In a modern setting, what jobs do you think the kids of Spring Awakening would have as adults? Like something tells me Hanschen would be a finance bro or something.
will never ever respect or understand people who say hanschen and ernst are supposed to represent or be similar to melchior and wendla, especially because of this moment. if anything, they are totally different.
here, at the end of word of your body (reprise), when ernst signs “you’re gonna be my bruise” to hanschen, hanschen pushes his hand away during “bruise” and shakes his head, saying no. he’s not going to let that happen. he’s not going to hurt ernst, ernst isn’t going to hurt him, they aren’t going to hurt each other, and they are going to trust one another. this is a relationship that lies on love and trust and comfort, which is not like melchior and wendla at all.
during word of your body, instead, melchior and wendla were signing intertwined and together, representing that yes, this is their story. this is what’s going to happen. with hanschen and ernst, hanschen takes the initiative to say that wasn’t going to happen to them. love gay people!
When I found this image in my old undergrad theatre history textbook today, I shrieked with excitement - it's a set design for the vineyard scene in the original 1906 production of Spring Awakening, directed by Max Reinhardt.
I found a clearer version online, in the Max Reinhardt Archive (source).
Ok, friends - I'm just gonna tell you now informally (a formal announcement with more details will follow): I'm hoping to get my stage version of Spring Awakening produced sometime next year!