The rock musical Spring Awakening opened on Broadway in 2006 with a cast that included Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff, both of whom would go on to appear in Glee and other Broadway hits. Spring Awakening won eight Tony Awards that year, and a 2015 revival received three Tony nominations.
Based on an 1891 play by German playwright Frank Wedekind, the coming-of-age story revolves around teenage lovers, Wendla and Melchior, and addresses adult topics such as sex, unplanned pregnancy, gun violence, suicide, abuse, and abortion.
The musical is being revived again, this time by EPIC Players, a nonprofit theater group of neurodiverse actors that recently staged a production of Romeo and Juliet. The cast includes people from age 18 to almost 60 who have a range of conditions, such as autism, Tourette syndrome, and hearing and visual impairments.
Many cast members feel an affinity for the characters. “I clashed with authority figures from a young age,” says William Ketter, 28, who has autism and plays Melchior. “Teachers, scoutmasters, and even the parents of classmates all saw me as an object of scorn, someone to be punished and corrected. Melchior goes through similar formative experiences over the course of this play. I feel like I am guiding a younger version of myself through the challenges that shaped me.”
Given the intensity of the play’s subject matter and the use of a mock gun, a special effort was made to guard the actors’ mental health. “This is not a toxic acting environment,” says Travis Burbee, 32, associate artistic director and head of education classes. “We have a mental health counselor at rehearsals.” Warm-up games, stress toys, stretching exercises, and five-minute breaks help ease any tension during rehearsals. Actors who feel agitated are instructed to place their hands across their chest and take a break outside, says Burbee.
The group is proud to be staging the show, he says. “The story feels sacred. The issues in the play are shared by people with disabilities, who are often infantilized,” Burbee says. “They aren’t always given information about sex, even if they are adults. This play advocates for change in the world.”
Ketter agrees. “I hope people leave our play asking, ‘Who benefits from all this abuse? Why is it so pervasive, so familiar, and so deeply rooted?’”
Spring Awakening runs from May 9 through May 19 at A.R.T./New York Theatres in New York City, with American Sign Language-interpreted performances on May 9 and May 16. For tickets, visit EPICPlayersNYC.org. The theater has wheelchair and companion seating, listening devices, noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, and quiet zones available on request.
