Spring Awakening will run in the Theater Building’s Mabie Theater at 8 p.m. today through Saturday. The performance tonight is made special by Duncan Sheik’s visit to UI’s campus.

Sheik, the composer and mastermind behind Spring Awakening, will speak in the Theater Building at noon today, with questions from director Nathan Halvorson and dramaturge Jenni Page-White of UI’s production of his work.

Sheik will speak about Spring Awakening, his musical and theatrical career, and his upcoming projects. He is working on productions of  Brett Easton Ellis’ American Psycho and Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale. In addition, his band will begin a 30-date national tour this month. The Tony-Award winner’s visit will be rather brief, because he will perform with his band at the Legion Arts at CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids at 7 p.m. today. The band released its newest album, Covers ’80s Remixed, on Nov. 6. In terms of his singing career, Sheik is most well known for his Grammy-nominated song “Barely Breathing,” released in 1996. He has released several albums since, all of which have been critically acclaimed.

Nineteen of his original compositions are featured in Spring Awakening; the original Broadway production won eight Tony Awards in 2007. Sheik won Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestration, along with a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.

The cast of Spring Awakening believes it will make a wonderful addition to its performance to hear the composer’s ideas on the drama.

— by Justus Flair