers or the audience.)

Also, having both signing and speaking adults had the benefit of making the various adult characters more distinctive. For example, Wendla's mother (speaking actress) was not played by Melchior's mother (signing actress). And speaking of Melchior, mention must be made of Austin McKenzie, who just rips your heart out with his performance.

Finally, there was a post-show Q&A with the cast at the performance I attended, which turned out to be very interesting. A number of the actors were not part of the original Deaf West production last fall and so had only about 2 1/2 weeks to learn signing (in the case of the speaking actors) or music/rhythm (for the deaf actors). In addition to all the usual theatrical stuff.  Quite an accomplishment!

 

Updated On: 6/5/15 at 08:56 PM

[Wildcard]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 10:08pm

I just came from the matinee and wow, I was blown away. I've seen the original Broadway cast and the national tour about 3x and this still managed to amaze me and bring about strong emotion. The staging was very effective and Michael Arden should be commended for his work here. I wasn't sure how having some roles played by dual actors would work but it actually brought about new aspects of their characters to the forefront. It took me a while to get used to what was going on but eventually, it made more sense. The set was a lot simpler than the Broadway set but this one actually transported me to more concrete spaces. The projections were subtle and beautiful. The cast was very good, and yes, Krista was the standout. With one look, she made me cry. Such a wonderful production! I hope to catch it again before it closes. Seeing Andy's bum was just a nice bonus. 

[round2]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 10:24pm

I appreciate all of these reports. I'd love to see this production come to NY...

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 10:26pm

What venues are being discussed for this?

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 6/6/15 at 10:58pm

It was mentioned earlier in this thread that a past production of Deaf West's may have come to NYC as part of Roundabout; I think if this was to come to NYC, that is the way to go. Have Roundabout or another nonprofit put it on Broadway or Off Broadway for a limited run, with room for extensions. The original production only closed in Broadway in early 2009, so I don't think a commerial run is the right way to go.

That being said, this productions sounds FANTASTIC and I hope I can find a way to see it, as SPRING AWAKENING is my favorite show.

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 6/7/15 at 12:35am

no way Roundabout does this, its so outside their mission statement/what they have been producing. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/7/15 at 12:45am

^^^Why is this outside of their mission statement? If roundabout transferred big river on broadway then why not this production of spring awakening?