By JON WOODHOUSE

For The Maui News

A contemporary adaptation of a controversial 1891 German play by Frank Wedekind, the coming-of-age rock musical “Spring Awakening” is widely acclaimed. Debuted on Broadway in 2006, the show’s music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Steven Sater was hailed by Entertainment Weekly as “the most gorgeous Broadway score this decade,” while The New York Times praised it as a “fresh breeze of true inspiration.” The original cast album won a Grammy Award.

A winner of 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, the Maui production of “Spring Awakening” opens on July 27 at the ProArts Playhouse.

Directed by Kiegan Otterson, with music direction by Vania Jerome and choreography by Randi Lonzaga. Otterson’s acting roles include Charlie Brown in “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” and Frederick in “Pirates of Penzance.” He made his stage debut at the age of four, as “Toto” in “The Wizard of Oz.”

“I always thought about being in it as an actor,” says Otterson. “Once I read the material I was blown away by the depths of the show and all of the beauty there is in it. This is the perfect vessel to tell a story of what it was like back in 1891, and even what it’s like growing up today, seeing the parallels between the two. This is a piece that the island needs to see.”

“Spring Awakening” explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll. Set in 19th-century Germany, the story centers on teenagers in a repressive society, navigating sexual awakening, abuse, and mental illness.

“It’s the struggle of these kids growing up at a time where all authority in their life is oppressing them and not setting them up for success and a way to live a happy, healthy life,” he explains. “And when they adapted it into a musical in the early 2000s, it’s very interesting the direction they took because it’s a period piece, but you are immediately thrust into the grungy rock music of the early 2000s. It also captures the heart of what a lot of young people are going through in their spring awakening.”

The musical primarily focuses on three teens. There’s brilliant student Melchior Gabor, played by Elisha Cullims, who rebels against his rigid religious school. His love interest, Wendla Bergmann, played by Amber Seelig, is an innocent girl whose mother failed to teach her anything about sex, and Melchior’s friend Moritz Stiefel, played by Jesie Rocetes, who is failing school due to pressure and anxiety.

“They’ve done a fantastic job,” says Otterson. “The character arcs for the three of them are very complex, and they go through a lot of different emotions through the show. So it’s definitely a highly demanding acting piece as well as it is a highly demanding vocal piece, and they’re all stepping up to the plate. It’s an amazing cast of young people.”

in Germany. When it debuted in the US in 1917, it was threatened with closure and only ran for one night. When it was first produced in England in 1963, it was performed for only two nights under heavy censorship.

“This show deals with material from discovering one’s budding sexuality all the way to suicide,” he notes. “It doesn’t hold anything back. So definitely come with a pack of Kleenex.”

With a terrific score, the shows most popular songs include “Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise),” “And Then There Were None,” “The Dark I Know Well,” “The Bitch of

Living,” the energetic “Totally F****d,” and the ensemble finale of “The Song of Purple Summer,” heralding the dawning of a new day.

“I really like the way that this musical adapted the original text,” says Otterson. “The way our musical ends is a bit different from the way the original play ends. They have a bit of a darker turn with things and there’s some hope at the end of our show. One of the things that the musical does very beautifully is they find a way through the tragedy, still see hope for the future. It’s very beautiful, very profound.”

“Spring Awakening” opens on July 27 at the ProArts Playhouse. It runs through Aug. 17 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will be no performances on Aug. 8 or 10 out of respect for events memorializing the fires. “Spring Awakening” contains strong language, depictions of sexual situations, and portrayals of trauma such as suicidal ideations. 18 years of age or older advised. Tickets are available at www.ProArtsMaui.org or by calling 808-463-6550.