A social and cultural argument written before its time, Spring Awakening: A Children’s Tragedy is a sharp indictment of a repressive society that keeps its children in ignorance about puberty, sex, and sexuality. The plot follows three young people in a provincial German village in the 1890s: Wendla Bergmann, a young woman curious about where babies come from and why; Melchior Gabor, a rebellious intellectual with abundant knowledge but little emotional maturity; and Moritz Stiefel, a struggling student anxious to understand his developing body as he searches for success in school. As these three young people seek awareness, their worlds crumble around them through repression by the adults in their lives. A tragedy of rape, abuse, and suicide, Frank Wedekind’s Spring Awakening: A Children’s Tragedy continues to amaze and impact audiences over a century after its first performance.
Spring Awakening: A Children's Tragedy guide sections
