Christine Estabrook Completes Spring Awakening Cast

Stage veteran Christine Estabrook, well-known for her work in TV's "Desperate Housewives," will take on the adult female lead role of Spring Awakening, the new Broadway musical that was previously a hit at the Atlantic Theater Company.

Spring Awakening will begin previews on Thursday, November 16th at 8pm at the Eugene O'Neill Theater (230 West 49th St). Opening night is set for Sunday, December10th at 6:30pm.

Rehearsals begin in October with the entire Off-Broadway youth ensemble returning: Skylar Astin (Georg), Lilli Cooper (Martha), John Gallagher Jr. (Moritz), Gideon Glick (Ernst), Jonathan Groff (Melchior), Brian Johnson (Otto), Lea Michele (Wendla), Lauren Pritchard (Ilse), Phoebe Strole (Anna), Jonathan B. Wright (Hanschen), and Remy Zaken (Thea).  Tony Award-winner Stephen Spinella will also be featured in the show.

Estabrook played Martha Huber, the nosy neighbor who met an untimely end, on ABC's hit show "Desperate Housewives."  Other notable credits include guest-starring roles on "Six Feet Under," "7th Heaven," and "Veronica Mars."  Feature films include Spiderman 2 and The Usual Suspects.  A veteran stage actress, Estabrook appeared on Broadway in The Sisters Rosensweig, The Heidi Chronicles, I'm Not Rappaport and The Inspector General.  Off-Broadway, she's worked with Second Stage, the Public Theater, and the Lamb's Theater.  She played the role of Boo in Blue Window and originated the role of Helen in Christopher Durang's Baby with the Bathwater.  Her performance in Pastorale garnered her an Obie Award, and she received a Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal as Sheila in The Boys Next Door. 

Michael Mayer (three-time Drama Desk Award-winner for A View from the Bridge, Side Man, and Thoroughly Modern Millie) again directs. The creative team remains intact: choreographer Bill T. Jones, costume designer Susan Hilferty, set designer Christine Jones, and lighting designer Kevin Adams.

"Based on Frank Wedekind's 1891 masterpiece "The Awakening of Spring," Spring Awakening is the contemporary musical adaptation of one of literature's most controversial plays," according to press notes. The show "boldly depicts a dozen young people and how they make their way through the thrilling, complicated, confusing and mysterious time of their sexual awakening. Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's score feature songs that illuminate the urgency of adolescent self-discovery, the burning intensity of teen friendships and the innate suspicion of the uncomprehending adult world."

The story centers around a brilliant young student named Melchior, his troubled friend Moritz and Wendla, a beautiful young girl on the verge of womanhood.

The producing team for Spring Awakening is Ira Pittleman, Tom Hulce, Jeffrey Richards & Jerry Frankel.