Special SPRING AWAKENING Debut of the Month Series: Treshelle Edmond

Deaf West Theater's production of Spring Awakening is currently in previews at Broadway's Brook Atkinson Theater, with opening night set for Sunday, September 27. As BWW recently reported, an extra two weeks of performances have been added to the limited engagement, extending the show's run through Sunday, January 24th.

Deaf West's innovative new production takes this already revolutionary musical to electrifying new heights by choreographing sign language into the production, intensifying the rift between the lost and longing teenagers and the adults who refuse to hear them. The production is directed by Michael Ardenand features music by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater and choreography by Spencer Liff.

Throughout September, BWW's Debut of the Month column will feature five of the talented actors who are making their Broadway debuts in this exciting new production.

Click here to read special feature with Joshua Castille

Next up, Treshelle Edmond, who takes on the role of Martha Bessell, a young girl who struggles to keep the abuse she suffers at the hands of a father a secret from those around her.

When did you know you wanted to become an actor - was there a specific show or actor that influenced that decision?

I knew I wanted to become an actress the day I was in high school and someone gave me the paper for an audition for the television show "House M. D." I begged my mom to take me and she just said "Girl, please!" I finally convinced her and she took me to the audition. My mom was nervous for me and tried to boost my confidence, telling me little things to do during the audition. I told her, "I got this"... and I went into the audition room and forgot my lines - true story! But I was able to pull it together and nail it the second time. Needless to say I got the role and that is where I fell in love with acting.

As a deaf actress, did you have any hesitations about doing a musical theater production?

Not at all! When I learned that Spring Awakening was more of a rock n roll show, I decided to just go for it. Because all I know is, we get to pour our souls into this musical theater production. It became more than what I expected it to be.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced with this production?

One big challenge with this production has been to go deep to the core about what our character stands for, to connect with my character and be able to convey that passion and emotion every single night. Spring Awakening is like a rebirthing of our curiosities, to reflect our pains. It has been tough to connect with that pain and bring it out in the show every single night. It can be draining, but when it's show time I never get tired of telling this story together.

In what ways is the story of Spring Awakening a perfect fit for a Deaf West production?

Spring Awakening is a perfect fit for a Deaf West Production for many reasons. One main reason is communication. The deaf have had difficulty communicating with the hearing world, and teens have problems communicating with their parents. That's one perfect fit.

Can you talk about the process of developing a relationship with your speaking counterpart Kathryn Gallagher and how you became so in sync with each other?

When I first met Kathryn, I was very open with her and we quickly became very excited to be part of this journey as our character, Martha, together. We discussed in depth how we feel about Martha, her background, father and mother, and abuse. We even talked about our personal lives in relation to that, and how we can understand and respect our individual strength to keep surviving in our own lives. It was such a beautiful moment that I cannot ever forget. My favorite part was when she sat outside with me on the porch at our church rehearsal in the beginning before ICA. She would strum her guitar and get into her feelings, and she showed the heart of Martha. I quickly fell in love with her voice and she is truly a talented person.

Spring Awakening is truly a coming of age story. As a young person, in what ways can you relate to these characters?

As a young person, the first thing I can relate to is Wendla because of the curiosity and how naïve she is and how we get hurt easily. I can also relate to Georg in that he cannot deny the beauty of the physical body that we all should not be ashamed of. I also relate to Thea and Melitta because they are a constant reminder of, "Don't forget how our parents raised us to be" by the value system of society, especially in 1891.

Was it difficult to integrate the choreography with sign language?

At first it was hard, but it quickly become natural because we all are open to play around with the choreography until we found what works. When those moments happened, Spencer Liff would quickly accept it and say he loved it. Otherwise, he'd get into, my favorite Spencer facial expression, shall I say, - thinking mode. Then he'd finally come up with a brilliant idea. Much thanks to the ASL Masters for when they came to help with the right formation for our body and arms, to make sure we didn't block our face and things like that.

Frank Wedekind's play was written in 1891. Why does the story still resonate with today's audiences?

It resonates because there are many stories that happened in Frank Wedekind's play. Several fans have told me that they can relate to my character of Martha. As I watched their faces and saw how emotions overtook them, I knew that to be strong is the best feeling ever - to know that we are not alone. Sometimes it is okay to not be strong all the time. One person also SnapChatted me and wanted to share with me how he connected with Moritz (Daniel Durant), that he had gone through a hard time and tried to do the best he could and then attempted suicide. He thanked us for this show that helped him to breathe again and know that everything will be okay.

What has it been like to make your Broadway debut in this production?

It has been so touching to the core of my heart. I am very happy to be able to do this and nothing is ever bigger than doing what I love. I love connecting with our fans - that we can talk about the show - and most of all I love hugging them. I'm a hug lover because I appreciate their light and love for our cast. We wouldn't be here without them at all.

About Treshelle Edmond:

Treshelle attended California State University, Northridge. In February, she signed the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLIX. Her television credits include "House, M.D." and "Glee." Treshelle played the role of Martha in Deaf West's Spring Awakening in Los Angeles last fall and was pleased to reprise the role at the Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center in Beverly Hills, CA this spring.

Photo credit: Joan Marcus