LODS Spring Awakening and World Mental Health Day

Spring Awakening may not be a musical that you have heard of, it certainly isn’t in the mainstream, but that doesn’t take anything away from its powerful, energetic and thought-provoking story, with the original Broadway production earning exceptional critical acclaim, eight Tony Awards and four Olivier Awards!

Adapted from the German play written by Frank Wedekind in 1891, Spring Awakening follows the lives of a group of teenagers in late 19^th Century Germany, as they navigate through teenage self-discovery and coming of age anxieties.

The most notable character dealing with mental health issues is Moritz. He is excluded by his peers for being awkward, berated by his parents for being a disappointment and is consumed by the pressure of succeeding in school, as well as his confusion surrounding his sexuality, all leading to Moritz taking his own life.

The story challenges a wealth of mental health issues, and doesn’t shy away from other sensitive issues such as physical abuse and rape. Although the original play was written over a hundred years ago, the starkness of its relevance and the way people deal with mental health issues is very apparent.

World Mental Health Day will take place on Wednesday 10^th October. This year’s theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health is young people and mental health in a changing world. As Spring Awakening ties in so well to this, LODS are incredibly proud to be helping to raise awareness of such important issues.

At each performance of Spring Awakening, LODS will be collecting money for the South East and Central Essex Branch of Mind; the Mental Health Charity.

Mind work tirelessly to help those struggling with their mental health, from workplace training to everyday life tips, helplines for urgent advice to guidance on legal rights and much more. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for charities such as Mind to help break the barriers and stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but 10^th October is a great day to show your support for better mental health and start looking after your own wellbeing. More young people than ever are seeking help with their mental health, but less than 1 in 10 find it easy to get the support they need.

Music is a confirmed way to improve mental illness, helping to reduce symptoms of depression, reducing stress and improving mood and sleep. By using music to discuss and raise awareness of such hard-hitting topics, the emotional truth of these disorders is uncovered, helping listeners coping with mental illness to feel less alone.

Musical theatre is breaking down the stigma of mental illness with shows such as Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal and of course Spring Awakening. While the characters and stories may not be real, the emotions and struggles that they are facing are often very relatable. These characters are not demonised; they’re simply shown as people, who happen to have a mental illness, trying to get by.

Help us to raise awareness of World Mental Health Day and mental illness by supporting LODS production of Spring Awakening at the Palace Theatre from  17^th – 20^th October, Tickets can be booked via the link below, use the code ‘LODSSA220′ for 2 for £20.00 tickets on Wednesday night and Thursday matinee performances.

And don’t forget donations can be made to Mind through their website, www.mind.org.uk/donate