In case anyone is ignorant about the birds and the bees, “Spring Awakening,” now playing at the Ahmanson Theater, will explain it all-sometimes graphically. This musical, which somehow won seven Tony Awards in New York, including best new musical, is puerile and exploitative. It must have been a barren year for the stage.
The theme is terribly outdated, the set is gauche, the music is loud and the lyrics, when audible, are rather mundane. Before you can get comfortably seated, a young woman is singing, “Mama Who Bore Me.” The word “bore” can be taken two ways. She asks her mother where babies come from and then we are on our way.
The program tells us this is Germany in 1890, a most restrictive society. In a classroom where boys are reciting in Latin, the teacher hits anyone who makes a mistake. However, there is revolt in the air. The boys are “awakening” and girls learn about sex.
The performances are too modulated to express the angst of growing up in a repressive society. Kyle Riabko plays the lover with bravado, but his love is a whiney Christy Altomare. The comic in the piece, who fails at school and at life, is the talented Blake Bashoff, whose wild hair is a dead giveaway that he’s in trouble. Henry Stram acts like an early Nazi as the teacher/father and Angela Reed is over-the-top in various roles.
Stands are set up on each side of the stage where audience members intermingle with stage characters. This is nothing new and limits the area for the singing ensembles and the dances created by Bill T. Jones.
The book and lyrics are credited to Steven Sater, with the percussive music by Duncan Sheik. Michael Mayer manages well as the director of this large cast.
In the lobby, audiences are warned about nudity and simulated sex. Be warned of attention deficit disorder.