Broadway's Spring Awakening | Deaf West Revival | Talks at Google

TL;DR

The cast of Spring Awakening shares their experiences with the revival and the incorporation of sign language and deaf actors in the show.

Transcript

ALAN SEALES: To perform a few songs for us now, please welcome the cast of "Spring Awakening." [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC - "MAMA WHO BORE ME"] [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC - "DON'T DO SADNESS"] [APPLAUSE] [MUSIC - "THE SONG OF PURPLE SUMMER"] [APPLAUSE] ALAN SEALES: Keep it going. One more time. Cool. So please go down the line and introduce yourselves. And talk abo... Read More

Key Insights

• 👪 The revival of Spring Awakening focuses on the difficulties of communication between parents and children, especially regarding sex education.
• 🙉 The inclusion of deaf actors and sign language amplifies the theme of communication barriers.
• 👯 The show has garnered support and inspired people from various communities, including the disabled community and those affected by loss and depression.
• 😓 The opening and closing scenes where the cast is in their undergarments symbolize a wiping away of time and create a sense of unity among the ensemble.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the idea for the revival of Spring Awakening with deaf actors and sign language come about?

The director and cast had the brilliant idea to revive the show with Deaf West, casting deaf actors in two of the main roles to enhance the theme of communication difficulties.

Q: What is the significance of the Milan Conference and its connection to the original play?

The Milan Conference in the 1880s decided to disregard sign language in favor of oral communication, which parallels the theme of communication barriers in the original play.

Q: How did the success of the show on the West Coast lead to its Broadway debut?

The show had two successful productions in Los Angeles before being extended and moving to a larger theater in Beverly Hills. From there, it was decided to bring the show to Broadway.

Q: How did the cast approach the translation of the show into sign language?

The translators worked closely with the cast to ensure that the essence and beauty of the original lyrics were captured in sign language, even though the signs may not directly correlate with the spoken words.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The cast members introduce themselves and explain how they got involved in the revival of Spring Awakening.

• They discuss the idea behind the production, which focuses on the breakdown of communication between parents and children, especially regarding sex education.

• The cast also highlights the significance of sign language and how it amplifies the themes of the show.