Theatre News

Spring Awakening announces 15th anniversary concert casting

Bring on that purple summer!

| London |

12 February 2024

jamie m2 — Jamie Muscato and Evelyn Hoskins will appear, © Danny Kaan

As revealed on stage at the WhatsOnStage Awards last night, initial casting has been confirmed for 15th anniversary concert staging of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s multi-award-winning musical Spring Awakening.

The show, based on Frank Wedekind’s 1891 play of the same name, follows group of teenagers, silenced and controlled by a censorious society, discovering a new world of feeling and freedom. Numbers in the musical include “Totally F**ked”, “Mama Who Bore Me” and “The Song of Purple Summer”.

The musical opened on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006, starring Jonathan Groff, Lea Michele, and John Gallagher Jr. It won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Direction, Book, Score, and Featured Actor. Afterward, it embarked on a North American tour in 2008. The production then opened in London at the Lyric Hammersmith on 23 January 2009, before transferring to the West End’s Novello Theatre in March of the same year. The musical was revived on Broadway in 2015 and in London in 2021.

The 2024 concert, celebrating the anniversary of the original London production, is set to take place on Sunday 2 June 2024 at the Victoria Palace Theatre (customarily the home of Hamilton). Tickets are on sale now.

Returning cast members from the original West End production include Lucy May Barker (The Crucible) as Ilse, Natasha Barnes (Hex) as Anna, Harry McEntire (Andor) as Ernst, Hayley Gallivan (Wicked) as Martha, Evelyn Hoskins (Waitress) as Thea, Edward Judge (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Otto, Jamie Muscato (Moulin Rouge!) as Melchior, Jos Slovick (Beautiful – The Carole King Musical) as Georg and Charlotte Wakefield (The Great British Bake Off Musica) as Wendla.

Other returning cast includes Chris Barton (The Sound of Music), Natalie Garner, Mona Goodwin (Misfits), Gemma O’Duffy (Priscilla: Queen of the Desert) and Richard Southgate (The Dogs of War). Further company members are to be revealed.

They are joined by the entire returning original London band consisting of Huw Davies (Guitars), Don Richardson (Bass), Matthew Senior (Drums), Vicky Matthews (Cello), Charlie Brown (Violin/Guitar), Rachel Robson (Viola), under the musical direction of Nigel Lilley (Newsies, Next to Normal, The Witches).

This anniversary concert will also serve as a fundraiser for Imogen Kinchin. Imogen Kinchin was one of the original producers of Spring Awakening in 2009, guiding the show and its young cast. She was diagnosed with Stage IV Bowel Cancer in 2022. Proceeds from the concert will be donated to Imogen’s Fund, which supports bespoke treatment and her family’s needs during her battle with cancer.

The concert will have direction by Jamie Armitage (Six) and musical direction by Lilley. It is produced by Jack Maple and Hoskins.

For those interested in supporting Kinchin’s Fund, the donation link is here.