Spring Awakening is a Tony Award-winning rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater. The musical is based on the controversial 1891 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. During the musical, characters sometimes break the fourth wall to express their frustrations, motivations, and desires directly to the audience. After a number of workshops, concerts and rewrites over a seven-year period, Spring Awakening premiered Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theatre Company on May 19, 2006 and closed August 17, 2006. The show opened on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on December 10, 2006 to mostly rave reviews.[1] Spring Awakening received eleven 2007 Tony Award nominations, winning eight, including Tonys for best musical, direction, book, score and featured actor. The show also won four Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical. The production is directed by Michael Mayer and choreographed by Bill T. Jones. Decca Broadway released the original cast recording on December 12, 2006.