FRANK WEDEKIND (1864-1918) was born in Hanover, Germany, and held a number of jobs before working in cabaret and becoming a playwright. His first major play was Spring Awakening (1891). The “Lulu” plays, Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora’s Box (1904), are probably his best-known pieces; the two were the basis for Alban Berg’s opera Lulu, and Die Buchse der Pandora was the basis for the film Pandora’s Box (1929). During Wedekind’s lifetime, his plays were repeatedly banned and only performed in censored versions. They were considered scandalous, for he dared to deal with issues of sexual freedom and release, problems of puberty, moments of ecstasy between the sexes and moments of misunderstanding and violence. His work broke through all the clichés of the theatre of his time, and today he is considered one of the founders of modern drama and a pioneer of expressionism in the theatre.

Currently appearing in Show Theatre Role Spring Awakening Eugene O'Neill Theatre Author

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