Note to self: when your friend asks, “Hey, do you want to go see the musical they’re putting on in Mathers this weekend?” make sure to read information about the performance on Wikipedia, or at the very least look over the production program, instead of heading in completely blind.

Though I was slightly appalled and confused for about half of the first act—sparking me to read more about the plot on Wikipedia during intermission—”Spring Awakening,” put on by Dickinson’s theater and dance departments, was definitely a good time.

Bria Zegarelli ‛26 and Jason Winter ‛25 were both brilliant as the show’s two leads, Wendla Bergmann and Melchior Gabor. Both actors performed well both individually and together, strongly demonstrating their nuanced characters. Both actors sang phenomenally as well. Additionally, Ben Fox ‛26, who played Moritz Stiefel, also conveyed his character’s deep pain and emotions excellently.

As someone who had never even heard of the show before and isn’t particularly into musicals, I liked the music in this one. The ensemble numbers were my favorite, as the supporting cast and characters worked well together to bring the show to life.

The show’s set and costuming were good, too. For a moment when I walked in before the show, I thought the girls were dressed as pilgrims, which made me feel immediately ashamed of myself, because I am a History major and should definitely know better. I liked the simple hardwood floor and the graffiti on the back wall, and the large centerpiece ‘chandelier’ made of branches with dangling lights was truly creative and stunning. 

I also enjoyed the lighting and effects throughout the performance, particularly as the colors changed depending on characters’ songs and moods. However, sitting in the middle of the fourth row in front of the stage I kept getting face-fulls of the fog that often enveloped the stage.

Story-wise, my favorite parts of the show, along with the ensemble songs, were the light-hearted moments throughout. Though I didn’t go in knowing the show would be that vulgar, I got used to it quickly and the whole thing was fun. All the actors played the somber and serious moments well, but this is just a matter of personal taste—as a rule, I don’t think musicals should be depressing. Even so, these moments moved me.

Seeing “Spring Awakening” was my first time being in Mathers, and I’ll definitely be coming back for the next show. Hats off to the department for a great show!