Spring Awakening

Book and lyrics by Steven Sater
Music by Duncan Sheik

This Tony Award-winning rock musical tells the story of desire and confusion as teenagers’ hormones collide during the journey from youth to adulthood. Through rebellious trials and tribulations, the sensuality of the characters is often denied and suppressed, leading to tragic consequences. The poignant and revealing messages in Spring Awakening are powerful, passionate and unforgettable.

For mature audiences only, due to sexual content, strong (profane) language and the theme of abuse.

SHOW PHOTOS

2015 Performance Dates

February 20, 21, 27 & 28 at 8 p.m.
February 22 and March 1 (ASL interpreted) at 2:30 p.m.

Ticket Information

Adults - $14
Seniors (55 and over) - $10
Non-KSU Students (17 and under) - $10
KSU Students - Free with current ID

• Tickets go on sale February 9.
• Purchase tickets online, by phone or in person at the Box Office.
• Visa, MasterCard and Discover accepted. Checks and cash accepted in person at the Box Office.
• Tickets purchased online or by phone will be available at Will Call.
• Will Call opens one hour prior to curtain time and closes when the performance begins.
• Kent State Students: Free admission with current Kent State ID. Seats must be reserved in person at the Box Office.
• No refunds for purchased tickets. Exchanges for the same production can be made by contacting the Box Office prior to the reserved performance date.
• Tickets held at Will Call will be forfeited if not picked up by curtain time.

Ticket sales begin February 9 at 8 a.m.

Cast

Caitlin Roberts: Wendla
Caitlin is a junior as Kent State University at Stark. She is pursuing a major in theatre studies: design & technology, and a minor in music. Caitlin has worked on a number of shows at Kent State Stark: makeup & special effects design assistant for Evil Dead: The Musical, lighting/scenic design assistant for Buried Child, stage management for Plumfield, Iraq and Our House; assistant stage manager for Our House, crew for One Slight Hitch and helped in the production of the student written Voices From Hurt Street (as a member of the writing ensemble and makeup designer). Caitlin has worked as a Theatre Department technician in the scene shop at Kent State Stark for the past three years. She is a member of multiple choirs, as well as various performing ensembles here on campus.

Erika Butler: Martha

Sarah Marie Young: Thea
Sarah is thrilled to appear in her very first production at Kent State Stark Theatre in one of her dream shows! She is very active in community theatre all around the area, such as the Players Guild Theatre in Canton where some of her previous credits include The Ghost of Christmas Past (Christmas Carol), Little Pig #3 (Shrek the Musical), Star to Be (Annie), and Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors). She has also appeared as Marcy Park (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Janet Van de Graff (Drowsy Chaperone), and Violet (Violet) all at the Carnation City Players in Alliance. Additionally, she has performed onstage in various productions at The North Canton Playhouse, Weathervane Community Theatre, Plain Center for the Performing Arts, and Lake High School, where just a few of her other favorite credits include Natalie in Next to Normal, Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, Maria in The Sound of Music, and the Witch in Into The Woods. She attends Kent State Stark and is pursuing a major in theatre performance.

Paige Burris: Anna

Beth Recob: Ilse
Beth is excited to make her debut performance at Kent State Stark’s production of Spring Awakening. Beth is a 2013 graduate of Kent State University earning her bachelor of arts degree in music education. Beth recently held a long-term substitute position at Dalton Local Schools where she had the opportunity to direct the chorale at the state contest. She is now employed at Orrville Elementary. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education and the Ohio Music Education Association. She would like to thank her mentor, Laurel Seeds, friends and family for their continuous support, and her friend Paul, for introducing her to this amazing musical.

Cassandra Terry: Adult Women
Cassandra is a junior at Kent State Stark and is pursuing a degree in human development and family studies with a focus in family life education. Her previous theatre experience includes acting in Our House, Voices from Hurt Street, Godspell, Once Upon A Mattress, Grease, Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music, and Annie Get Your Gun. Cassie is a graduate of Field High School and when not busy with her schoolwork, she enjoys reading, dancing and spending quality time with her family.

Abigail Morrill: Female Chorus

Michael Fox: Melchoir
Michael is thrilled to be making his debut at Kent State Stark in one of his dream roles. Michael is currently a freshman BFA musical theatre major at Kent State University, after graduating from Lakewood High School. Past credits include Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, Leon in Fools, Nicky in Avenue Q, John in Peter Pan, and most recently the Stepmother in Cinderella. Michael would like to thank his amazing cast and crew, his Kent State musical theatre family, and his friends and family back in Lakewood for being so supportive, caring for and putting up with his incessant singing and over dramatic tendencies for 18 years. Minnie, this is one is for you.

Joseph Ball: Moritz

Connor Reese: Hanschen/Rupert
Connor is a graduate of Jackson High School where he was a Jackson School for the Arts student, and is currently studying at Kent State University where he is pursuing his BFA in musical theatre. Past credits include Tommy in Brigadoon, Kenicke in Grease, and Joe Keller in All My Sons from high school; and has most recently appeared as Ed in Evil Dead: The Musical and Hopkins in The Crucible at Kent State. Connor would like to thank his family, his amazing musical theatre family at Kent, and all of the people who have helped him get to where he is today. 

Bryan Russell: Ernst/Reinhold
Bryan is an aspiring actor from Wooster, Ohio. He has spent the last two years training and working toward his BFA in musical theatre at Kent State University. He has performed in high school productions, community theatre and collegiately. Bryan is thrilled to be involved in his favorite musical Spring Awakening. He'd like to thank his family and friends for their love and support, and for helping him get to where he is now.

Matthew Smetana: Georg/Dieter

Matthew Heppe: Otto/Ulbrecht
Matthew is thrilled to be a part of this production of Spring Awakening, and excited to be able to cross this show off of his theater bucket list. He has been a part of many shows in the Canton area, including A Christmas Carol (Fred/Young Ebenezer), Sweeney Todd (Tobias), and Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour) with the Canton Players Guild and Next to Normal (Gabe) at the Plain Local Center for the Performing Arts. Matthew is a graduate of Capital University where he majored in theatre studies and communication. Some of his favorite roles while at Capital, include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Freddy Benson), Return to the Forbidden Planet (Cookie), Macbeth (Malcolm), and Big River (Tom Sawyer).

John Lagucki: Adult Men
John is a freshman BFA musical theatre major at Kent State. An alumni from Upper Arlington HS in Columbus, OH, this is his first production with Kent State Stark Theatre, and is so happy to be telling this beautiful story with such an amazing cast and crew. Big thanks to his family and friends for supporting his dreams every day. Enjoy the show!

Joseph Fisher: Adult Chorus

Andre Frazier: Gunther
Andre is currently a junior at Kent State Stark working towards a B.A. in music. He is a graduate of Canton McKinley High School where he was a participant in many choral groups, including McKinley Singers. He continues to be a part of many choirs and vocal ensembles since he started attending Kent State Stark. Outside of college, he is currently the lead vocalist for his church worship band and has been a lead vocalist for many other groups, bands, and has performed solo on many different stages throughout his life. Even though he has performed on many stages, he is honored and excited that this will be his musical theatre debut.

Jordy Vargas: Adult Chorus

Production Team

Brian Newberg: Director
Brian Newberg is an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Theatre Director at Kent State University at Stark. Brian’s directing experience (over eighty production credits) includes Broadway, Regional, Equity Waiver, industry showcases, new work development, and many college productions. He has extensive experience as an actor (over seventy production credits) in the New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oregon areas. He has also served as an Associate Artistic Director for a regional theatre company, run his own private acting studios, and taught at a number of colleges on the west coast before coming to Kent State. Brian is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and received his M.F.A. in Directing from the University of California, Irvine.

Laurel Seeds: Musical Director
Laurel Seeds received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance from Kent State University.  She is an Associate Professor in the Music Department at Kent State Stark Campus and teaches applied voice, applied studio musicianship voice and class piano.  Laurel is a frequent recitalist, performer, accompanist and music director and has performed with The Lyric Theatre Ensemble, Akron Lyric Opera Theatre, Akron Baroque, Canton Comic Opera, Canton Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra Blossom Festival Chorus and the Concert Series of The English Church of St. Mark’s in Florence, Italy. She is a member of Delta Omicron, The MacDowell Music Club, The National Association for Music Education, Ohio Music Education Association and is active as a Solo and Ensemble adjudicator in the state of Ohio.  

Angelo Lemmo: Choreographer
Angelo Lemmo has been Canton Ballet’s Choreographer in Residence since 1991 and a faculty member since 1987. His works have been chosen for performances at fourteen Regional Dance America Festivals, six of which have been performed on the Gala performance and two of which received the RDA Craft of Choreography Project Tier Award chosen form submissions from across the United States. Mr. Lemmo’s choreographic versatility has provided commissioned works in classical ballet, modern, musical theatre, opera, trade shows and flag corps. At present Mr. Lemmo has choreographed three original full length ballets, Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wizard of Oz, over 35 short works and 25 musical theatre productions. His works have been seen throughout the northeastern United States and in Europe. In addition to works performed by the Canton Ballet his work has also been seen on Ohio Dance Theater, the former Cleveland Ballets Dancing Wheels, Ohio Light Opera, The Canton Players Guild, Canton Symphony Orchestra, Kent State University at Stark Theater, Canton Civic Opera, Fort Wayne (Indiana) Dance Collective, College of Wooster, Eastern Michigan University, Ashland Regional Ballet, New Castle Regional Ballet, The Northeastern Ohio Dance Ensemble and Vineland Regional Dance Company. Mr. Lemmo is also an accomplished stage manager and lighting designer, and choreographed Kent State Stark's production of Evil Dead: The Musical and I Love You Because.

Louis Williams: Scenic & Lighting Designer
Louis Williams is the resident technical director, and scenic and lighting designer, at Kent State Stark and has designed over 200 productions in 30 years in theatre, opera, ballet and rock-n-roll. This includes work with such theatre companies as: The American Ballet Theatre II, The Joffrey Ballet II, The Arizona Theatre Company, The Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis, The Kenley Players, The Ohio Light Opera, The Cleveland Opera, The Cinncinnati Opera, Southern Arizona Light Opera Company, Carousel Dinner Theatre, The Agora, Cleveland Ohio, The Temple Of Music And Art, Tucson, Arizona, ChildsPlay Inc, of Phoenix, Arizona, and The Scottsdale Civic Center, Scottsdale, Arizona. Read more.

Jessica Swank: Assistant Director
Jessica is a B.A. theatre production major at Kent State University, graduating this May. She has been involved in acting and technical work at the high school, community and professional level. Due to her interest and love of every facet of theatre she has found herself drawn to directing, and hopes to someday have her own theater for children with emotional/behavioral disabilities, and mental illness. Some of her roles include Merv in Our House at Kent State Stark; Jessica in Merchant of Venice at Canton Player's Guild, Maria in West Side Story at GlenOak High School, Macduff/3rd Witch in Macbeth with the Bodwin Portable Theatre Company, Pace in The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek at Dobama Theater. She also served as costume design assistant for Maiden's Prayer.

Molly Patterson: Stage Manager
Molly is a senior at Kent State University pursuing a BFA in theatre design and technology. Her credits include stage manager for Our House (2014); I Love You Because (2012); assistant stage manager for The Crucible: An Opera (2013) and Buried Child (2012); assistant director for Cat's-Paw (2014); scenic/lighting design assistant for The Maiden's Prayer (2013) and Voices from Hurt Street (2013). She also has spent the past two seasons working as a Theatre Department technician at Kent State Stark. She would like to dedicate her work in memory of her father, who always supported her theatrical endeavors. Romans 5:4

Maya Nicholson: Assistant Stage Manager
Maya is majoring in theatre production with a minor in marketing. She graduated from Copley High School in Copley, Ohio as the President of her Thespian Club, where she performed in Smokey Joe’s Café, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Little Shop of Horrors; she has also directed George Washington Slept Here and Copley’s Got Talent (the annual talent show). She acted in Kent State Stark's Voices from Hurt Street as various characters, one being “Winifred Oprey” doing a play-off of the Oprah Winfrey Show, and she was costume design assistant for I Love You Because. Last season she performed as the sassy sister, Libby, in The Maiden’s Prayer, and most recently was Melanie, the outspoken sister in Lewis Black's One Slight Hitch. She is also currently enrolled in theatre courses, and aspires to be a director in theatre, film and television.

James McKeon: Scenic/Lighting Design Assistant
James is a music technology major at Kent State Stark. He has an extensive background in music performance and writing, as well as painting. James has performed in various bands since 5th grade, and has created original artwork all his life. He learned about scenic design through his first full theatre experience at Kent State Stark with Evil Dead: The Musical. He recently was a crew member for The Maiden's Prayer, Cat's-Paw, Our House and One Slight Hitch. James works as a theatre technician for the Kent State Stark Theatre Department.

Laurel Borkowski: Costume Design Assistant
After enjoying a rewarding career as a registered nurse with her Kent State nursing degree, Laurel has returned to Kent majoring in theatre performance. As a junior, she has been selected to join Sigma Alpha Pi National Honor Society of Leadership and Success, based upon her academic accomplishments. Previous community theater experience includes performing Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Minnie Faye in Hello Dolly, and a featured role in Godspell. Laurel assisted with set construction at Kent State Stark for One Slight Hitch. She aspires to become a playwright.

Jered Rossow: Sound Design Assistant
Jered is a design/technology theatre major who is going half and half between the Kent and Stark campuses. His previous credits include stage manager for The Maiden's Prayer, crew on Evil Dead: The Musical and The Crucible; costume design assistant on Anton in Show Business; sound design assistant on Buried Child; assistant stage manager for I Love You Because; and sound/multimedia assistant for Voices from Hurt Street at Kent State Stark. In middle school he was sound manager for Robin Hood: A New Generation, and has been active in productions at various churches where his parents (both pastors) have served throughout his childhood.

Alissa Gates: Sound Design Assistant

Paul Crisafi: Sound Design Assistant

Jillian Dailey: Crew
Jillian began her theatrical training at Lake Center Christian High School where she was involved in all the musicals and plays during her four years there. This included leading roles in Seussical and Little Women. She is a junior at Kent State Stark, where she has performed in Anton in Show Business and Plumfield, Iraq, was the costume design assistant for I Love You Because, Evil Dead: The Musical and Voices From Hurt Street, a member of the crew for The Maiden's Prayer, Cat's-Paw, Our House and One Slight Hitch. She was a member of the writing ensemble for Voices From Hurt Street. Jillian works as a theatre technician for the Kent State Stark Theatre Department.

Michaela Muckelrath: Crew

Samantha Wadsworth: Crew

Bryan Steffee: Crew
Bryan has been part of many productions, such as Bye, Bye Birdie, Lil’ Abner, Annie, and The Sound of Music. He was a member of the writing ensemble and cast for Voices From Hurt Street, scenic/lighting design assistant for I Love You Because and One Slight Hitch, and a costume design assistant for The Crucible and Buried Child at Kent State Stark. He is majoring in theatre with a minor in English. Bryan works as a theatre technician for the Kent State Stark Theatre Department.

David Sponhour: Crew
David has been active in theater for over 30 years. He has performed on many local stages, and acted at Kent State Stark in Cat’s Paw, Buried Child and One Slight Hitch, where he is a full time theatre student. David served as assistant director for Voices From Hurt Street, and sound design assistant for The Maiden's Prayer. He is also a founding member of “Scared Scriptless," Canton’s premiere professional Improv troupe. Some of his favorite past performances include Crumpet in Santaland Diaries, Comet in The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, Jerry in Zoo Story, and Hal in Proof starring All My Children’s David Canary. He spends what little free time he has with his wonderful, spectacular, and supportive wife, Christine.

Musicians

Laurel Seeds: Music Director, Harmonium

Sandra Wallace: Rehearsal Accompanist, Piano

Bohdan Subchak: Violin

Jamie Thornburg: Viola

Sharon Nauman: Cello

Dan Peters: Cello

Erin Vaughn: Guitar

Daniel Pickler: Guitar

Jeremy Poparad: Bass

Zachary Thomas: Bass

Brian Bennett: Percussion

Matthew Raftovich: Percussion

James Cromer: Computer