Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of the controversial 1892 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. It features music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater. Set in late-19th century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. The original play was banned in Germany for some time due to its frank portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide. In the musical, alternative rock is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score. Spring Awakening received eleven 2007 Tony Award nominations, winning eight, including Tonys for best musical, direction, book, score and featured actor. The show also won four Drama Desk Awards, while its London production won four Olivier Awards.

Synopsis[link]

Act I

Wendla Bergmann, an adolescent in late-nineteenth century Germany, laments that her mother gave her “no way to handle things” and has not taught her the lessons she needs to learn (“Mama Who Bore Me”). She tells her mother that it is time she learned where babies come from, considering that she is about to be an aunt for the second time. Her mother cannot bring herself to explain the facts about conception clearly to Wendla despite knowing her daughter is reaching puberty. Instead, she simply tells Wendla that to conceive a child a woman must love her husband with all of her heart. The other young girls in town appear to be similarly innocent and are upset about the lack of knowledge presented to them ("Mama Who Bore Me" (Reprise).

At school, some teenage boys are studying Virgil in Latin class. When Moritz Stiefel, a very nervous and intense young man, sleepily misquotes a line, the teacher chastises him harshly. Moritz’s classmate, the rebellious and highly intelligent Melchior Gabor, tries to defend him, but the teacher will have none of it, and hits Melchior with a stick. Melchior reflects on the shallow narrow-mindedness of school and society and expresses his intent to change things ("All That’s Known").

Moritz describes a dream that has been keeping him up at night, and Melchior realizes that Moritz has been having erotic dreams which Moritz believes are signs of insanity. To comfort the panicked Moritz, Melchior, who has learned sexual information from books, tells Moritz that all of the boys at their age get the dreams. The burned-out boys tell about their own frustrating thoughts and desires. ("The Bitch of Living"). Moritz, who is not comfortable talking about the subject with Melchior, requests that he give him the information in the form of an essay, complete with illustrations.

Some girls are gathered together after school and tease each other as they fantasize about marrying the boys in the town. At the top of the list is the radical, intelligent, and good-looking Melchior ("My Junk"). Meanwhile, Hanschen masturbates as he looks at an erotic postcard, and the piano student Georg indulges in some lively fantasies about his well-endowed female piano teacher. Moritz has eagerly digested the essay that Melchior prepared for him, but complains that his new knowledge has only made his dreams even more vivid and torturous. Melchior tries to calm and comfort his friend, but Moritz runs off in frustration. All of the boys and girls express their desires for physical intimacy ("Touch Me").

Searching for flowers for her mother, Wendla stumbles upon Melchior. The two share a moment while sitting together in front of a tree (they were childhood friends, but grew apart as they got older). Each of them considers what it would be like to give in to their physical desires, but they do not do so ("The Word of Your Body"). Meanwhile, at school, Moritz sneaks a look at his test results and is thrilled to learn that he has passed his midterm examinations, but the teacher and schoolmaster cannot pass everyone, so they decide to fail Moritz anyway, deeming his passing grade is not up to the school's lofty standards.

Martha, one of the teenage girls, accidentally admits to her friends that her father abuses her physically (including sexual abuse) and that her mother is either oblivious or uncaring. The other girls are horrified to hear this, but Martha makes them promise not to tell anyone, lest she end up like Ilse, a friend from childhood who now wanders homeless and aimless because her parents kicked her out of the house ("The Dark I Know Well"). Later, Wendla finds Melchior again at his spot in the woods and tells him about Martha's abuse. Melchior is appalled to hear this, but Wendla convinces him to hit her with a switch, so that she can try to understand her friend’s pain. At first Melchior is determined to do nothing of the sort, but reluctantly complies. He gets carried away in the beating, taking his own frustrations out on Wendla and throws her to the ground. He then runs off, disgusted with himself, as she weeps curled up on the ground. Alone, Wendla finds that Melchior has left his journal on the ground. She picks it up and takes it with her.

Moritz is told he has failed his final examination, and his father reacts with disdain and contempt when Moritz tells him that he will not progress in school; rather than attempting to understand his son's pain, Moritz's father is only concerned with how the others in town will react when they see 'the man with the son who failed'. Moritz writes to Melchior’s mother, his only adult friend, for money to flee to America; she tenderly but firmly denies his request and promises to write his parents to discourage them from being too hard on him ("And Then There Were None"). Devastated by the refusal and feeling he has few choices left, Moritz begins to contemplate suicide.

In a stuffy hayloft during a storm, Melchior cries out in his frustration at being caught between childhood and adulthood (“The Mirror-Blue Night”). Wendla finds him once again, telling him she wants to return his journal, and each apologizes for what happened the last time they met. Before long, they begin to kiss; Wendla resists his advances at first. Although she doesn't really understand what's going on between them, Wendla is reluctant, sensing that what they are doing is something very powerful, and very unlike anything that she has known before. They begin to make love in the hayloft ("I Believe").

Act II

Wendla and Melchior are finishing their moment of intimacy in the hayloft; they reflect on and discuss what has just happened (“The Guilty Ones”).

Moritz, having been thrown out of his home, wanders the town at dusk, carrying a pistol ("Don't Do Sadness") when he comes across Ilse, an old childhood friend. Ilse, who is secretly in love with Moritz, tells him she has found refuge at an artists' colony; and they reminisce in some childhood memories and "remarkable times" ("Blue Wind"). She invites him to come home with her and join her in sharing some more childhood memories and maybe something more. But Moritz refuses, Ilse does everything she can to change his mind ("Don't Do Sadness/ Blue Wind"). After coming close to kissing and admitting their mutual feelings, Mortiz refuses and Ilse leaves, distraught and upset. Realizing his true feelings for her, he changes his mind and calls after her, but it is too late; she is gone. Believing that he has nowhere to turn, Moritz shoots himself.

At Moritz's funeral, each of the children including Ilse, drop a flower into his grave ("Left Behind"). Back at school, the schoolmaster and teacher feel the need to call attention away from Moritz, whose death was a direct result of their actions. They search through Moritz's belongings and find the essay on sex which Melchior wrote for him. They lay the blame of Moritz's death on Melchior, and although Melchior knows that he is not to blame, he knows there is nothing he can do to fight them, and he is expelled ("Totally Fucked"). Elsewhere that night, Hanschen meets up with his shy and delicate classmate Ernst. Hanschen shares his pragmatic outlook on life with his classmate before seducing him ("The Word of Your Body (Reprise)").

Wendla has become ill, and her mother takes her to visit a doctor. He gives her some medication and assures them both that Wendla is suffering from anemia and will be fine, but he takes Wendla's mother aside and tells her that Wendla is pregnant. When her mother confronts her with this information, Wendla is completely shocked, not understanding how this could have happened. She realizes that her mother lied to her about how babies are made. Although she berates her mother for leaving her ignorant, her mother rejects the guilt and insists Wendla tell her who the father is. Wendla reluctantly surrenders a passionate note Melchior sent her after they consummated their relationship. She reflects somberly on her current condition and the circumstances that led her to this difficult position, but ends with optimism about her future child ("Whispering"). Meanwhile, Melchior's parents argue about their son's fate; his mother does not believe that the essay he wrote for Moritz is sufficient reason to send him away to reform school. When Melchior's father tells his wife about Wendla's pregnancy, she finally agrees that they must send Melchior away, which they do without telling him that Wendla is pregnant.

During this time, Melchior and Wendla only keep contact through the use of letters, with Ilse delivering them back and forth. At the reform school, Melchior gets into a fight with some boys who grab a letter he has just received from Wendla and use it in a masturbation game. As one of the boys reads from the letter, Melchior finally learns about Wendla and their child, and he escapes from the institution to find her. He does not know that Wendla's mother has already taken her to an underground practitioner to have an abortion. When Melchior reaches town, he sends a message to Ilse to have her get Wendla to meet him at the cemetery at midnight. But she can take no action as Melchior "hasn't heard" about Wendla. There, he stumbles across Moritz's grave and swears to himself that he and Wendla will raise their child in a compassionate and open environment. When Wendla is late to the meeting, Melchior begins to feel a little uneasy. Looking around, Melchior sees a grave he hadn't noticed before. He reads the name on the stone – Wendla's – and realizes that Wendla died from the botched abortion. Overwhelmed by shock and grief, he takes out a razor with the intention of killing himself. Moritz's and Wendla's spirits rise from their graves to offer him their strength. They persuade him to journey on, and he resolves to live and to carry their memories with him forever ("Those You've Known").

Led by Ilse, everyone assembles onstage to sing "The Song of Purple Summer."

Characters[link]

The Children

• Melchior, headstrong, handsome, and charismatic. He knows much more than the others because of what he reads in books and is able to see the corruption in society. He is in love with Wendla.
• Moritz, Melchior's intense and nervous best friend. He is in love with Ilse, but due to his refusal, he never admits this.
• Wendla, a childhood friend of the boys. She has a romantic and sexual connection to Melchior.
• Ilse, another childhood friend who runs away from an abusive home to become a Bohemian. She has mutual feelings for Moritz, but she never gets to admit this due to his refusal
• Martha, one of Wendla's friends who is abused by her father
• Georg, another classmate who lusts after his older, busty piano teacher.
• Ernst, a naive classmate. He is Hanschen's love interest. .
• Hänschen, a very humorous, and almost arrogant classmate
• Otto, another classmate who has a dream about his mother.
• Thea, a school girl and Wendla's best friend.
• Anna, a school girl and Martha's best friend.

The Adults

• Fanny Gabor, Melchior's mother
• Herr Gabor, Melchior's father
• Frau Bergmann
• Herr Stiefel, Moritz's father
• The Teachers
• Fräulein Grossenbustenhalter

Musical numbers[link]

Casts[link]

The original casts of the major productions of Spring Awakening.

Notable Broadway replacements

• Melchior – Hunter Parrish
• Wendla – Alexandra Socha
• Moritz – Blake Bashoff
• Adult Women – Kate Burton
• Hanschen – Drew Tyler Bell, Matt Doyle
• Jenna Ushkowitz was an understudy for the roles of Anna, Martha, Thea and Ilse.

Original concept[link]

Before opening the show off-Broadway, Duncan Sheik had composed an arrangement of song demos for the original concept of Spring Awakening. Back then the musical's plot adhered more closely to the original play's plot. Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik had originally intended for Melchior actually to rape Wendla at the end of "I Believe," but decided to change that plot because he wanted the scene to be more loving between the two characters. In workshops, "I Believe" ended with Wendla's scream while being raped. "All That's Known" replaced a song titled "All Numb". Both songs had the same theme, but because the directors had to reduce time for the show, "All Numb" was cut and replaced with "All That's Known".

A song called "A Comet on Its Way" was replaced by "The Bitch of Living". Although both songs followed the same basic theme, Sheik thought that "The Bitch of Living", being more upbeat, fit the show better. "Those You've Known" replaced a song called "The Clouds Will Drift Away", which was cut because Sheik wanted the song between the three main characters to stay close to the "All That's Known" theme. "Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)" was originally intended to be performed after "Touch Me". Another song, entitled "Great Sex" (which was intended to be performed after "Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)"), was also cut from the show because the directors thought the song pointed out the theme of the show too specifically. It was intended to be performed during Hanschen's masturbation scene, but the song was removed and the scene moved into the middle of "My Junk". Finally, songs such as "Touch Me" and "The Mirror-Blue Night" each had a reprise, and "Mama Who Bore Me" had a second reprise. Even "There Once Was a Pirate", which was cut, also had a reprise.

Production history[link]

Spring Awakening had a number of workshops, concerts and rewrites over a seven-year period, including workshops at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, California, and the Roundabout Theatre Company, and a concert at Lincoln Center in February 2005, under the auspices of actor/producer Tom Hulce.^[3] It premiered Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company on May 19, 2006 and ran through August 5, 2006.^[4]

Broadway

The musical opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006^[4] and closed on January 18, 2009, after 888 performances and 29 previews. Directed by Michael Mayer with choreography by Bill T. Jones, the costume designer is Susan Hilferty, set designer Christine Jones and lighting designer Kevin Adams.^[5] It received nearly unanimous favorable reviews,^[6][7] and easily recouped its initial $6 million capitalization, breaking even on August 27, 2007.^[8]

Decca Broadway released the original cast recording on December 12, 2006, which won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2008.^[9] The guitar Sheik used to compose songs for Spring Awakening was included in the 2008 exhibition "Writing to Character: Songwriters & the Tony Awards" at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.^[10]

United States tours

A U.S. National tour (with one stop in Toronto, Canada) opened on August 15, 2008 at The Balboa Theatre in San Diego, California. The national tour ended on May 23, 2010 in Orlando, Florida.^[11] A non-equity US tour began at Shryock Auditorium on October 14, 2010 in Carbondale, Illinois.^[12] The non-equity US tour ended its run on May 15, 2011 in Ottawa, Canada at the Centrepointe Theatre.^[13]

Original London production

Spring Awakening at London's Novello Theatre, spring 2009

The London production began January 23, 2009 at the Lyric Hammersmith, transferred to the Novello Theatre on March 21, 2009, and closed on May 30, 2009.^[14][15] The London production won four Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical.^[16]

Subsequent productions[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)

2008

The European premiere took place on August 30, 2008, at Värmlandsoperan in Karlstad, Sweden. The production is directed by Per Eltvik and choreographed by Åsa Thegerström. The Swedish text is by Fredrik Fischer and Linnea Sjunnesson. It stars Joán Alderman (Melchior), Mari Haugen Smistad (Wendla) and Ole Aleksander Bang (Moritz). This production closed in March 2009.

2009

The Finnish production opened in Helsinki on 5 February 2009 and closed in November 2009.^[17] The first Hungarian-language (first non-replica) production premiered on February 7, 2009 in Budapest at the Nyugati Teátrum as a co-production of the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre and the Nyugati Teátrum, with the title "Tavaszébredés". This production ran until May 26, 2009.^[18] A new production opened on November 21, 2009 at the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre, with all the roles played by the students of the Pesti Broadway Stúdio, the acting school of the theatre. This is also a non-replica production but differs from the previous Hungarian version, and is staged as a modern school class performing the musical.^[19]

International productions in 2009 included the second Swedish-language production, which opened in Helsingborg, Sweden on March 20, 2009.^[20] The German-language premiere opened in Vienna, Austria in a limited run at the Ronacher Theatre on March 21, 2009, and closed on May 30, 2009.^[21] A live cast recording was released. An English-language production opened in Valletta, Malta at the St. James Cavalier Theatre on April 17, 2009, directed by Wesley Ellul and choreographed by Fiona Barthet. This will be produced by the MADC.^[22][23] The Japanese-language production opened in Tokyo at the Shiki Theatre Jiyu May 2, 2009.^[24] The Brazilian production in Rio de Janeiro ran with the title "O Despertar da Primavera" from August 21, 2009 to January 31, 2010. Transferred to São Paulo where ran from March 13, 2010 until May 2, 2010; re-opened on July 10 and closed on August 15. A cast recording was released in January.^[25] The Philippine production opened in Manila in the Carlos P. Roumolo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, on September 25 until the October 17, 2009. It will be in English and is directed by Chari Arespachochaga.^[26] The Czech-language premiere opened in Brno, Czech Republic at the City Theatre Brno on November 21, 2009.^[27] The South Korean production opened in Seoul in 2009.^[28][29]

2010

In January 2010, the Norwegian production opened in Oslo.^[30] Sydney Theatre Company staged the first Australian non-replica production, which opened on 4 February 2010 and closed on 7 March. Actress Cate Blanchett was the co-artistic director.^[31] The Argentine production with the Spanish title "Despertar de Primavera – Un Musical Diferente" opened in Buenos Aires on March 19, 2010. This is the second production made in South America, after the Brazilian production.^[32] A Hebrew production opened in Tel Aviv, Israel in April 2010. The Scottish premiere involving students from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama took place during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on 4 August 2010, and closed on 30 August. The Irish premiere was performed at The Helix, Dublin in September 2010, produced by NYMT [11] (National Youth Musical Theatre) Ireland. The English Theatre in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, being the largest English language theatre on the "continent", produced the musical in November 2010. Director was Ryan McBryde.^[33] The South Australian premiere of Spring Awakening went on stage in December 2010, produced by Film and Theatre Company Gin & Vodka Productions and Co-Directed by Joshua Penley and Vince Fusco, with Musical Direction by Jonathan Bligh – Performed at Adelaide University's Little Theatre.^[34] The Serbian production opened in December 2010 at Belgrade Drama Theatre.^[35]

2011

In Chicago, the first Chicago-produced version of the play opened at the Griffin Theatre, running from December 4 to January 8, 2011. It was directed by Jonathan Berry. ^[36]

In the Netherlands, the musical opened in March 2011 and closed on 3 April. It was a co-production between Joop van den Ende/Stage Entertainment and M-Lab. This production was directed by Paul Eenens and featured students of different conservatoires and musical academies from all over the Netherlands.

The Victorian premiere of Spring Awakening opened on January 27, 2011 at the National Theatre in Melbourne. It was produced by the Young Australian Broadway Chorus and directed by Robert Coates.

The regional Australian premiere opened on February 9 and closed February 13 at the Helen Macpherson-Smith Theatre in Ballarat, Victoria. Produced by BLOC Music Theatre, the production was directed by Emil Freund, with Music Direction by Stacey-Louise Camilleri and choreography by Eamonn George and Vanessa Sheehan. It featured Zoy Frangos, Laura Thomas, Robbie Bennett and Keagan Vaskess in the four lead roles.

A Welsh language production is scheduled to tour Wales from the beginning of March 2011 visiting 8 different locations, with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh National Theatre).^[37]

The first UK national tour of Spring Awakening took place in May and June 2011, produced by Sell a Door Theatre Company, directed by Pete Gallagher and choreographed by Cressida Carre. The tour will visit Exeter Northcott Theatre, Pleasance Edinburgh, MacRoberts Arts Centre Stirling, Lowry Manchester, Norwich Playhouse & Greenwich Theatre, London.^[38][39]

Amateur rights[link]

The copyright for amateur performances of Spring Awakening has recently been released.^[40] Depending on the locale, there is often a lower age limit to participants to avoid infringement of child protection laws, as performances involving the underage could be considered child pornography. ^[41]

In other media[link]

In the new television series 90210, the first few episodes contain the school and some of the characters as they prepare, and eventually perform in Spring Awakening. Parts of some songs and scenes are performed through the episodes, such as "Mama Who Bore Me" and "The Bitch of Living". Annie and Ty played the principal roles.

Apple's Keynote presentation application uses the lyrics of "The Bitch of Living" on its icon.^[42]

Awards and nominations[link]

Original Broadway production[link]

Original London production[link]

Proposed film adaptations[link]

Lyricist-librettist Steven Sater told Playbill.com that a film version of Spring Awakening could begin production in Europe as early as fall 2012. He also said that he and Sheik wrote a new song for the film adaptation.^[46]

Warner Bros. has announced consideration of making a movie adaptation of Spring Awakening. McG (Whose production company purchased the rights to adapt the musical) is rumoured as being attached to direct.^[47]

Lea Michele who originated the role of Wendla is in talks to reprise her role in the movie adaptation.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Spring Awakening Official Broadway Website
• Spring Awakening on Tour's official website
• Spring Awakening at the Internet Broadway Database
• Spring Awakening on Floormic.com
• Review, The New York Times, June 16, 2006
• Plot, songs and production listing at mtishows.com

Lea Michele
Lea Michele at the 2010 Time 100.
Born	Lea Michele Sarfati (1986-08-29) August 29, 1986 (age 25) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1995–present

Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986),^[1] known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays Rachel Berry in the Fox television series Glee and made her film debut in New Year's Eve starring alongside Ashton Kutcher. Michele performs in the soprano range.^[2]

Early life[link]

Michele was born in the Bronx, New York City. She is the only daughter of Edith, a nurse, and Marc Sarfati, a delicatessen owner.^[1] Her mother is Italian American and Roman Catholic, while her father is a Spanish Sephardic Jew.^[3][4] Michele was raised Catholic, and has stated that her father "gladly" attends church with her and her mother.^[5][6] She grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. She attended Rockland Country Day School^[7] for elementary school in New York and then Tenafly High School.^[5][8] Michele was home schooled one year while working in Toronto, Ontario on Ragtime. She attended Stagedoor Manor in the Catskills, a center for performing arts training.^[9] She was then later accepted to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, but opted instead to continue working professionally on the stage.^[10][11]

Michele adopted her stage name at an early age; when she went on her first audition, she gave her name as "Lea Michele," and has used it ever since. She has stated that she changed it because she was teased about the pronunciation of her last name.^[12]

Career[link]

Stage roles[link]

Michele made her Broadway debut in 1995, as a replacement in the role of Young Cosette in Les Misérables.^[13][14] This was followed by the role of Tateh's daughter, the Little Girl, in the 1998 original Broadway cast of Ragtime.^[14][15] In 2004, Michele played Sphritze in the Broadway revival of the musical Fiddler on the Roof.^[14][16] She also sang on the 2004 Broadway revival cast recording of Fiddler on the Roof.^[17]

Michele at the Glee premiere party, May 2009

She played the role of Wendla in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical version of Spring Awakening, starring in early workshops and Off-Broadway and finally originating the role in the Broadway production in 2006 at the age of 20.^[18] Around the same time that the show was set to go to Broadway, she was offered the role of Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables.^[19] She elected to remain with Spring Awakening, which debuted on Broadway in December 2006. She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in Spring Awakening in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Musical.^[20]

On May 18, 2008, Michele left Spring Awakening with her co-star Jonathan Groff. She performed in a reading of Sheik and Sater's new musical, Nero, in July 2008 at Vassar College.^[21] She portrayed Eponine in the Hollywood Bowl's Les Misérables concert in August 2008.^[22]

Film, television, and other work[link]

Michele stars in the Fox television series Glee, where she plays the star singer of a high school glee club, Rachel Berry. She has won a Screen Actors Guild Award for an outstanding ensemble performance^[23] and the 2009 Satellite Award for best actress.^[24] Michele received the People's Choice award of Best Actress in a Comedy in 2012.^[25] She also received nominations for an Emmy Award,^[26] two nominations for a Golden Globe Award, and Teen Choice Award for her performance in the role.^[27] In December 2010 Lea Michele received Billboard's First-Ever Triple Threat Award.^[28] Several of her solo covers have reached the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, including "Gives You Hell" by The All-American Rejects, "The Only Exception" by Paramore, "Firework" by Katy Perry, "Without You" by David Guetta feat. Usher, and the original song "Get It Right". Michele is the featured lead singer in 14 of the top 25 selling Glee songs as of Feb. 2012. Also as of Feb. 2012, over 70 songs featuring Michele as a lead have reached the Billboard charts, more than any other cast member.^[28]

Michele was included in TIME magazine's 2010 list of the 100 Most Influential People In the World.^[29] FHM named her No.7 on 2010 Sexiest Women List.^[30] Michele was named to People Magazine's Best Dressed List of 2010 as "The Newbie"^[31] and she was voted "2010 Most Stylish Star" by E! Online.^[32] She was ranked 28th on the Maxim 2011 Hot 100.^[33] She was number 10 on the AfterEllen hot 100 list for 2011.^[34] Michele ranked 14th on the 2012 Maxim Hot 100. ^[35] Women's Health Magazine placed Lea Michele as the 3rd Best 2012 Summer Bodies. ^[36]

In 2010, Michele joined the cast of the animated film Dorothy of Oz,^[37] voicing the lead role of Dorothy Gale.^[38] She filmed a role in Garry Marshall's romantic comedy New Year's Eve, which was released in 2011.^[39]

Before Super Bowl XLV, on February 6, 2011, she performed "America the Beautiful" with the Air Force Tops In Blue.^[40]

Candie's anounced in 2012 that Lea will be the new spokesperson for their clothing/footwear brand.^[41]

Charities[link]

Michele is active in charities for gay rights and animal rights. In 2008, Michele was a part of the PETA ad campaign "Buck Cruelty! Say No to Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides".^[42] In April 2010, Michele appeared in a PSA for PETA speaking out against fur clothing.^[43] In September 2010, Michele was honored by PETA for her work for animals.^[44]

In the support of gay rights, Michele performed at the Human Rights Campaign Dinner in November 2009.^[45][46] In the same month, Michele and Jonathan Groff performed for True Colors Cabaret, a fundraiser in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.^[47]

In 2008, Michele performed at a benefit concert, "Alive in the World",^[48] to aid the Twin Towers Orphan Fund. Michele has also been active with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. For Broadway Cares, Michele has participated in Broadway Barks, Broadway Bares, The Easter Bonnet Competition and The Flea Market and Grand Auction.^[49]

In October 2010, Michele performed at a benefit concert for The Painted Turtle. The concert celebrated the 35th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with Michele playing the lead role of Janet Weiss for the benefit.^[50] In February 2011, she performed for The Grammys' MusiCares Benefit in Los Angeles CA.^[51] In April 2012 performs for The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation (JCCF) at UCLA, 17th annual signature fundraiser, Taste for a Cure.^[52]

Credits[link]

Michele at the 38th People's Choice Awards, Red Carpet 2012

Broadway

• Les Misérables as Young Cosette (1995–96)
• Ragtime as the Little Girl (1998–99)
• Fiddler on the Roof as Shprintze and Chava (2004–05)
• Spring Awakening as Wendla (2006–08)

Readings and workshops

• Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater collaboration (November 2009)^[53]
• Nero as Octavia (July 2008)^[54]
• Samson and Delilah as Delilah^[55]
• King as Anisette^[55]
• Wuthering Heights as Lucy^[55]
• Hot and Sweet as Naleen (September 2006)^[56]
• Spring Awakening as Wendla – Roundabout Theatre Company (2000 and June 2001)^[57]

Concerts and events

• "Broadway Eastern Bonnet" 2004 benefit performance as Sphrintze (with casts of Avenue Q and Fiddler on the Roof)
• Spring Awakening as Wendla – Lincoln Center (February 2005)
• Unsung 2007: 'Tis The Season To Be Naughty – Lucille Lortel Theater, New York (December 2007)^[58]
• Alive in the World, benefit concert – as Phoebe (January 2008)^[48]
• "Broadway Eastern Bonnet" 2008 benefit performance as Wendla (with cast of Spring Awakening)
• Feinstein's (February 2008 and April 2008)^[59]
• Flopz n' cutz Concert with Landon Beard, Joe's Pub (April 2008) ^[60]
• Les Misérables Concert as Eponine at the Hollywood Bowl (August 2008)^[55]
• Upright Cabaret (August 2008)^[61]
• Broadway Chance Style: Up Close & Personal (September 2008)^[62]
• Spring Awakening Holiday Benefit Concert – Joe's Pub (December 2008)^[63]
• Human Rights Campaign Dinner, performer (November 2009).^[45]
• True Colors Benefit with Jonathan Groff (November 2009)^[47]
• Glee Live! In Concert! as Rachel Berry; Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City (May 2010)
• Glee TV Academy Event at the Music Box, Los Angeles (July 27, 2010)
• Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary To Benefit The Painted Turtle, as Janet Weiss, Los Angeles (October 2010)^[64]
• Super Bowl XLV – as performer ("America the Beautiful") Dallas, Texas (February 2011)^[65]
• MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honoring Barbra Streisand, performer, Los Angeles (February 2011)^[51]
• Glee Live! In Concert! as Rachel Berry; 22 cities, 40 shows, 4 countries: US, Canada, England, Ireland (May–July 2011)
• The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation (JCCF) at UCLA, 17th annual signature fundraiser, Taste for a Cure. April 2012 ^[52]

Other projects

• Ragtime as Little Girl, Toronto Centre for the Arts, Toronto, Ontario (1997)
• The Diary of Anne Frank as Anne Frank, Washington, D.C. (2005)^[66]
• Spring Awakening as Wendla, Atlantic Theatre Company, off Broadway (May–August 2006)
• Dove commercials as spokesperson (2010)^[67]
• Chevrolet commercial, as Rachel Berry: Glee Super Bowl commercial (February 2011)^[68]
• Nike workout application as spokesperson (2011)^[69]
• HP TouchPad commercial (2011)^[70]
• Candies as spokesperson (2012) ^[71]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

Discography[link]

• Ragtime: Original Cast Recording (1998)
• Fiddler on the Roof: Revival Cast Recording (2004)
• Spring Awakening: Original Cast Recording Grammy Award winner – Best Cast Recording (2006)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lea Michele

• Lea Michele at the Internet Movie Database
• Lea Michele at the Internet Broadway Database
• Lea Michele at PlaybillVault.com
• Lea Michele at Emmys.com

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2010)

Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter, stage, television and film actor. He originated the role of Melchior Gabor in the stage musical Spring Awakening and appeared as Jesse St. James in the musical television series Glee.

Personal life[link]

Groff was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to a Methodist mother – Julie, a gym teacher – and Mennonite father – Jim, a harness horse trainer and driver. He has one older brother, David. Of his upbringing, he has said "My mother’s side of the family is Methodist, which is how I was raised. It was conservative in that I had strong values—sitting down and eating with the family every day, listening to authority and going to church every week and having perfect attendance at Sunday school. But at the same time, my parents always encouraged my brother and me to be happy with what we were doing. My parents were athletes in high school; my mom and my dad were the stars of the basketball team, but they never pushed my brother and me to be anything we didn’t want to be."^[1] He graduated from Conestoga Valley High School in 2003 and was going to attend Pennsylvania State University for a BFA in Musical Theatre until he booked his first professional gig in New York city, the musical In My Life.^[2]

Groff told Broadway.com during the National Equality March in Washington, D.C., that he is "gay and proud".^[3][4]

Groff guest starred in the back nine episodes of the first season of Glee along with Spring Awakening co-star Lea Michele. During his role with Lea Michele in Spring Awakening, they became best friends. He introduced Michele to Glee creator Ryan Murphy prior to the show's start.^{[citation needed]}

Career[link]

Groff had a year of waiting tables in New York until he booked his first acting job in 2005 as a swing/dance captain for the musical "In My Life" by Joseph Brooks. The musical was about a boy with Tourette's Syndrome, and Groff understudied the lead part. He never performed in the role. ^[2]

Groff originated the role of Melchior Gabor in the Broadway production of Spring Awakening. He played the role from the musical's Broadway debut on December 10, 2006^[5] through May 18, 2008. He also played the same role in the original Off Broadway production earlier during the summer of 2006.^[6] Groff also was in the National Tour of The Sound of Music as Rolf, and appeared in Fame at the North Shore Music Theater in Beverly, Massachusetts. In April 2007, he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in Spring Awakening. In May 2007, he was nominated for the Tony Award as Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance, with the award eventually going to David Hyde Pierce.^[7]

He played the recurring role of Henry Mackler on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. His storyline about a school shooting on the long-running soap opera was nixed due to the Virginia Tech shooting in April 2007, and he is no longer on the show.^[8]

Before performing on the Broadway stage, Jonathan was a performer at The Ephrata Performing Arts Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. There he portrayed such characters as Edgar in Bat Boy: The Musical and Ugly in Honk!.

Groff played as Claude in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Hair, which ran July 22 through August 31, 2008. He also appeared as Michael Lang in Ang Lee's major motion picture, Taking Woodstock.

Groff has appeared in the Off-Broadway production of Prayer for My Enemy by Craig Lucas (Prelude to a Kiss, Light in the Piazza) about the consequences the Iraq war has had on an American family.^[9]

In August 2009, Groff performed The Bacchae as Dionysus as a part of the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park.

He was guest starring on Glee as Jesse St. James, the male lead of rival glee club, Vocal Adrenaline for eight of the back nine episodes. He also serves as a love interest for his former Spring Awakening co-star Lea Michele's character, Rachel Berry.^[10] Newsweek critic Ramin Satoodeh stated that Groff was unconvincing in the role of the straight Jesse ("he seems more like your average theater queen, a better romantic match for Kurt than Rachel").^[11] Groff's performance was defended by Glee creator Ryan Murphy and guest star Kristin Chenoweth, both of whom described Satoodeh's essay as homophobic; it was also condemned by GLAAD president Jarrett Barrios.^[12][13]

In August 2010 he made his West End debut in Deathtrap,^[14] at the Noel Coward Theatre in a production directed by Matthew Warchus.

Groff returned to Glee at the end of the second season, where his character tried to ask Rachel for forgiveness. He returned to the show on May 10 to finish out the remainder of the second season.^[15] Despite leaving the show for the first part of its third season, Groff returned to Glee in Saturday Night Glee-ver as the coach of his former Glee club, Vocal Adrenaline.

Credits[link]

Broadway

• Spring Awakening as Melchior Gabor (2006–2008)

West End

• Deathtrap as Clifford Anderson (2010)

Off-Broadway

• The Submission as Danny Larsen (2011)
• The Singing Forest as Gray Korankyi/Walter Rieman (2009)
• Prayer for My Enemy as Billy (2008)
• Hair - Shakespeare in the Park Revival as Claude (2008)
• Spring Awakening as Melchoir Gabor (2006)

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

Cast recordings[link]

• Spring Awakening (2006)
• Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers (2010)
• Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna (2010)
• Glee: The Music, Volume 6 (2011)

Featured singles[link]