Wake up Holy Cross
Published: Friday, February 15, 2013
Updated: Sunday, February 17, 2013 17:02
The weekend of February 8 to February 10, many members of the Holy Cross community gathered together to see The Alternative College Theater’s performance of the hit musical, Spring Awakening. This musical follows the story of a group of adolescents as they explore the confusion, power, and inevitability of their sexualities. The scenes depicted an array of different problems that dealt with suicide, parent-child arguments, violence, bullying, death, and abortions. As graphic and emotional these scenes were the audience reacted stronger with a particular scene in the play. One scene showed a girl getting an abortion, no reaction. Another one showed a boy committing suicide, no reaction. However, when two boys briefly kiss one another, an alarming number of “EWWWWS” and “UGHHHHS” echo throughout the audience.
I looked to my friend who instantly understood the immaturity we witnessed. And to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating or being overdramatic, I noticed some shocked expressions towards some people around me. Although I agree that public homosexuality may come as a shock to people, there are times when some reactions are just inappropriate and rude.
Spring Awakening, in its entirety, is a provocative, rebellious, and thought-provoking musical that hopes to depict the out-of-control changes that all youth undergo in society. From this tragic and avant-garde musical, viewers see how growing up is essential in the midst of the tumultuous changes happening around them. The irony in all of this lies in how a college community immaturely laughs in a play with such serious and coming-of-age themes.
In the Holy Cross community and beyond, whether you want to believe it or not, there are people like those in the provocative scene. I hope I don’t scare people or illicit any “EWWWWS” by saying this. There are homosexuals on the Hill and beyond. In fact, the director for Spring Awakening on Broadway is openly gay.
In the year 2013, I thought people, especially a Jesuit collegiate community, would acknowledge the artistic choices of this play. Yet more importantly, I thought people would place some level of dignity and worth on a fellow human being, regardless of race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. I am not suggesting that all people bow down to the gays. At the very least, homosexuals should never be at the receiving end of ridicule and disgust due to ignorance and differences in opinion.
After seeing this musical, my eyes were opened to the ignorant immaturity in our society still alive today. Some people need to open their eyes after seeing that play in order to look beyond their sheltered or one-sided view on life. I just hope that in the Holy Cross campus and the greater world, we learn to appreciate the diversity in our world and respect the human dignity in everyone. No “EWWWS” or “UGHHHS” required.
is a member of the 
