‘One-of-a-kind rock musical’

Actor Taylor Trensch’s introduction to musical theater was inauspicious, to say the least.

When he was 6, Trensch saw a notice for auditions for a production of “The Wizard of Oz.” He tried out, and was cast as a Munchkin.

“That was my theatrical debut,” Trensch said. “I peed my pants during curtain call.”

Since that initiation, he has taken on one of the most squealed-about roles on Broadway.

Trensch, 20, is one of the new stars of “Spring Awakening,” a musical that took the Great White Way by storm when it debuted in late 2006. It opens Tuesday at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

The show is known for its “real” rock music by artist Duncan Sheik, strong language and overt sensuality.

“‘Spring Awakening’ is a one-of-a-kind rock musical that’s based on a German play written in 1891, and it’s basically the story of a group of teenagers discovering the tumultuousness of their own blooming sexuality,” Trensch said.

The show contains partial nudity, strong language and sexual situations. Trensch said the show’s content is comparable to a PG-13 rating, but advised parents to review the study guide at ocpac.org.

Issues explored in the show, like isolation, low self-esteem, sensuality and parental pressure, provide teaching opportunities for families. The venue has planned several talks with therapists and cast members, to enhance the learning experience.

“I think one thing I’ve learned from the show is that while we have advanced a lot in the past 100 years since this was written, we still have a long way to go,” Trensch said, paraphrasing Mahatma Gandhi: “You need to be the change you want to see in the world.”

His own interest in musical theater began when he was a young child, he said.

“I think the very first show I ever saw was a touring production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera,’ and while it wasn’t my favorite thing I’ve ever seen, I thought it was so cool that the actors were performing it night after night. It wasn’t like film. They had a chance to redo it every night,” Trensch said.

In contrast with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s bombastic masterpiece, “Spring Awakening” immediately resonated with Trensch, a junior at Elon University in North Carolina. He is part of the school’s renowned musical theater program, and is taking a year off from school while he tours with “Spring Awakening.”

Trensch plays Moritz, a boy who is tormented by his own puberty, his grades in school and his family; he’s reliant on his one and only friend, Melchior.

“The music is what grabbed me first,” he said. “I’ve been listening to Duncan Sheik since he first started recording music. I don’t think there was any other piece of theater out there at the time that was genuine rock music.”

Trensch said he believes the show will help shape the future of Broadway.

“I think it’s already inspiring theater in general,” he said, adding that the show demonstrates that musicals don’t have to follow a specific model in order to impact and teach audiences.

Acclaimed choreographer Bill T. Jones emphasized motions rather than dance when developing choreography for the show.

“It’s funny because the original cast kept stressing that none of them are dancers,” Trensch said, so the choreography was created to be in keeping with their skills.

“It’s less choreographed, and it’s very gestural,” Trensch said.

Trensch was clear about what he would tell people who are on the fence about seeing the show.

“I would tell them that they’ll never see anything like this ever again,” he said. “There’s great rock music, and it’s a story that’s so relevant today, even though it was written so long ago.”

If You Go

What: “Spring Awakening”

When: Tuesday to Nov. 29; free preview 3 p.m. Thursday at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza

Where: Segerstrom Hall, Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

Cost: $20 to $65

Information: (714) 556-2787 or ocpac.org