Spring Awakening is a beautiful show set in late 19th century Germany. It depicts a coming of age tale of a class of teens entering their adolescence and discovering their sexuality in a world that would rather keep matters of intimacy swept under the rug – all set to a modern day alternative rock score written by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater. Spring Awakening does not shy away from sensitive matters, so read on with caution.

Having seen Elevator Theatre Compny’s previous show and the third time seeing direction from Josh Rigo, I’m confident that ETC has made a heavy impact in our local Ottawa theatre scene. Under Josh Rigo’s careful direction, ETC production of Spring Awakening tips the scales in all the right ways: offering an emotionally resonant and grounded take on this challenging material.

General Direction

I went a little insane and saw the show a grand total of 4 times (including an invited understudy night!). That’s because of this unique 3/4 round staging that I haven’t seen in Ottawa yet. The staging itself was very mindful and especially tricky given the 3/4 stage configuration. It ensured that the audience could always see the action; however, this did mean that the characters didn’t always have the opportunity to connect with one another as strongly as the story seemed to demand. At times, it felt more like a game of building blocks with ensemble members being showcased more as angsty ASMs who prance gracefully across the stage and less as their own unique characters with backstories. It’s a minor nitpick, though, especially considering the inventive use of simple set pieces like blocks to create a dynamic and constantly shifting space that reflected the characters’ emotional journeys.

I had the unique opportunity to watch both the understudy and main cast productions, and I was impressed by the consistent performances across both. I refuse to believe that what I saw on Sunday evening was an understudy run. It’s not always easy to maintain cohesion between two casts, but Elevator Theatre Company pulled it off. Each version of the show had its own charm, and the balance of talent was a welcome surprise.

Choreography

Spring Awakening isn’t a dance show in any means, but the choreography itself wasn’t all too groundbreaking— it stayed true to the minimalistic, almost awkwardly expressive style made famous by the original Broadway production — it was extremely effective. The group numbers, especially “Totally Fucked”, “Purple Summer”, and “My Junk” were where the cast truly shone. The energy was palpable and it was clear that this creative team loved working together. There was also a particularly poignant moment during a collective song of grief where the cast displayed some of the most honest acting I’ve seen in the entire production, with not a word spoken, just pure presence.

Music Direction

The musicians did a commendable job, playing with the finesse you’d expect from seasoned professionals. There were a few moments where they fell slightly out of sync at the start of some songs, but Sun Myung Claire Yoon, the band director, swiftly corrected course, and the singers never missed a beat. Moments of absolute bliss with how complex the harmonies in some of songs are were nailed with absolute precision and finesse.

Design

From first entering the beautiful new LabO theatre at uOttawa, the set was eye-catching: a gorgeous backlit tree to set an ambience of seasonal change. Costumes were colourful and quirky whilst still transporting the audience to the era of the show. The physical set was much more minimal, comprising of 8 theatre blocks. As the show would progress, it became a showing of how many creative ways can 8 blocks possibly be arranged (as it would turn out, quite a few).

On the technical side, the set, lighting, and sound were passable but not optimized. The show was riddled with a few technical glitches which involved mics or instruments not connecting before important moments; however, the magnificent voices and chilling harmonies of the cast carried throughout the room, keeping the audience on course for a great show.

While the production clearly showcased hard work from the creative team, the technical elements weren’t quite as polished as they could have been. The lighting, in particular, left a lot to be desired—aside from some striking looks during the musical numbers, much of the show played out in a generic, dim wash that did little to convey time, place, or mood. Though, it’s very tricky to light a stage in a 3/4 round so that every angle is covered.

Costumes, Hair, and Makeup

Being such an intimate show where you were, at most, three rows away from the stage, makeup looked to be kept to a bare minimum so as not to get washed out by the stage lights. This also allowed us to see the details in the costume choices and the hair. It seems Iris MacKay kept to a very neutral palette and very tame hairstyles that evolved as the characters grew throughout the show: fighting against convention and breaking out from the confines of traditions. Most of the costumes for the girls kept with this idea, but there were a few outliers that really seemed out of time and place, simply because of the style and the colour.

Standouts

I can not, in all honesty, choose standout performances in this stellar cast. Such a task is monumental when considering each memorable moment I saw. Every person had their moments to shine and I feel like I’m going to dedicate the next couple of blocks to praise what I could limit down to my favourites.

Yan Simon as Melchior and Noah Pacheco as Moritz whose chemistry is unmatched as the intellectual rebel and troubled nerd best friend archetypes.

Jill Prins as Martha and Clarissa Fortin as Ilse also come across as a dynamic pairing for their duet “The Dark I Know Well”. Prins delivered high intensity character performance in every scene, and Fortin’s playful, but tragic character arc.

Joseph Ruberto as Hanschen. His portrayal was grounded and fully immersed in the text, bringing a vibrancy to the character that I didn’t even realize the production needed until he kept gracing the stage. Ruberto’s performance elevated the show in subtle, but essential ways: adding depth and life to moments that could have easily been glossed over.

Also a huge shoutout to the swings: Charlotte Thompson as Adult Woman, Brandon Nguyen as Ernst (and Georg in 6 hours!? I need to check the sources on this), Andrew Lemieux as Georg and Hanschen, Anna Gray as Ilse, and Kaylee Reid as Wendla. If I had to choose a favourite night, that would be my choice. The energy given from the cast that night was mirrored by the audience and I don’t think I ever felt such electricity as an observer before.

Elevator Theatre Company’s Spring Awakening is another solid entry into Ottawa’s theatre scene. While there were a few bumps along the way, this production proved that the company is one to watch. With a talented team and a clear passion for storytelling, I’m excited to see what’s next for them.