There’s a lot of pressure on the local adaptation of Spring Awakening. The original Broadway production, after all, won eight Tony Awards out of 11 nominations in 2007, including the trophies for Best Musical, Original Score, and Choreography. Well, The Sandbox Collective wasn’t “totally f*cked,” and they delivered a strong performance literally bursting from the stage.
Photos: Loreta Arroyo / The Sandbox Collective
Spring Awakening is a rock musical that follows a group of teenagers as they discover their sexuality in an oppressive late 19th-century Germany. There’s Melchior Gabor, a rebellious yet intelligent schoolboy who dreams of a better world. His best friend is Moritz Stiefel, who is tormented by sexual dreams brought on by puberty, as well as feelings of failure. Wendla Bergmann, meanwhile, feels like she has “no way to handle things” as a young woman. Along the way, the trio, along with their friends, explores the complexities of mental health, growing up, and family life, as well as the consequences of living in a world governed by rigid moral codes.
The Sandbox Collective gathers a strong cast to deliver the complex emotions of Spring Awakening to life. Nacho Tambunting brings a maturity and assuredness to Melchior, a boy known for his radical ideas. Tambunting balances tenderness, especially in “Those You’ve Known,” with disobedience in “Totally F*cked.” At the opposite end of the spectrum, Nic Chien captures the confusing, frustrating feeling of being a teenager through Moritz in “The B*tch of Living.” Sheena Belarmino was exquisite as Wendla. She grounds the play with her childlike innocence.
Photos: Loreta Arroyo / The Sandbox Collective
Tambunting and Chien alternate with Alex Diaz and Omar Uddin. Diaz is more vulnerable as Melchior, reminding audiences that his character is also a child, eager to learn more about the world, and so naive. Uddin embodied Moritz so well with his mannerisms onstage and the rawness and intensity of his voice. You feel his emotions—the fear, the anxiety, the confusion, the anger.
A common piece of feedback from audiences is that each performance of Spring Awakening differs depending on which pairing you get. Each actor brings something unique to the table, and we advise audiences to choose the cast they want to see based on this review.
Photos: Loreta Arroyo / The Sandbox Collective
The rest of the cast also have their standout moments: The First Lady of Philippine Theater, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, and multi-awarded artist Ana Abad Santos share the role of Adult Woman, while the King of Philippine Musical Theater, Audie Gemora, steps into the role of Adult Man.
They are joined by Angelo Martinez as Hänschen Rilow, Vino Mabalot as Otto Lämmermeier, Jam Binay as Ilse Neumann, Angia Laurel as Martha Bessell, Mijon Cortez as Anna, Felicity Kyle Napuli as Thea, Elian Dominguez as Ernst Röbel, and Davy Narciso as Georg Zirschnitz. Rounding out the cast are female swings Pappel and Nikki Bengzon, and male swings Lance Soliman and Gabo Tiongson.
Spring Awakening is told through a folk-infused alternative rock score, written by Duncan Sheik (who ’90s kids will recognize for his songs “Barely Breathing” and “On a High”). Some memorable numbers include Wendla’s “Mama Who Bore Me,” “The B*tch of Living,” “Totally F*cked,” “The Word of Your Body” (Reprise) with Hänschen and Ernst, and the finale song “The Song of Purple Summer.”
It’s the upbeat numbers that are exceptional. They are accompanied by choreography by Nunoy Van Den Burgh, who competed in the reality ballroom (the LGBTQIA+ subculture) competition Legendary. Many of the numbers burst from the stage, with some of the cast dancing off the platform and even into the audience. The intimacy of the venue, The Black Box at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, stands in contrast to the larger-than-life choreography.
Photo: Loreta Arroyo / The Sandbox Collective
Spring Awakening‘s set is also worth noting. It’s dark, imposing, and Brutalist. It almost feels like a tomb, which is a wonderful representation of the oppressive moral code of the time.
Spring Awakening may be set during the 19th century, but the material feels modern (even if the musical debuted in 2006). The things that teenagers worried about then, like mental health and growing pains, are still relevant today. The show’s contemporary energy makes it a must-watch now. Whichever cast you get, you’re in for a ride.
Spring Awakening is the inaugural show of The Black Box at The Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati. The show runs from February 13 until March 22, 2026. Tickets are now available on Ticket2Me (tinyurl.com/SandboxSpring2026).
Spring Awakening is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI), New York, NY, USA.
For more information, follow The Sandbox Collective on Facebook, X, and TikTok @TheSandboxCo. You may also visit the website at thesandboxco.com.
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