The Paramount Theatre's next touring musical is called Spring Awakening (October 14-19, tickets $22-$70). It was nominated for eleven 2007 Tony Awards, won eight--notably best musical, direction, book, score, and featured actor.

The musical answers the question: "How do you make an 1891 German play about the lack of sex education relevant to today's audiences and maybe one-up another mega-hit musical about high school?" Turns out all you need to do is get Duncan Sheik to write you up a flotilla of indie rock songs and call it good. Well, there's choreography by Bill T. Jones, too. That, plus the eternal question of adolescence--WHY IS THERE HAIR HERE?!--have made the show into an unlikely smash.

To get a behind-the-scenes feel for the show, we spoke with two members of the show's ensemble. Lucas Wells, 20, just finished his second year at Michigan's Siena Heights University, and is the understudy for both hunky Melchior and tormented Moritz. Claire Sparks, 18, just graduated and was going to be heading to college. Now she's making her professional acting debut on a national tour, and understudies Wendla. We're gonna do the interview Zagat-style just because we feel like it.

"This is the first show I ever saw on Broadway," says Lucas, "I raved about it to all my friends--it's like a rock concert with a story." He identifies most with Melchior, because of "similarities" with things he goes through. "The exact same things are going on today," in terms of teens and sex. "The issues that teens are faced with" are at heart "timeless." As for the profanity, a teenager going to our show "has heard all the language we’re using"; for him "showing emotion" is what breaks the taboo--the show is not about "sex-obsessed teens," but simply takes seriously "that love and loss happens to teens, too." He loves the message that it's "okay to be different, that there are "things you need to discover for yourself," and that there are "different ways to deal with stress." He also likes the show's warning about the "dangers of sheltering your children" and that it's willing to "deal with suicide." To sum up the show's popularity: "It’s a voice for teens."

Claire may be young, but she's a pro about staying on message. What she loves most about the show is the "contemporary rock score"--"Duncan Sheik is an awesome artist." She mentions that it's been compared to the other "great rock musical" Rent. For her, too, there was a moment seeing the show where she went, "Wow, that’s my life!" It was like "nothing I have heard or seen before." Her father loved the show, too, "despite--or because of--the issues it brings up, because this show allows parents to discuss" sex with their kids without having a painfully awkward sex talk. The most important point the show makes is about the ironic "ignorance that the parents and teachers" display by "not telling the kids the truth." She connects with Wendla's youth and innocence, the experience of falling in love for the first time. "I want other people to fell that it’s okay to be yourself," says Claire. "Each person will walk out with a different experience"--it's "very personal." She's still amazed that she has had the chance to meet and work with the original creative team of Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater, Michael Mayer, Bill T. Jones, and Kimberly Grigsby.

And for those of you who read to the end, a tip: the show features onstage seating: "It’s sort of a thrust stage experience," says Lucas, "you’re always acting, always in character, it makes it more real." The onstage seating is usually sold through rush tickets, so get to the Paramount early for slightly cheaper, up-close-and-personal seats.

Top: Christy Atomare and Kyle Riabko as Wendla and Melchior. Photo by Paul Kolnik.