Arts & Entertainment
Heat of the moment
Heady ‘Awakening’ explores teen lust in coming-of-age hit musical
‘Spring Awakening’
Keegan Theatre
Church Street Theatre
1742 Church Street, NW
Through July 8
$40, $35 students/seniors
The cast of Keegan Theatre’s production of ‘Spring Awakening.’ (Photo by C. Stanley Photography; courtesy Keegan)
Surprisingly, it’s a plaintive ballad that haunts both acts of “Spring Awakening,” the explosive trail-breaking rock musical now onstage in an excellent production by the Keegan Theatre. “The Word of Your Body” is sung by two pairs of young lovers who are about to dive into the dangerous and mysterious world of sex. With a fascinating blend of naiveté and awareness, they sing, “O, I’m gonna be wounded. O, I’m gonna be your wound.”
In Act One, it’s sung by Melchior and Wendla; in Act Two it’s sung by Hanschen and Ernst. In an unusual twist, it’s the straight couple and not the gay couple who come to a tragic end.
“Spring Awakening” is based on a controversial play by the remarkable German playwright Frank Wedekind. Although written in 1891, the play was not performed until 1906 and has since had a long history of censorship as it deals frankly with complex issues of sexual and intellectual awakening, adolescent rebellion, sadomasochism, political and intellectual repression, suicide, abortion, sexual abuse, gender and homosexuality.
The plot centers on Melchior Gabor (Vincent Kempski), a charismatic and intelligent teen rebel, his innocent but curious girlfriend Wendla (Ali Hoxie) and his tormented best friend Mortiz Steifel (Paul Scanlan). While Melchior and his classmates (including Hanschen and Ernst) deal with oppressive schoolmasters and uncontrolled sexual yearnings, Wendla and her friends deal with parental abuse and neglect.
Indie musicians Steven Sater (book and lyrics) and Duncan Sheik (music) have turned this 1891 German drama into a contemporary rock musical with exceptional ingenuity and creativity. Sheik and Sater wisely keep most of the plot intact and keep the action in its original time period. However, as the teenagers express their inner feelings, their inner rock stars erupt, electric guitars serving as a timeless expression of teen angst. The concept works really well and the show deservedly swept the 2007 Tony Awards.
Directors Mark A. Rhea and Susan Marie Rhea handle this challenging material with great finesses and sensitivity, guiding the talented cast through their scenes with an effective blend of comedy and tragedy. The musical staging is generally fluid and eye-catching as the cast moves from the relative still of the book scenes to the explosive outbursts of the songs. Musical Director Jake Null gets great instrumental performances from a superb 10-piece band and outstanding vocal performances from powerhouse singers with exceptional range and diction.
The cast is uniformly strong, with outstanding performances from Nora Palka as Ilsa and Charlotte Akin as the Adult Women. Palka’s rich voice brings great poignancy to songs where she tells about horrible sexual abuse (“The Dark I Know Well”) and where she tries to save the suicidal Moritz (“Blue Wind”), but she also shines when she leads the cast in the moving finale (“The Song of Purple Summer”). Akin is delightful in several small roles, showing great comic flair as a busty piano teacher and a mean schoolmistress, severe earnestness as Wendla’s mother and deeply moving sensitivity as Melchior’s sympathetic mother.
There are, unfortunately, a few missteps (quite literally) in this otherwise fine production. The choreography by Kurt Boehm sometimes undermines the delicate balance between the period setting and the contemporary rock score; fluttery hand gestures, cartwheels and moves from Michael Jackson videos feel out of place. The direction of the three-member ensemble is also rather awkward. The switch from teenagers to angels of death clutters the final scene and their costuming and blocking is frequently distracting.
While most cultural venues have already slipped into more escapist summer fare, Keegan Theatre deserves a round of applause for ending their season with more challenging material. LGBT audiences will find “Spring Awakening,” with its positive portrayal of homosexuality and complex depictions of sexual politics, especially rewarding.
Photos
Center for Black Equity honors leaders, activists at BE. Gala
Miyake-Mugler, Oakes co-host annual awards ceremony
The Center for Black Equity held its annual BE. Gala at Conrad Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Lolita Leopard Miyake-Mugler and Anthony Oakes co-hosted the awards ceremony.
Honorees included journalist and producer Justin Stewart; nonprofit leader Nikki Alexander; HIV advocate Marlene McNeese; the nonprofit organization FreeLux Project; actress Monroe Alise; public health advocate Tori Cooper; Manassas Park Vice Mayor Darryl G. Moore; Rev. Dr. Carmarion D. Anderson; Bishop Steven Sawyer; government relations professional Courtney Snowden; Senior Deputy Director of HAHSTA at D.C. Health, Clover Barnes; and Texas state Rep. Venton C. Jones.
The event was sponsored by Gilead.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Books
In ‘The Lost Brontë,’ a complicated lie can lead to danger
New book features sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist
‘The Lost Brontë’
By Catherine Friend
c.2026, Bywater Books
$22.95/335 pages
Mom always said to tell the truth.
One lie leads to another and another and you have to remember them all until pretty soon, you’re caught. Fibs are hard, mistruths are messy, even little white social lies can destroy trust. Worst of all, as in the new novel, “The Lost Brontë” by Catherine Friend, a complicated lie can lead to danger.
Though Lilianne Loxley was very young when she lost her parents, she understood that her uncle didn’t really want her. As time passed, though, Lily made herself useful to Uncle, writing and signing letters for him and she became a good companion, helping him with his collection of Brontë memorabilia. Uncle was a keen enthusiast.
She had no idea that his obsession was out of control and he was deeply in arrears. The day Lily learned of his debt was the day she learned that he’d agreed to send her to his debtor’s home to work off the money owed.
It was so sudden. One minute, Lily was at Loxley House, happy and loved by Uncle’s staff … and five hours later, she was at Crag Thorn Manor, home of Lord Bexton, who informed her that she’d be working on his ledgers – work that seemed routine, but Lily tackled it.
Uncle always did say she was headstrong.
But would headstrong be enough to survive, when she was restricted from most of the Manor, when she was forced to dine with Brexton and his slimy friend, or – the worst! – when Brexton told Lily that her next task was to forge a letter from Emily Brontë? And then an entire manuscript?
Lily struggled to do what was right. She had to get Uncle out of debt but this last order horrified her. Did she dare refuse Brexton’s orders and commit a crime? It was unthinkable!
The only brightness in the whole situation was Wren, the ladies’ maid assigned to Lily’s room. Wren was adorable with freckles and the sweetest smile. But with everything else happening at Crag Thorn Manner, could Lily act upon her feelings?
This time of year, you may come to crave dark, spooky stories, and “The Last Brontë” fits those needs perfectly with its Gothic deliciousness. Think: Daphne du Maurier-type, stormy-night squirms with a dangerously chaste, sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist for fun.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve read a Gothic novel, you’re in for a nice reminder of why you love them here. You can almost tick off the must-haves: a novel like this is nothing without a foreboding stone manor with damp walls; stone steps to a dank basement; a mysterious portrait; and a nearby bog, and author Catherine Friend gives readers every one of them. You’d be disappointed if there was no ghost, wouldn’t you? Ha. You can practically feel the cold blow through the attic, right? Yeah, it’s that kind of book.
If you’re a fan of the Brontës, you’ll like this novel. If you love Gothic mysteries or Victorian romances, ditto. “The Lost Brontë” is good, no lie.
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Out & About
CAMP Rehoboth Block Party returns Oct. 18
Expect performances, vendors and more at annual celebration
CAMP Rehoboth will host its annual Block Party celebration on Sunday, Oct.18 at 11 a.m. on the second block of Baltimore Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach.
CAMP Rehoboth invites all community members to join in the festivities and to expect magnificent performances and dozens of vendors, including artists, craftspeople, non-profits, businesses, and more.
The event started in 2015 in celebration of CAMP Rehoboth’s 25th anniversary. This year, attendees can expect to shop sea glass art, pottery, jewelry, Pride merch, body care, clothing, and learn more about local non-profit causes and businesses.
Attendance is free. For more details, visit CAMP Rehoboth’s website.
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