Theatre Three’s production of Spring Awakening opens Monday, Sept. 14, and features
UT Arlington theater students and the choreography of the school’s Musical Theatre Program head J. Austin Eyer
RICH LOPEZ | A&E Writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
While out here we are looking at the last few weeks of summer, spring has sprung at Theatre Three. The company is opening its new season with the explosive coming-of-age rock musical Spring Awakening.
T3 is also tapping into the youthful energy of the show by teaming up with UT Arlington’s theater department for its cast.
“This co-pro with UTA is the latest way in which T3 is constantly promoting, mentoring and nurturing North Texas talent,” Associate Artistic Director Christie Vela said in a press release. “Not only do we have an opportunity to bring in their faculty, who are some of the best and brightest professionals in the DFW theater community, but having energetic, super talented young artists in our home is invigorating to us!”
Previews for Spring Awakening began on Thursday, Sept. 10. Opening night is set for Monday, Sept. 14, and the show runs through Sept. 27.
UTA Associate Professor and Head of Musical Theatre Program J. Austin Eyer (he/him) serves as the show’s choreographer. Naturally, he keeps a proud eye on how his students are faring in this professional environment.
“I think it’s so exciting. I love that Emily (Gray) is directing, and I love that our students are working with Equity stage managers and actors,” he said. “I love seeing them walk into the room prepared and also getting to see professionals at work.”
Gray sees this not just as an opportunity, but also an experience.
“Spring Awakening has always given a voice to young people and their truths with a fabulous rock score,” she said in the release. “Supporting the next generation is imperative as we navigate our way out of hate and find love for all.
“Allow yourself to experience this beautiful show and find connections. The sorrow leads us to see the importance of love for all.”
Eyer is back to teaching as the new semester has started, but here, he can step away from his duties to focus on his students in a different way while also serving the production.
Based on the play by Frank Wedekind, Spring Awakening follows a group of students navigating the journey into adulthood. They experience love, desire and self-discovery in a process that is often fraught with turbulence. Throughout the story, the characters’ curiosities frequently collide with adult expectations.
The musical was created by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik.
Spring Awakening, though, isn’t your usual dance-sical.
“With a show like this, it really is about what is the vocabulary and movement of the show, and that’s going to be expressed through every scene and every song,” Eyer explained. “I love collaborating with directors to come up with a very specific language through which we’re going to tell this story, and, especially in the world of German expressionism, it’s very poetic. That gives us a lot of freedom to create whatever kind of world you want to build through movement.”
Bill T. Jones created the original choreography for Spring Awakening for its Broadway debut in 2006. While Jones set a standard with his work for the show, Eyer leads these actors into a different tone. He started from scratch to give this production its own identity.
“I think one of the coolest things about choreography is you can come in with all the great stuff you have planned, but if it doesn’t work for the actors, you can follow your instincts.
That’s my process, which is pretty common.”
He continued, “As a choreographer, those instincts will tell me when to change and adapt the movement to match these actors so they look good and the storytelling is clear. I’m not really pulling from what’s been done before but instead coming in with fresh eyes.”
Among the show’s narratives is a queer awakening between the characters Hänschen and Ernst.
In creating movement, Eyer expands the queer vocabulary beyond those two characters into a more existential air.
“I try to not neatly pair the men and women whenever possible. And with “Touch Me,” we’re doing something different. Usually it’s about self-exploration, but Emily and I wanted to talk about when touch goes from innocence to something more as kids get older.”
Through movement and song, characters explore their crushes on varying genders through touch that isn’t limited to queer discovery, but even cis hetero exploration with all genders.
An added LGBTQ+ element is in its casting that includes trans and nonbinary actors.
“I love that it all happened naturally, but it also brings an added perspective to the show and the entire experience,” Eyer said.
For tickets, visit Theatre3Dallas.com.