Spring Awakening: Those You've Known

I worked in the theater industry at one time so I found this more interesting than many will, I guess. I've never seen Spring Awakening on stage and watching this, I sure wish I had. How creative, so much talent on display, such good music! This is certainly not a great documentary, but it is an interesting one and probably to those who saw the original production, a very special one. For some reason, I found Gallagher the most interesting, Mayer the most New York (though not from NY), Groff the most leaky and, as expected, Michele the most princessy, though her close relationship with Groff was touching. Not bad, but I'd much rather see the actual production, which looks like it was filmed?!

When I first heard the soundtrack to Spring Awakening, I was blown away (even more so when I finally found a decent video of the play). I really connected with the themes and the characters of the show so when I heard that a documentary about the show was coming out, I had to watch it. It did not disappoint.

This documentary is very heartwarming. It feels like you're seeing old friends reuniting after years apart. You get insight into what the show meant to the cast and the minds behind the musical and how it personally impacted them. The documentary also has some "making of" elements regarding the grind that the cast and production team had to go through to make Spring Awakening possible. It comes through the documentary that the cast and crew cared about the musical and each other.

I do have to note, though, that this documentary is best appreciated by those who love Spring Awakening. It's more of a companion piece to the show than a stand-alone work, but it adds so much context to the show that makes me love Spring Awakening even more. If you have the time, I urge you to find a recording of Spring Awakening (there are some on Youtube) and then watch this documentary.

A group of pretentious people pontificating and reliving their heyday about some medicore musical as if it were the second coming. Completely boring and smug.

The documentary was I guess, alright. Not as much of the filmed reunion concert in it as I would have liked. I think more people would have rather had the full concert. It would have been less editing.

Or better yet, please release the pro-shot. It's been 15 years and the documentary shows other clips that were obviously professionally recorded. We get a Hamilton pro-shot not even a full decade before it's been out. Make the pro-shot a DVD for $15 and have all money goes to the actor's fund.