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'Spring Awakening' play opens

By John Andert '10
November 11, 2008

The St. Olaf Theatre Department's production of Spring Awakening, a play that deals frankly with sex and sexuality in 19th century Wilhelmine Germany, opens Friday.

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The cast of Spring Awakening rehearses.
Performances will be held the weekends of Nov. 14-16 and Nov. 20-22 in Kelsey Theater. All shows start at 7:30 p.m. with the exception of Nov. 16, when there will be a matinee at 2 p.m., and Nov. 22, when there will be a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are are available to the public for $8. Each St. Olaf student may receive one free ticket and each faculty and staff member can receive two free tickets.

Tickets may be requested online or by calling 507-646-8987. Spring Awakening is intended for mature adult audiences. The Theatre Department highly recommends that young children not be brought to this event.

Written by German dramatist Frank Wedekind between the autumn of 1890 and the spring of 1891, Spring Awakening tells the story of four young adults struggling to understand their changing bodies and sexuality. The characters face serious issues that include promiscuity, pregnancy and suicide. The play caused a stir when it premiered in Berlin in 1906, and it was banned in many theaters across Europe. A wave of controversy surrounded its English premiere in New York City in 1917, and it took a United States Supreme Court ruling to let the production proceed.

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The cast of Spring Awakening prepares for upcoming performances.
Assistant Professor of Theatre Jeanne Willcoxon, who is directing St. Olaf's production of Spring Awakening, says Wedekind tackles difficult issues with this play that many people often avoid talking about. "This is a world in which no one is free, in which gender roles and sexuality are defined and enforced, and that violence will breed more violence. I think it is important to put that on stage, but it is often quite difficult to do because it is really painful," she says. "And that, I believe, is the point. Wedekind shows us the incalculable cost of such practices."

Music and movement will be added to St. Olaf's production of Spring Awakening, combining three different art forms -- drama, music and dance -- into one performance. Mitchell Ebert '09 composed original music and Sara Weathers '09 directed choreography. "My goal has been to see how movement, music, sound and text can express this play," Willcoxon says.

Notice
This play contains scenes of physical and sexual violence. If you have been a victim of such violence, this could potentially trigger memories of past events. The following campus resources are available for those students who have been victims of assault and violence:

- SARN (The Sexual Assault Resource Network) is a confidential source on campus, staffed by a group of caring and committed state certified sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse student advocates. Advocates are on call nightly from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. at x3777, and the SARN office is in room 113 Buntrock.

- The St. Olaf Counseling Center in Boe House, located at 1308 St. Olaf Ave. Appointments can be made in person or by calling: 507-786-3062.

- The College Pastors' Office, located in Boe Memorial Chapel and available by phone at 786-3092.

Contact Kari VanDerVeen at 507-786-3970 or vanderve@stolaf.edu.