Spring Awakening in Conversation

An evening exploring the themes of Spring Awakening and the making of our two RCS productions.

Part 1: Sexuality, Disability, and Censorship

Beginning the evening, Mark Stevenson, head of BA Performance at RCS, chairs a panel discussion on staging sexuality, disability representation, and censorship. The panel reflect on who is represented in our stories today, how some areas of sexuality remain “taboo”, and how the themes of Wedekind’s play, first staged in 1906 still resonate. Mark will be joined by panellists David Ellington, Rhona McKenzie, and Robert Softley Gale.

Part 2: Making Spring Awakening

In the second half of the evening, Jane Hensey, head of Musical Theatre at RCS, chairs a panel discussion on the making of two productions of Spring Awakening: Anya Reiss’s adaptation of the play performed by BA Performance students, and Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s musical version performed by BA Musical Theatre students. She’ll be joined by directors Andrea Ling and Louise Shephard, as well as members of both casts.