Deutsch  Search  Contact Newsletter Sign Up  German Info Home
spacer image
spacer image
Germany.info Home: Information Services: Publications: The Week in Germany
spacer image

The Week in Germany: Culture

December 15, 2006

Germany on Broadway: More than Just Cabaret

A rock musical based on the work of 19th century playwright Frank Wedekind opened at the Eugene O’Neill Theater on Broadway last week to rave reviews.

When Wedekind wrote Spring Awakening, a satirical drama about rigid sexual mores in the Wilhelminian empire in 1891, it was considered too racy for the stage and was not performed until fifteen years later in Berlin – with large sections cut by censors.

The cast of Spring Awakening belts it out

Of course, the Kaiser’s censors have been out of work since the German empire ended in 1918, and director Michael Mayer and playwright Steven Sater certainly did not have to worry about them on Broadway; they have remained close to Wedekind’s original script, even preserving the setting in 19th century Germany. A rock score by singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik and choreography by Bill T. Jones have updated the look and feel of the play for Broadway.

Spring Awakening opened last weekend after a sold-out run off Broadway.

Links:

NY Times Review

spacer image


Back to The Week in Germany

Introducing
The German Information Center

More from Germany.info

Headlines

GermanyToday

Deutschland Nachrichten

InFocus

Archives


short line
Newsletters

spacer Subscribe Here
You can also read the current issues here.
 short line

Printer Friendly PagePrinter-Friendly Page

Email This Article