Stephen Spinella springs into new role

Volume Number 1 Issue Number 12 / December 15 - 21, 2006

Photo by Joan Marcus

Veteran stage actor Stephen Spinella in “Spring Awakening”

By Scott Harrah

Veteran stage star Stephen Spinella is no stranger to controversial theater. The busy actor — a native of Naples, Italy, who grew up in Arizona before coming to New York to pursue acting — won two consecutive Tonys for his performances in Tony Kushner’s mega-successful dramas about the AIDS epidemic: “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches” and the sequel “Angels in America: Perestroika.” He also won raves for his roles in “James Joyce’s The Dead” with Christopher Walken, “Our Town” with Paul Newman, and a revival of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” with the legendary Meryl Streep. But starring in “Spring Awakening” has been particularly rewarding.

In a phone interview on a Monday morning, after a grueling weekend of back-to-back shows, the actor’s deep voice was slightly hoarse, but still brimmed with exuberance for the show. “I keep telling people that this is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Spinella said. He further clarified: “There are three great things I’ve done on Broadway: ‘Angels in America,’ ‘James Joyce’s The Dead,’ and now ‘Spring Awakening.’ ”

In the late 1960s, “Hair” redefined the Broadway musical for a whole generation. In the mid-1990s, “Rent” became a cultural phenomenon for the twenty-something set. Now, in the new millennium, “Spring Awakening” — which just opened on Broadway after a sold-out off-Broadway run last spring at the Atlantic Theater in Chelsea — is set to break similar pop-cultural ground. Certainly this rock-oriented musical is one of the most influential and risk-taking shows in years. Like Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the trenchant book and lyrics, written by Steven Sater, tell a tragic story about star-crossed teenage lovers and their angst-ridden young friends, all of whom are totally misunderstood by the adults in their lives.

The show has all the makings of an instant classic: a brilliantly talented cast of extraordinary singers, a hauntingly beautiful score by alt-pop star Duncan Sheik, and a story about ill-fated young people that is heartbreakingly honest. What is truly amazing is the fact that “Spring Awakening” is based on Frank Wedekind’s 1891 German play of the same name. In the late 19th century, the play’s frank look at teenage sexuality was taboo, and was only performed in underground venues. Its depiction of teenage sex, pregnancy, abortion, teen suicide, and coming to terms with homosexuality is still topical and relevant 115 years later. Although such themes are hardly typical Broadway musical fare, the story is so empowering and thought provoking that one overlooks the gloomy narrative. “Spring Awakening” is, without question, the first truly serious musical of the 21st century and will be a frontrunner for Best Musical at the 2007 Tony Awards.

The light-haired, tall and lean Spinella, who plays all the adult male roles in the show, was not in the off-Broadway production of the show in Chelsea. When the original male lead, Frank Wood, was unable to do the Broadway version due to a prior obligation, director Michael Mayer immediately called Spinella and offered him the part. He jumped at the chance to do the show, which received rave reviews from every critic in town.

“ ‘Spring Awakening’ breaks a lot of new ground,” he said, explaining why he was so anxious to take the role. “There’s this quality of rock concert meets American musical, and I also think the content is great. I can’t think of a musical that deals with adolescent sexuality as boldly as ‘Spring Awakening.’ “

He added that mounting a show like this on Broadway is particularly risky now, “especially at this point in time, under an essentially right-wing government and this current administration.” And he finds the show’s non-traditional approach to the American musical incredibly innovative. “I’ve always heard that the songs further the action in a musical, so in a period piece like this, that rule is being seriously broken. It breaks a lot of rules, and I like stuff that does that.”

The actor sees many similarities between “Spring Awakening” and “Angels in America,” two politically charged, controversial shows with solid off-Broadway roots. Both needed strong, positive reviews from mainstream critics in order to convince producers to bring the shows to Broadway.

“I thought the biggest thing that would happen to ‘Angels’ was that it would be produced at the Public Theater,” said Spinella. “If [former New York Times drama critic] Frank Rich hadn’t been the champion of that play, it would have never gone to Broadway. He was such a formidable writer and a powerhouse that just by the force of his will, he propelled that play to places I don’t think it could have gone if he hadn’t been behind it. The gay politics of ‘Angels’ was something that people were really frightened of.”

New York Times drama critic Charles Isherwood was equally adamant about the potential of “Spring Awakening,” writing in his review of the Off-Broadway production, “When was the last time something new happened in a musical? A fresh breeze of true inspiration blows steadily through this ambitious show.” Spinella said that a musical about adolescent sexuality wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without influential critics like Isherwood “really championing” the show. The show’s depiction of nudity and mock sex acts could have easily scared off mainstream producers. “It would actually be illegal in New York State to do this play as it was written,” he said. “There are laws that say anyone under age 18 cannot simulate sex. So what we have onstage are kids 18 and 19 years old simulating sex, and people are shocked. But on another level, it’s so masterfully done that you deal with your anxiety about seeing these young actors have [simulated] sex with each other and [implied] masturbation. You deal with it in your own way because you are so compelled by the story.”

The glowing reviews aren’t the only reason for the show’s transfer to Broadway, according to Spinella. “I honestly think this is [director] Michael Mayer’s masterpiece,” he said. “He’s a great director of musicals working at his peak, and I think the success of the show is directly related to him.”

Spinella admitted that the musical can be difficult to watch at times, but the score makes the narrative more palatable. “Because so much of the play, the book, is so dark, you need the incredible and eloquent joy of the music,” he said, “I don’t want to say that it softens the edges, but it gives you a way to sit through the musical and not feel completely depressed.”

What’s so disturbing about the storyline? “It’s really horrible what these kids go through and what they talk about — the way the girls talk about incest, and the way the boys are treated in school, and what happens to the girl that gets pregnant,” he said. “The music turns it all into song.”

Spinella is the best-known cast member of “Spring Awakening,” and some of the actors — most of whom were too young to have seen him in “Angels in America” — get excited when they see reruns of his hit TV shows. (Before accepting his role in “Spring Awakening,” Spinella was hard at work in Hollywood appearing on several episodes of TV’s “24,” “Heroes,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Nip Tuck,” and “Alias.”) He understands what it’s like to work with people that he admires, and he has been awestruck by many of the iconic actors he’s worked with, including the intimidating Meryl Streep. “The hardest one was Meryl because she’s ‘la diva,’ but she’s also the nicest person in the world,” Spinella said.

Cast members have sent him text messages saying things like, “I saw you on ‘Nip Tuck’ and ‘Heroes’ last night.” But Spinella said he doesn’t “make a big deal about anything.” Often, he asks, “Was I any good?”

“I’ve learned a great lesson from the people that I’ve worked with. And that is the best place to be when you’re in a rehearsal room is to be a colleague among colleagues. We all have to go out on stage together and nothing should distance anybody from anybody.”

The avuncular, down-to-earth actor spoke about the young cast with the enthusiasm of a proud father. “I love these kids. They’ve become incredibly dear to me. I feel really happy to be working among them.”

“Spring Awakening” is playing at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, 230 West 49th St. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.Springawakening.com.