The process for choosing the play began approximately a year ago within the PCA department. “We were informed of the arts joining the conversation of the Mellon Grant” said director of Spring AwakeningJennifer Thomas. The PCA department collectively worked together to choose productions for the academic year. “All of our productions for this academic year deal in some way with a public health issue,” said PCA professor Angela Sweigart-Gallagher. The Mellon Grant was awarded to St. Lawrence for a five-year project, focusing on public health issues.
After finding a production that addressed public health, the next big step of the process was to hold auditions. Auditions began the first full week of classes, September 3. By the following week, the cast had been selected and rehearsals had commenced. “The auditions weren’t acting auditions. It was dancing and singing. And then, as soon as we had the cast, we ran through the script reading it,” said cast member Suzanne Rickard.
Immediately after auditions, rehearsal began for cast members and crew. “We sang for a very long time until we had a pretty good grasp and everyone could sing off the top of their head,” said Rickard. Due to the production being a musical, the bulk of the first rehearsals were spent singing and dancing. “During the first run through, the actors and the orchestra played through all of the music in the show in order,” said former sound technician Will Merchant.
Cast members and crew members have put many hours into this production. There are many individuals involved in making the musical come together. “I would say there’s anywhere from 60-70 people working on the production each night,” said Thomas. Musicals require many people to make all of the production elements come together seamlessly. The groups of people include the cast, crew, orchestra, costume shop, creative team and box office employees according to Thomas.The next step was to begin the blocking, to plan out the movements of the performers in the musical. “We didn’t do the actual blocking until three weeks in,” said Rickard. After the songs were learned, a lot of time has been spent doing full run through rehearsals with blocking, singing and other technical elements. Rehearsal sessions have taken place every day since auditions for approximately three hours per day Monday-Friday. In addition, select weekend rehearsals are about ten hours long. “The time commitment is very challenging for me,” said Rickard.
Spring Awakening will open on Wednesday, November 7 at 8 p.m. and operate several times through Sunday, November 11. Because of the nature of the musical and the issues discussed, there will be advocates in the Noble Center lobby for anyone who needs help.