Now, you know everything.” Suspicious, Wendla inquires, “everything?” Her mother struggles for an explanation and ultimately says, “for a woman to bear a child, she must … love her husband … with her whole … heart. Mundy captures the innocent curiosity of this character in the opening scene, as she asks her mother how babies are made. Wendla is played by Shania Mundy, whose strong, controlled voice and poised stage presence make her an endearing protagonist. Mainly composed of college students, recent graduates and even high school students, this cast excels at portraying adolescents who are navigating complex obstacles (even if, vocally, there were a few moments when certain actors didn’t quite hit the mark).

I was most impressed by the level of vulnerability that the Vanguard cast achieved.

The high-energy songs are reminiscent of “High School Musical,” if it dared to portray masturbation, sex and abuse incorporate obscenities into the lyrics and, in one of my favorite comedic moments, have the cast flip off the audience. The forlorn points reminded me of “Romeo and Juliet” with heartbreaking portrayals of young people grappling to figure out the world. Benji Santiago and Shania Mundy play Melchior and Wendla in “Spring Awakening” at the Vanguard Theater.ĭuring Vanguard’s two-hour production (which had a bumpy start on the night I attended due to an electrical outage that caused a 20-minute delay), the audience experienced a deep, unrestrained dive into the phase of life between childhood and adulthood.

Wild at heart 2007 cast