What is 'Spring Awakening'? Learn About the Musical in 'Rise'

Spring Awakening is one of the most beloved Broadway musicals of the millennium and the new NBC series Rise is putting it into the spotlight! If you’re not familiar with the show, let us fill you in.

The show is based on a German play of the same name from 1891 and follows the sexual awakening of a group of young people. The story is set in late 19th century Germany, but the themes still resonate to today.

Spring Awakening opened on Broadway in November 2006 after a successful run off-Broadway and the show launched the careers of original cast members Lea Michele, Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher Jr., Skylar Astin, and others. It won eight Tony Awards in 2007, including Best Musical, and the cast album won a Grammy Award.

The show got a revival on Broadway in late 2015 thanks to the Deaf West theatre company and the production featured deaf actors with speaking counterparts in some roles.

In Rise, Josh Radnor‘s character decides to produce a production of Spring Awakening at the high school where he works and it causes controversy in the community due to the musical’s subject matter.

Watch Rise on NBC on Tuesday nights at 10/9c.