Spring Awakening
Awards and Recognition
- Winner of 8 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL
- OC Theatre Guild Recommended
- Stage Scene LA WOW!
- Orange Curtain Review Recommended
Reviewer Quotes
“ as outstanding a Spring Awakening as any musical theater lover could ever hope to see. ”
StageSceneLA
“ This production is that good. ”
Broadway World
“ carefully crafted, talent-driven production ”
Orange Curtain Review
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Executive Producer
Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield
Rachelle Menaker & Eddie Schuller
Laurie Smits Staude
Executive Season Producer
Bette & Wylie Aitken
Associate Season Producer
The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
On the Cripe Stage…
Based on Frank Wedekind’s groundbreaking play, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s brilliant rock score and searingly emotional book bring the story of sexual awakening, youth revolt, and self-discovery into a new century. It’s 1891, and the grown-ups hold all the cards. Headstrong Melchior and naive Wendla stumble into each other’s arms, passionate and curious, while anxious Moritz struggles to live up to the stringent expectations of society. With only each other for guidance, this group of young men and women travel the fraught and rocky path of adolescence, discovering their bodies, their minds, and themselves along the way. Winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening features an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality, and rock and roll, delivering a story that packs a powerful emotional punch.
NOTE: Spring Awakening contains mature themes, strong language, sexual content, and violence. Click here for more details.
“Bursting with powerful, beautifully-rendered musical performances and emotionally-stirring characterizations from a terrific ensemble cast, Chance Theater’s incredible-sounding, fiercely-acted, deeply searing new production of SPRING AWAKENING is, I must say, one of the best, most satisfying productions of this musical I have seen in a while… and, perhaps, even one of the best musicals that this theater has ever mounted in its 20-plus-year history.”Broadway World
“Brilliantly innovative direction, stunningly original choreography, a baker’s dozen revelatory performances, and a Broadway-caliber production design guarantee Southland audiences as outstanding a Spring Awakening as any musical theater lover could ever hope to see…It’s taken nearly twenty years for Spring Awakening to make it from NYC to the OC’s Chance, but as was the case with the theater’s sensational Rent a couple summers’ back, audiences can expect to have their minds blown and their hearts broken.”StageScene LA
“Spring Awakening is one of those shows where the music is almost a character in its own right. Chance’s production takes this to heart, with many of the actors doubling as musicians. The band remains fully visible, allowing the music to shine through as it was meant to.”Orange Curtain Review
“ Relatable raw human emotions that the audience can transcend through powerhouse performances and evocative design. “Spring Awakening” at the Chance Theater in Anaheim is another reflection of the creative team’s dedication to serving its community with invaluable contributions to art and humanity.”SoCal Thrills
“A Master Stroke”Buck-ing Trends
“a remarkable cast that earns every stripe”Fanboy Nation
Community Partners
Show artwork designed by KC Wilkerson, kcwdigital.com.
Spring Awakening explores complex and mature topics including sexuality, abuse, mental health, abortion, and suicide. The production features strong language and sexual situations, as well as depictions of violence and domestic trauma.
For those who prefer full disclosure (spoiler warning), please check this page.
Special Events:
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Community Spotlight
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Pride Night
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Wine Night
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Join us before and after the performance for a happy hour and get to know our community partners. Schedule is subject to change. Thursday, July 24, 2025 starting at 6:30PM.- 6:30 PM - Mingling in the Chance lobby over light bites and Happy Hour drinks. Be sure to meet our Community Partners!
- 7:30 PM - Spring Awakening begins! We can't wait for you to see this performance!
- 10:15 PM - Participate in a post-show conversation with the Cast and our Community Partner.
- 10:30 PM - Don't leave just yet! We have a second round of bites and drinks.
- 11:30 PM - Last call! The event comes to an end.
PRIDE NIGHT
Join us for our Pride Night, where theater lovers who share an identity can connect over refreshments and conversation before enjoying a performance. Schedule is subject to change. Saturday, July 26, 2025 starting at 7:00 PM.- 7:00 PM - Mingling in the Chance lobby over light bites and Happy Hour drinks.
- 8:00 PM - Spring Awakening begins! We can't wait for you to see this performance!
- 10:45 PM - Participate in a post-show conversation with the Cast and each other.
- 11:00 PM - Don't leave just yet! We have a second round of bites and drinks.
- 12:00 AM - Last call! The event comes to an end.
WINE NIGHT
Back by popular demand, Wine Night features a signature wine for the first 50 patrons in the door. Members and their guests receive priority access. Schedule is subject to change. Friday, July 25, 2025 starting at 7:00PM. NOTE: Doors to Wine Night wine tastings will close at 7:15PM to prevent disruptions.- 6:45 PM - Check-In Starts
- 7:00 PM - Wine Night starts. Enjoy free exclusive wines!
- 7:45 PM - Wine Night ends. Get prepared for the show!
- 8:00 PM - Show starts, feel free to bring in your cup!
Are you part of a Community Organization? Contact us at [email protected] for information on special discounts and fundraising opportunities.
IN PERFORMANCE
IN REHEARSAL
Venue Bette Aitken theater arts Center
- Full-Service Bar
- Free Parking
- Conveniently Located
At a Glance
- Approximate Running Time:
- 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission
- Special Notes:
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- Post-show discussion after each performance.
- Join us for Opening Night as a Gold Member.
- Babes in arms and children under 4 are not permitted.
- 30% off for groups of 10 or more.
- Pay-What-You-Can Preview Performances
- Free, Convenient Parking
It was a great production.
Well, since it was the last performance I can’t recommend it to others, but I always rave to my friends about the quality of all of the plays! The talent of all of the actors is phenomenal, but especially the women who acted, sang AND PLAYED INSTRUMENTS! Absolutely blew me away – AMAZING!!
Amazing lighting design!!
Excellent venue, excellent performance. The cast was incredibly talented. The play was excellent. The venue was intimate. Love the whole experience!
Excellent staging, acting, singing and amazing production. Love the talk back after the show
Because it touched on subjects that still occur today. and the entire cast was phenomenal! I liked that they improved the audio for the second half of the show. That is live theatre.
Everything about the performance was outstanding. The voices, the choreography, the acting, the directing… The story itself is a bit problematic, in that it feels dated; attitudes towards sex have changed drastically. Of course, it is still relatable if one extrapolates to other, similar issues today like gender change.
Outstanding, thought-provoking plays and exceptional performances. Brilliant !!!
Incredibly talented cast, crew, production etc. I have seen many different productions of Spring Awakening and Chance Theater’s blow them all away. Incredibly talented cast, singing was on point, and in some cases they worked double duty playing instruments as part of the band. I love seeing how different actors portray a character, as well as the way a director adds nuance to the stage direction, for a musical that I have seen many times. The intimacy of the theater, along with all the amazing people who put this show together, made this musical exciting and emotional for me again! Hope to see another amazing show at the Chance Theater again in the future.
The attention to detail, and the hard work shows, I was very proud to have brought four friends to the show having seen it myself three times. Performances were spectacular. At times the instruments were hotter than the vocals but not an unforgivable error.
Incredible performance and love the after show chats!
Best shows!! The talent is always amazing. We went to see the show two times!! We couldn’t wait to see it again. Amazing!!! Super!!
Play was a bit provocative for Bible types. The actors were so emotional, they drew me in right away.
Fantastic performances. Everyone did an absolutely amazing job. Everyone was so friendly and perfect. Everything went so smooth.
Good acting performances
Just excellent theater, voices, terrific to have live musicians. The whole package.
Brilliant, unique production of the show. I have recommended it to several. In general, I love this show, but this production had brilliant direction and choreography. Incredible actors, some of whom you can feel bared their souls to us. I came back multiple times because of how well ‘Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind” was done. Broke my heart and sent me to tears each time. Never had that experience in any other production of the show I’ve seen. The Purple Summer choreography was also an excellent way to end the show. We all are our own unique individual. Please give these people an extension and I will see it again!!!
High level of talent, interesting show
Well acted and sung. I always enjoy Chance productions.
Great performances
Amazing Cast, Powerful Show, 5 Stars for performance, sets etc. Extend it if you can.
This is one of my 18yo daughter’s favorite shows (top 3) and the production really blew us away. She has watched online versions of it many times but seeing it live was so intimate and powerful. I was surprised to be part of such a high level performance from a smaller theater. The talk back at the end of the show was great. We live in the SF Bay Area that has amazing theater (we say a wonderful production of Ride the Cyclone earlier this month) but the community feel at this theater and accessibility to the performers is really special.
Great performance. Actors did amazing
Always good performances and interesting productions. Heavy content, but presented well
I was blown away by the talent. And I love the intimate setting. I cannot wait to see more shows.
Besides always enjoying our grandson’s performances, we thought the intimacy of the theater worked so well with the production of this intense musical.
Great staging, set, performances.
I have always been pleased with your productions. If I didn’t travel 40-60 minutes to get to the Chance, I would attend more often.
It’s a fantastic theater very personable and there is not a bad seat in the entire theater. Your staff are very kind and helpful
The great cast/great staging, our 1st wine night, talkback. Such a great night at theater
So good! Can’t believe this is local theater
This production was absolutely stunning! From the music to the acting, everything was great. Everyone at the Chance was extremely nice and welcoming.
Quality show, great theater, fun vibe at the venue
After listening to the soundrack I thought this would be a click track for sure, but no. Real musicians! Some of them cast members. Two thumbs up.
Yes, I have recommended the play to several of our friends. The inability for Teachers/Parents/ Adults to communicate effectively with the younger generation was well portrayed in Spring Awakening both emotionally and physically in an extreme fashion. How appropriate to choose this play at this point in time where it appears that communication, and effective listening have become lost arts. The lost art of critical thinking is woefully rare as well. SPRING AWAKENING tells us that we all need to listen to those who speak with us and make an effort to understand the importance of being kind
I didn’t know anything about the play before seeing it. The play, actors, & music were fantastic.
Amazing production, artists, with engaged talkback. The performance was perfectly executed in terms of acting, vocals, lighting and sound. Loved the casting of actor-instrumentalists! It added layers to the storytelling that invited me to participate more deeply in the characters’ inner lives, while creating also “breathing space/rhythms” so I could also step back when needed. It was so fun to see the cellist and bassist sing as they played. I loved the talkback because many of the cast and musical director attended and I felt a sincere sense of camaraderie among everyone.
Transcendent theater experience! Blown away by the professional lighting, choreography, and most of the time the sound. The set was well done as well.
Excellent interpretation of this production. Loved the use of musicians as actors. Wonderful choreography. Great blocking. I thought the set and lighting was well designed. Thumbs up to the actors. Played well in a black box. I’ve had the opportunity to to have seen this production several times in the past.
High quality of every aspect of the performance. Especially nice to have talk back after show, which is very rare with other theaters in our experience. Wendla seemed to have a southern accent in the first scene, which threw me off a bit. I had no knowlege of the show prior to arriving but I’m a big fan now!
Quality of actors!!! Wonderful venue. The performances of Spring Awakening exceeded all my expectations. Having been a long-time fan of this play I was especially moving by a fresh intimacy (not sexual) of the production. For instance, in the song before the finale the lead male passionately sang the words ‘Watch Me” so powerfully that it impacted the take away from the entire musical. Brilliant performance!
The show itself is amazing, but the cast performances and the staging were spectacular. The fact that the female characters played instruments was a nice touch, the lighting was beautiful, and I loved how integrated the cast was into the intimate scenes (e.g. them playing trees during Don’t Do Sadness/Blue Wind). The Chance takes great care in telling this beautiful story.
Excellent production! Great themes. Brilliant casting!
Outstanding performance by the cast and musicians and the cast who were also the musicians. This is not an easy show and it takes great care to handle the emotional and physical demands the roles calls for as well as the emotional maturity to handle such characters. The direction was thoughtful and insightful, while still maintaining the integrity of the show and honoring the script but making it receptive to the audience.
Amazing cast, amazing show.
Everyone is excellent
Its an impactful story, told by amazingly talented people, in an extremely intimate way. Thank you, the hard work that has been put into this production shows from start to finish.
It’s a great musical. Composer wrote an excellent score. Ushers and staff made me feel welcome.
It was a great performance, but I don’t know a lot of other theatre people.
The talent that was showcased was outstanding. Stayed for the Q&A after the show. Enjoyed every moment of this experience.
It was an excellent, entertaining production with fantastic performances. I’ve already recommended to friends!
This was an excellent production. We have seen Spring Awakening several times and loved some choices the director made that were different than we have seen. And the cast was fantastic