‘Spring Awakening' Launches Crowd-Funding Campaign Pay for Tony Awards Performance

Deaf West Theatre's critically-acclaimed revival of "Spring Awakening," which used a mix of speaking and deaf actors to tell the story in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s 2006 musical, is turning to its fans for help reuniting its cast for a performance on the Tonys. 

After being nominated for three 2016 Tony Awards, including Best Revival, the production has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to cover the costs associated with performing on the June 12 telecast. 

Broadway casts typically pay out of pocket for the opportunity to perform on the Tonys.

GetSpringOnTheTonys.com is seeking to raise $200,000 by June 11. As of Wednesday, the campaign had raised over $45,500, with more than 600 backers.

"There’s just one night a year that theater gets this platform," artistic director D.J. Kurs said in a statement. "Our performance will be an undeniable statement to the world that theater is for everyone.”

The crowd-funded campaign is a full-circle moment for Deaf West, whose journey to Broadway began with a Kickstarter campaign that funded rehearsals in a North Hollywood church and performances at the 99-seat Inner City Arts’ Rosenthal Theater in Los Angeles.

"Now, as a non-profit, Deaf West is looking to our fervent supporters, many of whom supported Spring Awakening’s acclaimed limited run on Broadway, to reunite our far-flung cast for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform for the world on the Tony Awards broadcast," Kurs continued.

Donations begin at $20. Rewards for contribution include everything from a social media shout out and commemorative t-shirt to tickets to the official Tony Awards parties and dinner with Tony-nominated director Michael Arden and star Marlee Matlin.

"Spring Awakening" opened on Broadway in September 2015, and ended its limited run at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Jan. 24 after playing 23 previews and 137 regular performances. A national tour is being planned for launch in 2017.

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