VIDEO: Team Behind Non-Musical SPRING AWAKENING Turns to Kickstarter

New York, March 31, 2013 -- Tartan Entertainment, a Philadelphia based independent film company and an affiliated company of Bruce Productions LLC, turns to Kickstarter, an online crowdfunding platform, to raise 30,000 dollars for its non-musical, stage to screen adaptation of Frank Wedekind's controversial 1891 German play "Spring Awakening."

Three days prior to the project's funding deadline, Christopher Bruce, the film's producer, reports to BWW Movies that the production is only 6,926 dollars away from its goal.

According to Forbes.com, since Kickstarter's inception five years ago, a popular crowdfunding website for startups, it has been able to raise more than 230,000,000 dollars for various independent creative projects; and even secured 8,600,000 dollars from 63,000 individual investors for the game console Ouya -- to date one of the most successful projects hosted by Kickstarter.

Bruce pitches that his film company's take on "Spring Awakening," written and directed by New York University Tisch School for the Arts alumnus Kurt Leitner ("The Departed," "Moulin Rouge"), is poised to be the first feature film based on Wedekind's work, which is more popular among young theater fans as a folk-rock Broadway musical, which originally starred Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry on FOX TV's "Glee"; and Jonathan Groff , who played Ken, Mark Rothko's fictional assistant, in John Logan's "Red" in Los Angeles.

"Our production follows closely the themes set out by the original, revolutionary author. Filled with teen angst, rebellious actions, and sexual questioning, our story follows what young teens experience when coming-of-age," said Bruce in a statement. "Produced independently, our intent ensures complete creative control, as well as, historically accurate representation."

"'Spring Awakening' requires much support and assistance to complete its integral and compelling scenes. With your help, we can do it," he added.

Director Leitner will shoot the film using a "Red One" digital camera, manufactured by Red Digital Cinema Camera Company. Hollywood movies "The Hobbit," "Angels and Demons," and "The Social Network," among others, used the same digital filmmaking technology.

Potential benefits for investors, with pledges to contribute from 10 dollars to more than 10,000 dollars, are outlined on kickstarter.com.