“Spring Awakening” at Chance Theater
- OC Theatre Guild
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
History Gets Loud: The Tony-Winning Musical Rocks Anaheim
By MaryAnn DiPietro
The teenagers of "Spring Awakening" aren’t your typical musical protagonists. They whisper secrets, fumble toward adulthood, and break into rock anthems as their inner thoughts explode against the backdrop of 1890s Germany.
Directed by Jocelyn A. Brown and opening this summer in Anaheim, "Spring Awakening" is the Tony Award-winning musical by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik. It reimagines Frank Wedekind’s once-banned 1891 play of the same name. Although written over a century ago, “It’s so raw and honest in how it handles teen perspective-- especially intellectually curious teens,” said Brown. “The story comes from 1891, but it still feels shocking to some people. And it’s very relevant to today.”
For Brown, a longtime Resident Artist at Chance Theater, current Associate Artistic Director, and a high school biology teacher by day, the show is both personal and timely. “I literally spend my day with 14 to 18-year-olds and what they’re going through on a daily basis,” she said. “You’d think that in this day and age, teens would have all the answers. But the truth is, they’re getting information from AI or TikTok, and it’s not always accurate. There are still so many questions-- and a lot of them would surprise adults.”
Winner of eight Tony Awards in 2007, including Best Musical and Best Score, "Spring Awakening" has been hailed for its honesty and exhilarating score-- a blend of alternative rock and folk that gives voice to its young characters. At Chance, the production will lean even further into that emotional core with a daring new approach: the actors themselves will play the instruments live on stage. “This will probably have the most musicians of any show I’ve done at the Chance,” Brown said.
The show explores German teenagers struggling with their sexual and emotional awakenings in a repressive society. Its themes of rebellion, societal pressure, love and relationships, power dynamics, repression, and exploration have made it a cult favorite.
“It’s ambitious,” said Shinshin Tsai, Chance’s Producing Associate and the show’s Intimacy Coordinator. “We’re pushing the boundaries of our space-- asking the cast to sing, act, dance, and play. But that’s what Chance is about. We tell stories in a way that feels immediate and alive.”
Tsai, who also oversees marketing for the production, has seen Brown’s journey with the material come full circle. “She directed the play version of "Spring Awakening" here in 2003, before the musical even existed,” Tsai said. “And now she’s bringing it full circle with a modern twist and an incredibly talented cast.”
Brown is excited about the actor-musician structure. “The audience becomes this 3D emotive journal where the characters get to express themselves,” she said. “The main theme I’m drawn to is repression versus expression-- and what happens when you’re living in a society that doesn’t allow you to express who you really are.”
Chance is known for its focus on bold storytelling. "Spring Awakening" was a natural fit for its season, which centers on stories of identity, resistance, and discovery. “It slots in so beautifully,” Tsai said. “It’s a story about education-- but not necessarily what you get in a classroom. It’s about what happens when adults withhold truth, and how young people find it anyway.”
Visually, the production will contrast with the rigid world of 1890s Germany. “The set is designed to highlight the actor-musician structure,” Brown said. “You’ll see shadow work, a monochrome palette that shifts into this vibrant rock concert feel when we’re inside the teens’ heads. The musicians aren’t tucked away-- they’re a visible part of the cast, and of the 1890s world.”
One song that especially resonates with Tsai is “The Bitch of Living.” “For me, that number just hits. It’s such a raw anthem for everything it feels like to be a teenager. The world is ending, everything is new, and it’s all terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. It’s a perfect emotional snapshot.”
Brown agreed, noting another favorite moment: “‘Those You’ve Known’-- the lyric ‘You watch me. Just watch me - I’m calling from longing....and one day all will know’-- that line really gets to the heart of the show. There’s such a desire and a longing, and the teens want to be seen and heard as they struggle to grow up.”
The intimacy of the Chance Theater’s space heightens every emotion. “You’re not watching from the balcony-- you’re practically inside the story,” Tsai said. “That’s where we thrive. And we’ve got an audience that wants to engage. We do talkbacks after our shows, and I expect some really powerful conversations to come out of this one.”
Ultimately, both Tsai and Brown agree: this isn’t just a show for teens. “You hear ‘Spring Awakening’ and think, oh, it’s for young people. Or it’s just some 1890s period piece,” Brown said. “But whether you’re 60 and remembering puberty, or in your 20s and recently in it, it’s universal.”
Asked what she hopes audiences will take away, Brown is clear: “I hope they feel exhilarated. I hope the adults push past some of their own ‘uncomfortabilities’ when talking to the young people in their lives. Teens don’t need more content-- they need adults they can trust to give them scientific and compassionate advice.”
And for Tsai, the impact is personal. “I hope people walk out moved by the music, yes,” he said. “But more than that, I hope they leave inspired to connect more, to contribute to their communities, to be a little more honest with themselves and each other.”
MaryAnn DiPietro is an actor, singer, pianist, music director, and writer.
“Spring Awakening”
Chance Theater
Bette Aitken theater arts Center
5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA
July 11 - August 10, 2025
(888) 455-4212, www.ChanceTheater.com