Sixteen-Year-Old Emma Hunton Joins Spring Awakening

Sixteen-year-old Emma Hunton will make her Broadway debut in Spring Awakening on February 19 in the role of Ilse, the show's free-spirited bohemian character. Lauren Pritchard played her final performance in the Tony-winning musical on February 17 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.

An 11th grader in Los Angeles who was discovered during the L.A. auditions for Spring Awakening, Hunton was featured in the national tour of Les Miserables in the role of Young Cosette when she was eight years old. She later co-starred with Rita Wilson in Lisa Loomer's Distracted at the Mark Taper Forum and was featured in the film Happy Endings with Maggie Gyllenhaal and Lisa Kudrow.

"I'm excited and scared at the same time," Bunton said in a statement, "but I can't wait to go on. When I first heard the music, I knew I was listening to something special, so to be part of this is thrilling. And I'm so fortunate to be making my Broadway debut working with such a welcoming and talented cast."

With music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics of Steven Sater, Spring Awakening follows a group of teenagers through the joyous and painful adventure of growing up. The musical won eight 2007 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction Michael Mayer, Best Book, Best Score and Best Choreography Bill T. Jones. The Decca original cast album recently won a Grammy Award as Best Musical Show Album.