All About Musicals

Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Spring Awakening is set to begin a U.S. national tour in the Fall of 2008, kicking off in San Francisco. Productions in London and Australia, as well as worldwide, are soon to follow.

According to the show’s website, “SPRING AWAKENING takes its inspiration from one of literature’s most controversial masterpieces – a work so daring in its depiction of teenage self-discovery, it was banned from the stage and not performed in its complete form in English for nearly 100 years.”

The press notes describe it thus:

“Spring Awakening 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 features 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.”

Much like the Baz Luhrmann films “William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge,” Spring Awakening is performed with period dialogue and costumes (since the story takes place in 1891), segueing into contemporary rock and roll musical numbers that are meant to bring a universality to what many teenagers experience.

A complete list of awards that Spring Awakening has been nominated for and/or won can be found below the cut!

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

• Win/Best Musical
• Win/Best Book of a Musical (Steven Sater)
• Win/Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Music: Duncan Sheik; Lyrics: Steven Sater)
• Nomination/Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Jonathan Groff)
• Win/Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (John Gallagher, Jr.)
• Win/Best Direction of a Musical (Michael Mayer)
• Win/Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones)
• Win/Best Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik)
• Nomination/Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Christine Jones)
• Nomination/Best Costume Design of a Musical (Susan Hilferty)
• Win/Best Lighting Design of a Musical (Kevin Adams)

Drama Desk Awards

• Win/Outstanding Musical
• Nomination/Outstanding Actor in a Musical (John Gallagher Jr.)
• Nomination/Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Jonathan Groff)
• Nomination/Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Lea Michele)
• Win/Outstanding Director of a Musical (Michael Mayer)
• Nomination/Outstanding Choreography (Bill T. Jones)
• Win/Outstanding Music (Duncan Sheik)
• Win/Outstanding Lyrics (Steven Sater)
• Nomination/Outstanding Book of a Musical (Steven Sater)
• Nomination/Outstanding Orchestrations (Duncan Sheik)

Outer Critics Circle Awards

• Win/Outstanding New Broadway Musical
• Win/Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
• Win/Outstanding Director of a Musical (Michael Mayer)

Drama League Awards

• Win/Distinguished Production of a Musical
• Nomination/Distinguished Performance (John Gallagher Jr.)
• Nomination/Distinguished Performance (Jonathan Groff)

New York Drama Critics Circle Award

• Win/Best Musical

Lucille Lortel Awards

• Tie/Outstanding Musical (tied with In the Heights)
• Outstanding Director (Michael Mayer)
• Outstanding Choreographer (Bill T. Jones)
• Outstanding Costume Design (Susan Hilferty)
• Win/Outstanding Lighting Design (Kevin Adams)
• Outstanding Sound Design (Brian Ronan)

Technorati Tags: Spring Awakening, Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, Michael Mayer, Bill T. Jones, Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher, Jr., Lea Michele, Skylar Astin, Gideon Glick, Lauren Pritchard, Phoebe Strole, Broadway, Broadway Musicals, Musicals, Musical Theatre, Musical Theater, Broadway Musical