Wake Up to Marin Summer Theater's Season-Opener

Talented young performers from the North Bay are tackling a touchy subject in Marin Summer Theater's production of Spring Awakening, which runs through Sunday.

The Novato-based troupe, made up of performers in their teens and early 20s, kicks off its fourth season with a musical that won eight Tony Awards in 2007 and was a Broadway hit from 2006-2009. Shows will take place at the Playhouse in San Anselmo.

MST co-founder Patrick Nims is directing and Novato composer/musician Drew Gasparini is serving as musical director for Spring Awakening, a coming-of-age tale about students in 19th century Germany struggling to navigate through teen self-discovery. The show, which won the Best Musical Tony, is probably known best for its score.

It's also known for being racy. Due to mature subject matter that includes sex and suicide, this show is not for younger kids.

On Friday, Gasparini will be joined by fellow Novato native and Broadway veteran along with the cast of Spring Awakening in a celebration at Yet Wah restaurant in San Rafael. The public is invited to meet the cast after the Playhouse performance — at approximately 10:30 p.m. — and be entertained by Poulos (who is directing MST's The Importance of Being Earnest) and Gasparini (who has written musicals and released CDs of his pop music).

Tickets for the party and Spring Awakening are available at the MST website and at the door. Admission is $50 per person and includes beer and wine, appetizers and dessert.

After Spring Awakening, MST will present the romantic comedy The Importance of Being Earnest on July 12-15 on the campus of in Novato and the family-friendly and popular favorite, Legally Blonde, The Musical on July 26-29, also at San Marin. Tickets and details for all performances are available on the MST site. 

Marin Summer Theater is a nonprofit composed of student actors, singers, dancers, musicians, directors, designers, technicians and crew. MST is always looking for supporters, advertisers and volunteers. Contact Nims at pmins@marinsummertheater.org.