Once every generation or so a Broadway musical turns the complacent world of happy entertainment upside down. The current generation’s trendsetter, Spring Awakening (2006 Tony winner), about adolescents dealing with coming-of-age anxieties, is onstage in a touring production Jan. 12-24 at the Aronoff Center.  

Let's be forthright: Despite its seemingly upbeat title, the touring Broadway musical 'Spring Awakening' deals with dark and difficult topics: teen suicide, unplanned pregnancy, physical abuse. But the dramatic tension between pain and passion is what's awakened in this powerful show. It's a new dynamic, revealing the magnificent potential of musical theater.