Spring Awakening @ Palace Theatre 3/3 Finally, you say to yourself so many times through this production. Finally the band, which is so integral to the soul of the show, is right on the stage. You can watch the drummer pounding out the heavy rhythm, soar along with the spare strings. The arrangements, directed on stage by Shaker Heights native keyboardist Jared Stein, are clever and tasteful, but never lame. This is punk rock stomping emotional rip-your head-off music necessary to express adolescent angst, and achingly beautiful when it explores young love. Finally, the lyrics are never obscured by manic guitars and cymbals. Finally, the actors are talented enough to dance to Bill T. Jones' choreography just as well as they can sing. And act. Finally, a work of art that sews all these elements together organically, effortlessly.

Finally, you think, a play that just works, flowing seamlessly from one painful crystalline vignette to the next adolescent crisis, without apology, righteousness, attitude or bluster. They play's author Steve Sater has left out all the cutesy conventions, the cliched contrivances, and just focuses on the important bits. Finally, a musical that doesn't waste your time, bore you for a single moment, or take indulgences. From the opening scene, with Wendla caressing her own breasts, straight through to the intermission, the entire audience practically held their collective breaths. Finally, a rock opera with the full-throated intensity of a balls-out rock concert, no apologies and no compromises.

Finally, you think, a mainstream play that dares to deal with the real issues facing adolescents, rather than the sniggering titillation, hip smugness, or commercial exhibitionism we've been sold for decades. Which is remarkable for a play originally written in 1891 that touches on sexual awakening, masturbation, abuse, homoeroticism, pregnancy and suicide. By retaining the setting of that era, and the oppressive morality and "parentocracy" of the time, the effect is heightened, and the parallels with our own contemporary culture become obvious.

Not much has changed in over 100 years. Parents still struggle to talk about sex with their kids, and kids still have sex cluelessly, get pregnant and have abortions. Some kids are still committing suicide because it's all too much, and we still don't understand why. But finally, there's a show that tells the truth. A very entertaining show with great music and intensely emotional songs by Duncan Sheik, and a totally, devastatingly real story. We've been waiting a long time for Spring Awakening.

From Thomas Mulready, CoolCleveland.com (:divend:)