‘Spring Awakening’ Revival Sets Off Broadway Cast

Ashlyn Maddox, Tyler Jordan Wesley, Ryo Kamibayashi and Amalia Yoo are about to learn about the “bitch of living.” The young actors will star in this fall’s off-Broadway revival of “Spring Awakening,” the angsty coming-of-age musical by Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik.

Maddox (“Parade”) has been cast as Wendla alongside Wesley as Melchior, Kamibayashi (“Oh, Mary!) as Moritz and Yoo (“John Proctor Is the Villain”) as Ilse. They’ll be joined by Jack Bateman as Georg, Jada Simone Clark as Thea, Leif Coomer as Ernst, Nando Morland as Otto, Antonio Porciello as Hanschen, Khadija Sankoh as Martha and Grace Slear as Anna. Bateman and Porciello were among the budding performers selected from the production’s open casting call in July, through which 2,532 actors were seen.

“Spring Awakening” will begin previews on Nov. 27 ahead of opening night on Dec. 17 at Studio Seaview. Tony winner Danya Taymor is directing the production with choreography by Celia Rowlson-Hall and music supervision by Or Matias.

“This is an exceptional group of actors who are fearless, deeply talented and represent the future of our industry,” said producer Greg Nobile. “We feel incredibly honored to give them the opportunity to bring their unique voices to this seminal work. They are the kind of artists who make you excited about where theater is headed next.”

“Spring Awakening” follows a group of late 19th-century German adolescents as they explore teenage sexuality and repression through a contemporary rock score, including songs like “Mama Who Bore Me,” “The Bitch of Living” and “Totally Fucked.” The show debuted on Broadway in 2006 and launched the careers of Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele and John Gallagher Jr. “Spring Awakening” was revived in 2015 with Deaf West Theatre, directed by Michael Arden.

In a press release, producers described the revival as “feral, honest, compassionate, and unflinching” and teased that this production will “explore the experience of young people caught between desire, repression, fear, and discovery — then and now.”