Area Stage Company's Spring Awakening Musical in Coral Gables on June 1, 2, 3, 8, or 9

Going to the theater lets you take in dramatic scenes at a safe distance, much like listening to your neighbors argue about how to pronounce gnocchi. Hide behind the fourth wall with this GrouponLive deal to see Spring Awakening presented by Area Stage Company at Riviera Theater in Coral Gables. For $11, you get one ticket for seating in rows B, C, or D of the left section or rows C or D or the right section (up to a $22.70 value, including fees). Student tickets are normally $11.85 with fees. Choose from the following dates:

Friday, June 1, at 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 2, at 8 p.m.
Sunday, June 3, at 5 p.m.
Friday, June 8 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 9 at 8 p.m.

Addressing the darker side of adolescent life in a sexually restrictive society, the 2007 Tony–sweeping musical Spring Awakening is based on an 1892 play of the same name, rarely performed and often banned in its own time. Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik arranged, scored, and adapted this raw, unfiltered story, which follows a student body of turn-of-the-century teenagers as they navigate the difficult road to adulthood. The singer-songwriter behind the radio hit "Barely Breathing," Sheik sets the uncomfortable truths of adolescent sexual anxiety to heart-wrenching songs, such as the romantically naïve Wendla's unanswered plea for wisdom in "Mama Who Bore Me," and "Touch Me," a tender, triumphant ballad that buzzes with physical desire. The centerpiece of the drama is the growing attraction between the headstrong yet well-educated Melchior and Wendla, whose faulty knowledge leads to tragedy.

Meanwhile, Melchior's best friend, Moritz, pines for the Bohemian runaway Ilse and tirelessly works to succeed in school even as he struggles to rein in his stampeding libido. None of the central couples' classmates are free of secrets either, and the musical boldly faces these realities, from closeted homosexuality to child abuse.

The production is part of Area Stage Company's Summer Conservatory Program, which was recently profiled in the Miami Herald. Since 2009, the program has sent 20 of its students to prestigious performing institutions such as Juilliard and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. "Area Stage has made me the actress I am today," said Marilyn Caserta, the 16-year-old costar of Spring Awakening. "It's incredible the tools I've learned."

This musical contains strong language and adult situations and is intended for mature audiences.