In 1891, German playwright Frank Wedekind wrote a work which was banned in his native country due to it’s subject matter and frank portrayal of teen sexuality. About 30 years later, the play was produced on Broadway and only played for one night before it had to close due to strong, near-riotous protesting outside the theater.

Now, almost 100 years later, composer Duncan Sheik and lyricist Steven Sater have brought the play back into the spotlight again as the basis for their 2006 Broadway Musical. But how much of the original work was altered to suit modern audiences? And even though the subject matter of the play is hardly enough to start a riot or protest today, it’s still enough to spark some healthy debate and conversation.

The play is Spring Awakening, a poignant tale (with a good dose of dark humor) about a group of teenagers who are “coming of age” in late 19th century Germany. Each character must face and try to understand their new-found sexuality, while at the same time questioning all that they have been brought up to believe about religion, school and the world in general. Whereas modern day teenagers still face the same dilemmas, the characters in Spring Awakening face the added pressure of living in a time when discussing such topics and questioning traditional beliefs was very taboo. 

Almost one year after the touring production of the Broadway Musical version of the play came to Philadelphia, audiences there will now get to see the original play, presented in its entirety, as the playwright envisioned and wrote it. The production is a first-time collaboration between producer, Joe Caliva and director, Rebekah Macchione, who is making her directorial debut with this endeavor.

The play will be performed at the beautiful Walnut Street Theater Studio 5, an intimate theater which will draw audiences deeper into the story to connect with a diverse and talented cast.

Tickets are only $20 and are available at the door on the day of the performance. But, if you order your tickets online through this site, you’ll save 25% and only pay $15 per ticket! So, order your tickets early - seating is limited at each performance and tickets are expected to sell quickly.