Jonathan Groff & Lauren Pritchard Recall the Origins of Spring Awakening: 'Everyone Was Scared'

To mark the release of his new book A Purple Summer: Notes on the Lyrics of ‘Spring Awakening’ (Applause), two-time Tony Award winner Steven Sater sat down with original cast members Jonathan Groff and Lauren Pritchard to reminisce about the show’s origins. Groff, who went on to receive a Best Actor Tony nomination for his performance as Melchior, recalls sitting silently around a table with his young co-stars before rehearsals began for the first workshop. “Everyone was scared,” he said. “We could feel, ‘This is something major.’” Agreed Pritchard, who co-starred as free-spirited Ilsa, “We could feel the severity” of the material. Click below for more dish on Spring Awakening, and pick up a copy of Sater’s pocket-size handbook for further insight into the show.