On Broadway, Spring Re-Awakens in the Fall

As autumn approaches and the rest of the country is falling behind, The Atlantic Theater Company's Spring Awakening will be springing ahead in its trajectory to Broadway's Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it will begin previews on November 17, according to the show's producers.

Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel, producers of the upcoming Talk Radio, have confirmed that they have joined Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman as the producing team for Awakening's Broadway transfer. No official opening date has been announced.

The musical, which was a hit off-Broadway from June 15 to August 6, is a re-imagining of Frank Wedekind's 1891 play that features music by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater, and direction by Michael Mayer.

Spring Awakening boldly depicts how young people navigate the thrilling, confusing and mysterious time of their sexual awakening. The story centers around a brilliant young student named Melchior, his troubled friend Moritz and Wendla, a beautiful young girl on the verge of womanhood. In his Broadway.com review, Rob Kendt wrote: "It's a double-vision musical, in other words, in which the songs take place in a separate reality from the book." Kendt also praised Michael Mayer and his "knockout cast."

Though no casting has been confirmed yet, Awakening's young leads Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele are expected to transfer with the production. This will mark the Broadway debut of the show's choreographer Bill T. Jones, as well as the Grammy-winning Sheik and lyricist Sater.