Spring Awakening presented by Fearless Theatre at Charnel House Chicago

ChicagoCritic - Recommended

"...Spring Awakening has been a favorite of teenagers since a rock musical adaptation by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater in 2006 breathed new life into Frank Wedekind's indictment of how youth are neglected and mistreated. Now, an original adaptation is being performed by Fearless Theatre, a new company made up mostly of students currently studying theatre or recent graduates. Since their goal is to do works about the lives of teenagers, Spring Awakening was an inevitable choice. Although it's still basically the same story which I think a lot of people have a love-hate relationship with due to its heavy-handed, but justified complaints, director Jeremy Ohringer and his creative ensemble found some innovative ways of keeping the show current, which demonstrate a promising future for these artists and reward the audience's time."

Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended

"...This is a very well-directed production of a little-known play that’s been newly reinvented for today’s playgoer. Wedekind’s drama still carries the necessary bite and a warning that ignorance isn’t always necessarily bliss. Young people don’t need more pressure in their lives; they need love, care and education from their elders to succeed in this world. Just as when this play was written, Jeremy Ohringer’s contemporary adaptation explores all the angst, insecurities and emotional needs of teenagers which, unfortunately, are still much the same as in 1891. The new Fearless Theatre Collaborative premiers with a cautionary tale that contains enough bite and sizzle to satisfy today’s audiences, while showing promise for additional excellent productions to come."