Online Play Reading Group

This rendition of Spring Awakening (not the musical version) has been translated and adapted by Edward Bond. It follows the same story arcs, including Wendla’s struggle with her mother's evasive answers about sexuality, Moritz’s academic pressures leading to despair, and Melchior’s philosophical inquiries. Ultimately, the play culminates in tragic events resulting from the characters' search for truth and understanding in a world that frequently denies them such knowledge.

Characters:

Children:

• Melchior Gabor
• Moritz Stiefl
• Hanschen Rilow
• Ernst Robel
• Otto
• Georg Litschnitz
• Robert Lammermeier
• Wendla Bergmann
• Martha Bessel
• Thea
• Ilse

Boys in a Reformatory:

• Dieter
• Reinhold
• Rupert
• Helmut
• Gaston

Parents:

• Herr Gabor
• Herr Stiefel
• Ina Muller (Wendla's sister)
• Frau Gabor
• Frau Bergmann

Teachers:

• Headmaster Sunstroke
• Prof. Gutgrinder
• Prof. Bonebreaker
• Prof. Tonguetwister
• Prof. Flyswatter
• Prof. Thickstick
• Prof. Apelard

Other Adults:

• The Masked Man
• Dr. Lemonade
• Dr. Procrustes
• Rev. Baldbelly
• Fastcrawler (The School Porter)
• Uncle Probst
• Friend Zieg
• Locksmith

At a large, tastefully-appointed Sneden's Landing townhouse, the Deputy Mayor of New York has just shot himself. Though it's only a flesh wound, Charlie Brock's self-inflicted injury sets off a series of events causing four couples to experience a severe attack of farce.

As their tenth wedding anniversary party commences, Charlie lies bleeding in another room, and his wife Myra is nowhere in sight. The first guests, lawyer Ken Gorman and his wife Chris, scramble to get “the story” straight before the other guests arrive. As the confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into classic farcical hilarity.

Characters:

• Chris Gorman
• Ken Gorman
• Claire Ganz
• Lenny Ganz
• Cookie Cusak
• Ernie Cusak
• Cassie Cooper
• Glenn Cooper
• Officer Pudney
• Officer Welch