Kyle Riabko stars in Spring Awakening at East Lansing's Wharton Center Feb. 24-March 1.

A FEW MINUTES WITH: Kyle Riabko of Spring Awakening at Wharton Center

By Donald V. Calamia

The Michigan premiere of the Tony Award-winning “Spring Awakening” opens Feb. 24 at Wharton Center in East Lansing. Starring in the lead role of Melchior is Kyle Riabko, who talked recently with EncoreMichigan.com about the musical and his multi-faceted career.

It’s not often that a newcomer to Broadway starts off in the lead role of a multiple Tony Award-winning show, but that’s what you did when you replaced Tony-nominee Jonathan Groff in the role of Melchior in "Spring Awakening." How scary was that? And how did that come about?

Replacing Jonathon was definitely a pretty scary feat, but it was made much easier by the fact that he is an incredibly kind person. He told me to enjoy the "gift" of Melchior, and was open to all of my questions and concerned. I was pretty lucky to be able to replace someone like that.

When the first national tour of Spring Awakening hit the road about three months later, you were with it. You’re no stranger to being on the road – you’ve been touring nationally and internationally as a singer since the age of 10. Other than the obvious – that is, moving from town to town – how different is it for an actor to do the musical on the road versus doing it on Broadway, if anything?

Doing the show on the road is an entirely different beast. The major impact is the fact that audiences are so different from each other, from region to region. Certain lines are received with a huge response in one city, and complete silence in another. This challenges us to remain true the original story, but also excited us – because we get a chance to see what different people are like across the country.

For a 21 year old, you’ve already had an amazing career. You’ve released a couple of full-length albums – you even have your own record label, Okbair, Ltd. – and last year you had a supporting role in the popular Canadian TV series Instant Star. Which medium do you prefer – if any – and why? If you could craft the perfect career path for yourself, what would it be?

I have always appreciated people like Steve Martin, and Bon Jovi – self-made men who have their hands in a lot of different fields. They write, they sing, they act, they record. That is the kind of career I would ultimately love to have – one that is constantly exploring itself. I’ll never be satisfied with one "job."

With a plot that addresses masturbation, rape, abortion and teenage sex, Spring Awakening isn’t your typical family-friendly musical. In fact, your character is faced with situations that Tevye and Captain Von Trapp never encountered in all their years singing and dancing on stage. Without giving the plot away, the ending of the musical is quite powerful and gut-wrenching. How difficult is it for you to pull that off night after night?

It’s funny that you mention Tevye, because my first acting role was as "the beggar" in Fiddler on the Roof. A poignant, yet understated performance, in which I screamed "Alms for the poor!"

The emotional context of this show is certainly deeper than your average musical. I think that actually makes it much more fun to perform every night. I can’t imagine doing a show that I didn’t feel deeply about. Because I am so connected with this piece of art, it is a joy to dive into these feelings every night. And I try to bring my day onto the stage with me. If I’m feeling angry, Melchior will be a little more vicious. If I’m feeling happy, he’ll be lighter on his feet. It’s a living, breathing, process.

You’re young, you’ve got a killer smile and you’re on the road. What do you do for fun on your days off? Or at night after a performance?

I spend a lot of time brushing my teeth to maintain that killer smile you speak of. After that, I spend most of my time eating and sleeping. There’s another thing I have in common with Tevye.

ABOUT KYLE RIABKO:

After debuting as Melchior on Broadway, Riabko is proud to join the touring cast of Spring Awakening. As a singer/songwriter, he released a full-length record on Columbia and toured with John Mayer, Maroon 5, BB King and others. Riabko played Milo in Instant Star and his new record, The Parkdale Sessions, is available now. www.kyleriabko.com

SHOW DETAILS:

At Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall, 1 Wharton Center Dr., East Lansing. Feb. 24 - March 1. Tickets: $30-$68. For information: 517-432-2000 or www.whartoncenter.com. Recommended for mature audiences.

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