D ESPITE winning eight Tony awards, the musical Spring Awakening has yet to bloom into the full flower of instant audience recognition.

But Broadstairs theatre company Stage Door is planning to change that in a production that opens at the Theatre Royal, Margate on Thursday.

Musical director Edward Greenhalgh is talking about the relatively new show, which only came to London's West End about 18 months ago and has already won four Olivier awards, and the "challenges" he faces in bringing it to Thanet.

He said: "It's not like the usual youth theatre production. Spring Awakening is fascinating and innovative. It's based on an 1891 play written by Frank Wedekind about the trials, tears, and exhilaration of the teen years. It was originally banned in his native Germany. The text is set in that period but the music is contemporary.

"Two worlds combine as soon as the singing begins because the songs are used as vehicles to express the unspoken thoughts of the characters. So it is a challenge for the cast, although all being aged between 18 and 21 years old, they relate to a coming of age story."

It is, Edward says, the music that transports the experience of the show to the present day with an alternative rock and folk infused score that fuses classical and modern influences.

Georgia Gibbs and Zac Cooke play the main characters, Wendla and Melchior who share a sexual encounter with tragic results. David Hands plays Morritz, Ashley Smith is Anna, Sophie Webb is Martha and Sian Webb plays Thea. Heidi Moran directs.

Spring Awakening runs from Thursday until Saturday at the Theatre Royal, Margate with performances at 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale for £10 from www.theatreroyalmargate.com, 01227 787787 or on the door.