In honor of opening night (and obviously the rest of the performances this weekend!) of Spring Awakening – a Tympanium Euphorium production – I sat down with the production staff and cast members of the show to get the inside scoop on the creative process, plus some fun facts to remind everyone that this mega-talented group of people are also regular people, just like you and me (they go to class, they have midterms, etc.). Before you read the whole interview, directly below this paragraph is a list of the people interviewed (for reference).
Production Staff:Director: Rachel LiffMusic Director: Alex FayeChoreographer: Sarai Warsoff
Cast:Jason Theoharis – Melchior GaborSarah Steiker – Wendla BergmannZach Marlin – Moritz StiefelKatie Jacobs – Ilse NeumannGabi Nail – Martha BessellJason Teng – Hänschen RilowRodrigo Alfaro Garcia Granados – Ernst RobelIsidora Filipovic – AnnaNicole Wittels – TheaDennis Hermida-Gonzalez – Otto LammermeierAdam Recht – Georg Zirschnitz
Questions for the Production Staff
Her Campus: Was there any particular song you had difficulty choreographing? Why or why not?Sarai: I can’t actually think of a song off the top of my head. Because this show is not the typical musical theater, I was able to actually use my modern background into some of the choreography, which made it actually more fun for me, and I hope more dynamic for the numbers that have dance in them.
HC: Is there a song that’s more challenging to play than the rest?Alex: Well, yes and no! Every song has it’s own challenges, which makes every song fun in its own way. I think the most technically difficult song is “Word of Your Body”, which is Wendla and Melchior’s duet in the middle of Act I. It has a very complex and fast 16th note pattern throughout the entire song which trips me up sometimes, but I’ve got a pretty good hold on it now!
HC: What’s your favorite song from the show? Why? Alex: I’m gonna cheat and choose two. Sorry for being indecisive Her Campus! I absolutely love “Touch Me”, which occurs about halfway through Act I. It is an incredibly beautiful and simplistic song with some absolutely stunning choral harmonies that our cast does fantastic work with. The song has an incredible growth and builds to a single moment that is just unbelievable. Also, Rodrigo (Ernst), Dennis (Otto), and Adam (Georg) KILL on their solos. My other favorite is “Left Behind” in Act II, which is honestly one of my favorite songs of all time. I don’t want to say too much about it, other than the fact that Jason (Melchior) sings it beautifully and that it really shows the power that music can have in making people feel deep and genuine emotions.
HC: When developing your artistic vision, what was the most important element you kept in mind?Rachel: Spring Awakening is very in your face, but it is also very true to real life. I had to strike a balance between the rough qualities of the show and the vulnerability of the story.
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Questions For the Cast
HC: Seeing the show vs. being in the show: how has your perspective of the show or of specific roles shifted throughout the production process?Isidora: When you spend weeks on a show, there are details and little humorous bits that one wouldn’t notice otherwise. I think I’ve grown to really appreciate the show through working on it these past two months.Adam: I’ve never seen the show so I can’t compare but being in it has really allowed me to get to know the characters and text.
HC: In what ways do you identify with your character?Nicole: Thea is a character that really likes to be the center of attention in conversations. I would say that I am similar to her in that way.Rodrigo: Ernst and I are completely different people, and therefore I believe we have very little in common. He is a person that enjoys sitting back and observing. He is better off not having the spotlight shining on him. I’m the complete opposite I live for the attention, ask anyone in the cast or prod staff. However, I connect with him in the sense in the sense of being naïve at times, having kind hearts and being hopeless romantics.
HC: What was your biggest challenge in developing your character?Jason T: For Hanschen, I was really interested in the motives behind his actions on stage. In his brief appearances on stage, he shows drastically different types of personalities. I wanted to figure out the character behind them that brought them together into Hanschen, and hopefully bring that character to life.Gabi: The most challenging part about playing Martha was probably finding a way to get really into the character while still being able to calm down after. Her song and character deal with intense issues so I had to find a way to take care of myself, emotionally.Dennis: My biggest challenge in developing my character was finding who he really is and finding a way to establish a relationship with the audience!
HC: Has your role changed your worldview in a way you never expected?Sarah: I think that this role has really showed me how much people turn a blind eye to these real problems that people go through everyday. Through this character, I learned so much about myself, but also I learned what it is like to feel vulnerable and scared. These feelings have taught me to be more aware of the people around me.Jason Th: I don’t think my role has changed my worldview in any way. Yes, Melchior is seen as superior to his peers, but he is still a typical rebellious teenager in that he thinks he’s invincible to any and every consequence. Many of us have experienced his frustrations with society, parents/teachers, and the human body when we were young, so the way he perceives the world around him has always been understandable to me. As the antihero of the show, it’s inevitable that his hunger for knowledge and power eventually backfires on him.
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HC: Have you discovered something about yourself through your character development?Katie: I discovered more about the character Ilse than myself. There’s a lot more to her below the surface.Zach: I’ve discovered how fun it is to belt out rock songs on stage. And also that, despite previous efforts, my hair actually can be and stay straightened.
HC: Do you have a ritual or something of the like that you do before every show (in general)?Sarah: Not really. I just like to keep calm and listen to music while doing my hair and makeup to try and stay calm.Zach: I usually just drink a lot of water and try to rest my voice throughout the day. Before going onstage, I take a second to think, and then once I go on, I’m good to go!Katie: I don’t know. I guess I go to the bathroom?Rodrigo: Before every show I listen to a lot of music, usually Broadway songs, in order to get myself in a performing mood. I also enjoy relaxing a bit by making my cast members laugh. I also drink two cups of tea and eat a banana.Gabi: Before shows I try to make sure I get some time to myself to just think and go over songs and lines. It helps me push through nerves and gets me in a good place to start the show.
HC: Who is your favorite character in the show? Why?Sarah: My favorite character is probably Hanschen because he just has the whole system completely figured out.Gabi: I think some of the characters the Adult Man and Adult Woman play are hilarious. It’s fun to see how they contrast with all the kids.Jason Th: I’d have to say either Thea or Anna. While everyone else is getting into all kinds of shenanigans, they’re just doing their own thing and staying out of trouble.Zach: I think my favorite character is Mortiz, but probably just because I’ve done so much work to find out who the character is. Every character has something to say, and listening to all of them and their trials and tribulations are what drive this showKatie: My favorite character is Ilse. She’s a incredibly independent and clearly intelligent, since she manages to find food, clothes, and shelter as a homeless fifteen-year-old.Dennis: My favorite character in the show is a tie between Isle and Martha because their characters have suffered so much but it has not defeated them, but only made them stronger and more prepared to face life.Adam: I think my favorite character is Ilse cause she’s bad ass and has one of my favorite lines where she is like “oh a man put a gun to my chest. That gave me goose bumps and how’s it going with you?”Rodrigo: Ernst. I’m biased.Jason T: My favorite character, if I had to choose one, would probably be Moritz. I feel like I can relate to his utter frustration that he feels throughout the show, and Don’t Do Sadness is just such a powerful song.
HC: What’s your favorite song from the show? Why?Sarah: This is a tough one. I love all of the music in this show, but I think I’m going to have to go with “Song of Purple Summer” because the cast is really united in this song and it’s really beautiful.Jason T: My favorite song is the Song of Purple Summer. It’s a song that I learned in my school chorus long before I knew what Spring Awakening was, let alone seen or performed it. Even back in middle school, however, I could feel the power of the words and the music, and it really sums up quite perfectly many of the themes in the show.Rodrigo: “Totally Fucked”. The energy and angst behind the song gets me every time.Dennis: My favorite song in the show is Bitch of a Living it’s such a high energy all boys song and it’s full of teenage angst and that’s always good!Katie: I’m going to say “Dark I Know Well”. The different levels of power intrigue me, from the lack of power in the girls’ lives, to the menacing background male vocals, to the powerful end vocals of the soloists.Zach: My favorite song is definitely either “Touch Me” or “Song of Purple Summer.” The harmonies in both are gorgeous, and the cast really sounds absolutely fantastic on them. Both of them really get me every time I listen to or sing them.Jason Th: I think the character Moritz has some great songs. My favorite song is probably “Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind”. I do also have a soft spot for “Those You’ve Known”. “Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind” is easily one of the most powerful moments in the show. Not to mention Zach M. (’16) and Katie J. (’16) kill it every time.Gabi: My favorite song is probably “Don’t Do Sadness” because the music is great and Zach’s performance is really powerful.
HC: What do you hope the audience will take away from this production of Spring Awakening?Rachel: I hope that people go away thinking about the sense of community the show depicts. There is some dark subject matter depicted in the show, but many of the characters are able to get through it with the help of others.Katie: I hope they will walk away with a renewed sense of compassion for everyone they know.Zach: I hope the audience will leave the show with a sense of hope for the future. Every character goes through so much over the arc of the show, but in the end, there is so much good to look forward to. I hope the audience will feel that leaving the theater.
For information on dates/times and where to buy tickets click here!