As the full 14-member student cast of Georgetown University’s Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society’s (MB) production of Spring Awakening wanders, with purpose, onto the stage for the finale of “Song of Purple Summer,” it is both a melancholy and meaningful conclusion to the production. They are bereft of 19th-century period costumes from prior moments in the show, and perhaps in clothes they wear to class during the week. The audience applauds, the students go to hug family and friends, and the actors return to their dorm rooms or off-campus housing. There is an unburdened joy in the best university theater that cannot be understated. The actors are not competing for Helen Hayes Awards, the musicians do not have to worry about union contracts, and the technical staff need not consider what their next production is to make ends meet. This Spring Awakening, as directed by Nate Findlay (Georgetown, College of Arts and Sciences [CAS], Class of 2027), is wonderfully emblematic of that joy. Reilly Souther and Colin Wechsler in ‘Spring Awakening.’ Photo by Luc Kondrat. Spring Awakening, with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Steven Sater, is a modern classic. The original 2006 Broadway cast (OBC) — featuring millennial acting luminaries such as Lea Michele (the current leading lady in the Broadway revival of Chess), Jonathan Groff (recently concluded a fantastic run as Bobby Darin in Broadway’s Just in Time), and John Gallagher Jr. (most recently a lead in the Avett Brothers musical Swept Away — won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Featured Actor for Gallagher Jr.  The story is a coming-of-age journey for a group of young men and women. It centers on Wendla Bergmann and Melchior Gabor, two teens navigating the journey of puberty, along with their classmates in a late-19th-century German school. Encircled in their lives are friends such as Mortiz Stiefel, challenged by the constraints of traditional schooling and the demands of his father; Martha, abused sexually and physically by her father; and Ilse, who escapes the constraints of their home for an artist colony, which Moritz cannot bring himself to attend. Yet this story about the transition from adolescence to adulthood centers on Wendla and Melchior; their intimacy, their struggles to understand what is around them, and their dreams for the future. At Georgetown’s Poulton Hall, where four sold-out performances remain, the cast and crew bring their version to life with dedication. Colin Wechsler (CAS ’26) is a fantastic Melchior, showcasing warmth and authority in songs such as “All That’s Known” and “The Word of Your Body.” As his love interest on stage, Chiara Volpi (SFS ’28) projects a tenderness to Wendla that makes it a meaningful pair. And Sam Levinger (SFS ’29) brings a manic sadness to Moritz, the tragically beautiful counterpart to the two leads. They are, essentially, aided by all-around excellent 11 other cast members, including Lainey Lyle (SFS ’27) and Reilly Souther (CAS ’27), each with the challenge of playing multiple adult men and women characters; Garrett Gao (MSB ’29), who sweetly plays the bisexual Hanschen; and Margie Conner (SON ’28), who movingly brings the audience into the mind of Martha, abused repeatedly by her father. Chiara Volpi and Colin Wechsler with (in background) Massimo D’Onofrio, Margie Conner, Hannah Beil, Reilly Souther, Garrett Gao, Rishu Nevatia, Francis Rienzo, and Addison Golden in ‘Spring Awakening.’ Photo by Luc Kondrat. On the technical side, costume designer Ariane Barth (CAS ’28) sets an important tone with prep school gray suits and dresses, which bring the audience into this period piece. Instrumental music director Grace Ko (CAS ’27) leads an 11-person off-stage live band with essential vigor. Lighting Design from Isabella Hill (CAS ’28) also aids this production, especially with its deep blues, which highlight Mortiz’s downfall. There are, as in any show, areas for growth for the MB team; the audio appeared off at various moments. Choreography, from Charlotte Bonneau (CAS ’28) and Raquel Silva (CAS ’28), was both robust and could have leveraged more of the stage at times (including the rock anthem “Totally F*cked”). In turn, set design (Grady McDonough, MSB ’26) would have benefited from simpler props, to offset the constraints of this black box theater, and give more space for the talented acting crew to maneuver in. Sound design (Katie Claes, SOH ’29) had audio challenges with the show’s use of lavalier microphones, which she adroitly maneuvered around through consistent use of hand mics.  Yet this Spring Awakening is a wonderful, fun night out at the theater because the cast brings an essential passion to Sheik’s music. The show is a testament to the cast, crew, and administrative team at MB that they can pull off a complex show in a 60-person theater. The nation’s oldest continuously running student theater troupe shows us why.  Running Time: Two hours and 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. Spring Awakening plays through April 18, 2026, presented by Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society performing at Georgetown University in Poulton Hall, Stage III, 1421 37th Street NW, Washington, DC. Tickets ($10 for adults and $5 for students) are currently sold out, but you can join the waiting list for any show by clicking here. A limited amount of first-come, first-serve standby tickets are also available at the theater’s box office starting an hour before the showtime. Directed by Nate Findlay (CAS ’27)Produced by Alexis Giaquinta (CAS ’28)Stage Managed by Ruby Lillie (CAS ’27)Technical Direction by Avelyn Bailey (SFS ’28)Choreographed by Charlotte Bonneau (CAS ’28) and Raquel Silva (CAS ’28)Vocal Music Direction by Lydia Duckworth (CAS ’27)Instrumental Music Direction by Grace Ko (CAS ’27)    ...read more read less