What is Siloam? Created in 1995, “Siloam offers a safe, caring, hope-filled environment that welcomes men, women and children of all races, creeds and orientations who are infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS to make choices and set goals related to their overall wellness.” Siloam enriches the well-being of people impacted by HIV/AIDS by providing a broad range of integrative mind/body/spirit services that empower them to develop skills and personal strengths, which lead to more meaningful lives.

Sr. Bernadette Kinniry, one of the co-founders of Siloam.

Siloam’s variety of integrated programs pay attention to the healing of the whole person—body, mind and spirit—as a complement to traditional medicine. Siloam pays particular attention to helping people access the spirituality that they already have within them for the purpose of wellness. All are welcome at the center, where healing, light-heartedness, tenderness and safety help our clients get in touch with and claim who they really are!

Our clients, while vibrant and bright with life, do not have the financial resources to pay for the programs we offer; 88% are from low income households. Our work continues to exist and grow because of the generosity of people like you. Your participation helps to support this one-of-a-kind body, mind and spirit wellness center for the HIV/AIDS community. As we pass the 30th anniversary of HIV/AIDS, Siloam is needed more than ever!

Help Siloam reach even more of the 30,000 people in the Delaware Valley who are living with HIV/AIDS by participating in the Thirteen Annual Golf Classic. There are several ways you can participate:

Sponsorship

Donating items for the silent and live auctions

Golf, individually or with a foursome

Cocktails, auction and dinner

For more details, please contact us by phone at 215-765-6633 or via email at cmaguire@siloamwellness.org. On behalf of our clients, please accept our thanks. Your generosity will be returned to you a hundredfold!

—Cathy Maguire, RSM, Executive Director

For those of you who have experienced the European-style dinner party right here in our own little town, this is a much anticipated return to summer. For those new to this experience, then it is a very impressive first look into a community that regards eating (and drinking) with real style and gusto.

The Promenade

Casting your eyes down State Street is a real treat to see the tables lined up through town, with kids playing, chalk drawings taking form along the trolley tracks, people reconnecting, shopping or just taking it all in.

I want to walk. I must go down there to see for myself. Look at all of these people. Oh, that dish looks good. Hi, I know you! A blue cow. Cool chalk drawing—very colorful. What? A blue cow? Well that’s a new one. (The 320 Market Café was having a promotion of its imported Beemster cheese, so sure, a person dressed as a blue cow. Why not?) Media is always full of surprises.

We let the kids run around a bit or play with clay at the Earth & State table since the blocks between Orange and Jackson are closed to street traffic every Wednesday night from May through September. They’re fairly well behaved and I know they won’t go far. And honestly, I trust my neighbors and the fair people of Media. But I reel them in like big fish when they start to run or get too close to tables that might bother other diners. After all, this event is for everyone, and the kids are a big part of this community.

The sun sets quickly, now low over the West side of town cutting under umbrellas, shining off wine glasses and silverware, igniting the tracks that divide these seats from those—creating a sun-drenched path for strolling right down the middle. The weather is perfect.

We finally say goodbye to some friends and make our way to our reservation. Drinks. Yes. Appetizers. Yes! A post to Facebook. (Sorry, I’m addicted.) And the kids are off again. We let them wander and explore, but always within our sight. And finally I relax with a soft breeze, a much needed drink and the happiness that dawns on me knowing that Media is just such a cool town. I sit back and listen: the sound of an acoustic guitar, the joyful murmur of the crowd, the occasional call to a friend, an eruption of laughter from a nearby table, birds catching a last minute meal themselves over the canopy of maturing trees so thoughtfully planted by the Borough a few years earlier. This event is not spontaneous, but planned—galvanized by the restaurants of Media. And tonight it looks effortless.

The Scoop

For those who have not attended one of these events, here’s the deal. Make a reservation at your favorite place. Or better yet, pick a restaurant you’ve never been to, a cuisine maybe you’ve never tried, and take a chance. If they don’t take reservations, don’t fret. Get out there and put your name in early; tables turn over pretty quick. If it’s a BYOB place, bring your favorite drink with you; many places also serve mixers and will gladly help you open your personalized selection. Bring some sunglasses as the “stars” really don’t happen until much later. And the sunsets and color changes on the storefronts can be really interesting to watch over the course of an evening as well.

The Food

Well, you really can’t go wrong. There’s pretty much everything you could want in Media. I’m a big fan of spice—preferably Asian or Mexican—but with four new restaurants in town this year (Spasso Italian Grill, Diego’s Cantina & Tequila Bar, Desert Rose Mediterranean and now tables at 320 Market Café), there is a larger range than ever. Follow Dining Under the Stars on Facebook for weekly details about participating restaurants, merchants, entertainment and special events!

Try small dishes and share—especially if you are with friends or have a big family. This will allow you to try a bunch of things without breaking the bank, and it’s been done this way for centuries in Europe—a la fresca.

Take the Kids.

Tell them what they can and can’t do at this event. Trust that they will behave, but please ask them to follow the few rules that are asked of Dining patrons: no bicycles or scooters, no ball-throwing or waterguns, dogs must be on a leash and pretty much refrain from anything else that might be disruptive to other guests in town. There’s usually something interesting on hand for them to do, and the street chalk drawing is fun for any age artist.

Walk!

Hold someone’s hand, walk up and down State Street and check it all out. Many stores are open late, store windows are dressed up and there is always something different to see. It is not uncommon to even run into a full-on fashion show right here in the middle of town.

Say Hello.

For me, it’s the people that make this event so special. Running into friends, talking to store owners, the people watching is key. It doesn’t really take much to scratch the surface of formality and meet someone new. My guess is that you’ll get more smiles and even more hellos from perfect strangers than you’ll find in most towns in the area. Food and fun just bring that out in people.

Repeat.

We walked—no, strike that—we were dragged to the local ice cream shop to finish out our evening. And the best part of that visit was having to walk back through town again now that the skies were turning from a dark orange hue to deep blue-black. We escorted our sleepy kids back to our car and nodded a regretful farewell to the nightlife that was just getting started in Media.

No cooking, no dishes, no disconnection from the place we live. Just a town to call home. You just need to show up for dinner. Save me a seat next Wednesday.

—Chris Dietrich

Chris Dietrich is a relative newcomer to Media, having relocated here some eight years ago with his wife Marie Goodwin. Food, libations and music bring him happiness, and he is constantly thrilled to be surrounded by such an active foodie community right here in Media. You might see him on State Street now and again working with the Media Arts Council, pitching in on the latest sustainability effort around town or creating something new at his design firm, Watertable Creative. You might recognize some of his work about town as well. Look for Chris’s articles on Media’s food scene every few weeks here on figmediapa.com!

I have been a resident of Media going on four years now. Coming from New York City I suppose there was a bit of a snob in me: could anything ever measure up to the Big Apple? Okay, nothing is quite like Manhattan. But as I’ve come to discover, nothing is quite like Media, either, and it has slowly but surely worked its charm on me. From being able to walk around town, to the thriving food scene, to the real sense of community, Media is a special place. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, we got a farmers’ market three years ago. Who needs New York?

Located next to The Media Theatre on State Street, the Market is open from 3 to 7PM every Thursday, beginning May 10 and ending November 15. On opening day lat week I was thrilled to see that many of my favorites were back: Burlap and Bean (coffee), Fruitwood Orchards (fresh produce, honey), Zsa’s Ice Cream (artisanal frozen treats), My House Cookies (baked goodness), Anita’s Guacamole (guacamole, salsa and chips), Maiale Deli and Salumeria (hand-crafted specialty sausages) and many others.

There are a host of new vendors, too, and what’s so fantastic is that they really seem to complement the regulars, making it is easier than ever to put together a whole meal or gather the ingredients for an awesome dinner party in one trip. Need a bottle of chardonnay to go with the sausage and greens you’re going sauté later? Visit the folks at Stargazer Vineyards. Maybe you’d like to curry your vegetables instead. Grab a jar of Asian simmer sauce at Beyond the Spice. Want to grill up some grass-fed pork or chicken from Birchrun Hills Farm? Put some sweet or spicy barbecue sauce from Q’s Cue on it. And who could say no to whoopee pies from A Sweet Mess for dessert? For a full list of new and returning vendors, visit the market website.

Market manager Joe Fazik was on hand, chatting to folks, handing out volunteer badges to his crew and generally being the friendly, keen face of the market. It’s Joe’s first year as manager, and he was enthusiastic about his new position. He is hoping to use his connections in the Media restaurant scene to bring in local chefs who will do cooking demonstrations that highlight the market’s produce and fresh food. All the products featured at the market are raised, grown or handmade by the vendors. In other words, there aren’t any third parties here, so you get it straight from the source. In addition to the great products on hand, local Media businesses and performing artists will be featured regularly.

Lucky for me (and for a lot of other parents, too), the Farmers Market sits right across the street from Media Elementary School on State Street. It’s win-win as the parents can chat and socialize while getting stuff for dinner and the kids can run around in a pack, occasionally circling back to grab money for a cupcake or an ice-cream sandwich. It’s all part of the convivial atmosphere that is more pot-luck social than obligatory shopping trip. You’re bound to run into someone you know, or kind of know, or at least have seen around town. Go enough times and you might even make more friends than you have on Facebook. Okay, that’s probably not possible but I guarantee you’ll make at least one new friend! As one volunteer I spoke to put it, “I became a volunteer just because I love the market!” Yep, that about sums it up.

For all the information you need, visit the market website or follow them on Facebook!

—Jennifer Camp

Jennifer Camp is a playwright and screenwriter. Her plays have been produced in Philadelphia, New York, Dallas and Cleveland, among other places. She lives in Media borough with her husband and two children. She loves Media and wouldn’t live anywhere else, even if she won the Megamillions jackpot! Look for Jennifer’s columns every few weeks right here on figmediapa.com!

Enjoy better nutrition and save time and money by learning how to make your own salad dressings, dips and sauces from scratch. Come see how easy it is! Making your own dressings and sauces can be one of the best first steps toward making your kitchen a healthier one. I’ll be providing loads of recipes and samples, along with a quick primer on healthy fats—which fats you should be using and which you should avoid. With just a few simple steps you can save on your budget and enhance the nutrition in your food for better overall health.

Participants will receive handouts about good fats, why the body needs fats, and more, as well as a dozen recipes for dressings, dips and even homemade mayo!

Getting the right fats is a critical component to health—join me Saturday and find out why the low-fat craze is making us all sicker!

If you have questions or would like to sign up, contact me via email (divinehealthfromtheinsideout@gmail.com).

—Lydia Shatney

Lydia, a single mom of four fabulous boys, is on a mission to share her passion for whole, healthy, real foods with the world. She enjoys living life one day at a time, from the inside out! Lydia believes that health is a choice, a right and a gift that we cannot take for granted that that we must fight for. This column is adapted from the original, which you can find on Lydia’s blog, Divine Health from the Inside Out . . . Watch for Lydia’s columns every few weeks right here on figmediapa.com!

As well as being a Transition Town and having a local farm, Hillside Farm, operating with a Community Supported Agriculture model, Media is the first Fair Trade Town in the United States of America. Yes, the first. The America’s First Fair Trade Town Committee, a group of Media residents and business owners, brought this idea—in its modern form—from England to Media in 2005 and began spreading it across the nation. Now there are 28 Fair Trade Towns in the country and countless institutions and groups that have declared themselves Fair Trade along the way.

Members of the Media Fair Trade Town Committee at a recent meeting.

I joined the committee in September. I showed up at one of the group’s weekly meetings on Thursday morning and found not only myself but also my opinions to be welcomed right away. I left the meeting with homework to do. Good.

If you are like me when I joined the committee and didn’t know much about Fair Trade, you might be wondering what exactly it is. There is a lot of history to the Fair Trade concept—it has been around since the times of slavery—but I’ll share here what I understand of it in my own words.

The term refers to both a movement of people and a certification for products. People in the movement, a.k.a, Fair Trade advocates, work with the vision of changing our trading system for one that fairly recognizes the producers of commodities and manufacturers of goods for the hard work they do. The certification is one aspect of that vision; it can be obtained by businesses to ensure consumers that the goods being offered have been produced or obtained under trading rules that are socially, economically and environmentally just.

Hal Taussig, Director of the Untours Foundation, envisioned and inspired Media to become a Fair Trade town.

There are people who compare the Fair Trade movement with the Abolitionist movement. I like to think that way, too. Back then, in our own country, slaves were forced to work, denied of their rights and abused by the system. Abolitionists had a vision to change that. Today, cacao, coffee and sugar growers—to name but a few—in developing countries work under similar conditions: with long hours, unhealthy conditions, miserable payment and no other option to make a living. The same holds true for workers in clothing factories. There are cocoa plantations that recruit children under the promise of making income for their families but then the children are taken away, forced to work and paid nothing. It is slavery. Fair Trade advocates want to change that. The idea is that we all take part in the change by buying products that are Fair Trade certified.

Explore Media’s Fair Trade Town Committee website and/or follow them on Facebook if you want to learn more about the history of the Fair Trade movement, how the certification program works and how Media got to be the first town in the country to become a Fair Trade town. And you will be very welcomed if you want to join the movement—just show up at a meeting Thursday morning when you’re ready.

—Mariana Lamaison Sears

Mariana Lamaison Sears is a freelance reporter, blogger and amateur photographer currently working as a full-time mom of three. Originally from Argentina, Mariana now lives in Media and volunteers with the Fair Trade Town Committee. Look for her articles on the Fair Trade movement in Media every few weeks here on figmediapa.com!

“We’re throwing pots in the art room,” says Annie. “Come see.” I hang up the phone. I’m off. Gotta see this.

Here are half of the OG students sitting at the four potting wheels. Master potter Annie, on leave from kindergarten, is helping them throw balls of clay onto the slowly spinning wheels. This is hard, unfamiliar work. It is a tactile, intellectual, mud-based, gooey exercise in play, precision, letting materials talk to you and listening to the wise practitioner about how to find your way from ball of clay to glazed and kiln-fired pot. A mug! A bowl! A Grecian urn!

The whole curriculum is present. You must gauge speed and centrifugal force and friction (math and physics), the chemical nature of the clay (science—would the clay out by the forts work on the wheel?), aesthetics (What makes the amphora such a beautiful and practical design?), history (What is an amphora?).

An art classroom at The School in Rose Valley.

And the sub-curriculum is present too. Explanation is only minimally helpful. You must put your hands on the work to understand it. And your hands must be simultaneously directive and yielding, allowing the clay to declare its intentions in response to you declaring yours. The clay has a mind of its own. The wheel seems to have a mind of its own. Each potter has a mind of his own. The master potter too. Each potter, each bowl, is an exploration of effective technique.

Surely this is a Zen moment, a curriculum and pedagogy moment, and the concentration of our nascent potters at work is intense and focused. This is most powerfully about exploration, taking unfamiliar materials and working them toward an idea you have in mind: utilitarian, decorative, experimental—your call.

This is a careful dance between malleability, force, yielding, the balance of wet and dry, centered or off-centered; having an idea in mind, and a resistant material in hand. It is about making something, and the best teaching interactions center and cohere around some expression of this goal.

Is this not a perfect metaphor for the interaction of student, teacher, time and materials, the commerce by which the best learning is accomplished, when the entrepreneurialism of teachers is tapped? The perfect metaphor for the teacher’s own show of restraint, force, direction, listening and observation—gauging the primal force at work in each student as desire is centered, molded, shaped and beautifully encouraged? Consider the respect of the experienced potter for the self-discovery that the novice must go through, when experience itself is allowed to instruct, and relay that into any academic or artistic arena! The clay is not the only thing being centered here.

The poets have already distilled this experience. “The Thing You Must Remember,” by Maggie Anderson, comes to mind, and may stand for all of the power and much of the influence of great teachers.

 

The thing you must remember is how, as a child,

you worked hours in the art room, the teacher’s

hands over yours, molding the little clay dog.

You must remember how nothing mattered

but the imagined dog’s fur, the shape of his ears

Sewing Room, conceived and designed by C. Barry Marron. The designer of the fiber optic light gown is by Janice Martin Couture.

The Designer Show House is a presentation of the region’s most creative interior designers. Each designer was given a bare room, or a blank palette, in which to develop a theme that complements the architecture of the home. Fishing Rock Farm is a charming stone farm house built in 1928 by E. K. Crothers for Media’s Beatty family. It is nestled on 5 acres of wooded land overlooking Ridley Creek at Knowlton Road. Upon arriving, visitors will notice the stone house at the top of the winding drive on the left and the coolness of the air beneath the rich shade of surrounding greenery.

Stepping through the doorway into the show house, one enters the creative studio of Tory Savery, of Savery Design in Swarthmore, PA (the bottle light above is from this room). This Entrance and Center Hall creates Room #1 of the show and sets the mood for the tour. The great staircase and perfect primitive furniture mixed with modern pieces of art feel like a room in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. You expect to see slender gloved women dangling cocktail glasses in the hall or fixing their bobbed hair in the reflection of a framed piece of art.

Deco Friendly Guest Bedroom, by Gretchen Mannion.

The second room, and possibly my favorite of the 15, is A Bibliophile’s Study. This is a cozy paneled room for serious reading by day and a place for catching up with old friends by night. Patricia V. Mulhilly of PVM Designs of Media describes her room as a tribute to her avid reader husband and his love for author John Updike. She altered the ceiling with textured fabric to encircle guests in the warmth and comfort of the study. In each room there is a sheet of paper that displays a before picture of the room as it sat empty. The contrast is astounding when you see it, and the vibrancy and life felt in the Bibliophile’s Study make it difficult to believe it had been any other way.

Suzette Strine of The Turnkeys on West Baker Street designed Room #3, The Salon. There is a grand piano in the corner and an enormous fireplace across the rectangular room. The Salon is elegant and classy; it is for pearls, satin and soft leather-soled shoes. Wandering room through room is tremendously fun in this imaginative way and is also a great sensory experience. From the Entrance through the Elegant English Retreat on the second floor and down into the modernist Kitchen, there are pleasant and luxurious surprises at every turn.

Back Hall, by C. Barry Marron.

Following a narrow hallway on the second floor will lead you by the fantastic Sewing Room, something that needs to be seen in person for the full effect, and toward Artist’s Atelier. Here in Room #14 you will see a gallery display of various Community Arts Center fine artists, from Rose Valley’s Wayne G. Brown to Fishing Rock Farm’s homeowner, Nancy Markezin. This is a nice touch to the tour, which really rings true to the home’s heritage and story. The Show House is a place for artists and art lovers to rekindle their love of the Arts and Crafts Movement, to stroll around like Jay Gatsby and to be artfully inspired by the decorative flourishes of the house’s local designers. The artist soul is in abundance at CAC’s Designer Show House, and the interior designers capture its spirit.

Visit the Community Arts Center’s Show House Wednesdays through Sundays until May 27; find hours and buy tickets ($25) here. You may also purchase tickets at the door or by calling 610-566-1713.

—Kate Bundrick

Kate Bundrick is an artist who resides in Media Borough. She pursues her artistic endeavors both professionally and through volunteer work with the Media Arts Council as their 2nd Saturday Arts Stroll coordinator. Look for Kate’s articles on the Media art scene every few weeks here on figmediapa.com!

Seven Stones Cafe has amazing locally made cupcakes!

Though it wasn’t particularly cold outside, Seven Stones was warm and inviting to us, the weary movers. I don’t remember what my mom ordered, but I know I chose the Irish Escape Latte. Maybe it was the chocolate, Irish cream and espresso combination that enticed me, but I suspect it was the name. I needed an escape from the moving process, and that latte gave me the escape I needed. After our coffee and snack, my mom and I got the second wind we needed to haul the rest of my crap into my new apartment.

Because Seven Stones Café provided me with the escape and subsequent energy needed to make it through the rest of my move, it will always have a place in my heart.

Seven Stones Café and Seven Stones Gallery are family-owned businesses. Whereas Denise and Nick Yocco run the gallery, their lovely daughter Natalie Graham runs the café.

Seven Stones Café boasts a wide variety of coffee drinks, smoothies and premium sodas. My personal favorites are the MASH sodas. Additionally, they sell soups, salads, sandwiches, bagels, oatmeal and gelato. A lot of their food options are vegan or vegetarian.

If I had to guess, I’d venture to say the desserts are one of the best things about Seven Stones Café. I once witnessed a woman storm out because they didn’t have the tiramisu. There you have it: Seven Stones Café sells desserts so good that their absence can reduce a grown woman to a two-year-old hissy fit. As the disgruntled woman found out the hard way, their desserts are always changing. Also worth noting is that desserts are sourced from a variety of bakeries in the area. When I went in this weekend, they had chocolate chip cookies and bread pudding, both of which are made on site, as well as cheesecake, adorable amuse bouche dessert squares, a lemon tarte, beautiful carrot cake slices and several varieties of biscotti.

You can't go wrong with Seven Stones' locally made biscotti--perfect for dipping in one of their delicious coffee drinks!

The vibrantly painted walls of the dining area are often adorned with the works of local artists. The Phillies-themed paintings of Seth Mushrush were on display in April. (Seth is another one of my Media favorites.) They also have local artists in to play on 2nd Saturdays. A list of their upcoming summer musical events can be found on their website. You can also follow the café on Facebook.

Seven Stones Café, in my opinion, has the best combination of delectable delights and calming ambiance that Media has to offer. It’s the place I default to when I need a pick-me-up after a long day or in the middle of a day that’s not going quite as planned. But honestly, I don’t need an excuse to go in there; it’s one of my favorite places. Seven Stones Café is quintessentially Media, which means they’re a part of what makes Media such a magical and delightful place to be.

—Nina J. Davidson

Nina is an aspiring novelist and New Jersey native. A little over a year ago, she moved to Media, and it has been the best decision she has ever made. She finds great joy in living here and tells everyone she meets about the magic of Media. Nina is honored to share her love of Media on figmediapa.com. Be sure also to check out her blog, Cooktivism, where Nina writes about food and posts recipes she created. Nina also writes for figwestchester.com—check out her latest article there!

The event will be held on Saturday, May 5, from 9–11:30AM. Lunch and t-shirts will be provided for registered volunteers—read on for more information on how to register.

CRC is a volunteer-based nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1970, the same year as Earth Day! CRC’s stewardship area encompasses 132 square miles and 35 municipalities throughout Delaware and Chester Counties.  Their website is a wealth of information: from water quality assessments and watershed studies to information on recreation along Chester, Ridley and Crum Creeks, including fishing, bird watching and hiking.

The Annual Streams Cleanup is just one of many activities that CRC undertakes to further its mission—“To protect, conserve, and restore the natural resources of the Chester, Ridley, and Crum Creek watersheds.” CRC’s activities and public education programs range from erosion control projects and tree planting to training on freshwater mussels, rain gardens, rain barrels and healthy yards. As one volunteer has written, “Thanks for all that . . . the CRC does to keep our earth clean and happy”!

If you’d like to get involved in this event, meet at the Glen Providence Park main entrance on West State Street in Media at 9AM on Saturday, May 5. Gloves and bags will be provided. We recommend long pants and long sleeves to protect against poison ivy and ticks.  If you’d like to tackle trash along the streambank, wear water shoes, boots or old shoes!

Please register for the cleanup through the CRC website to get a free participant t-shirt and picnic lunch following the cleanup. The lunch will be held at Ridley Creek State Park, Pavilion 8, from 11:45AM to 1PM.

For more information, including a listing of other cleanup sites for May 5, visit the CRC website. Or feel free to contact us at FriendsoftheGlen@gmail.com with any questions about the Glen Providence Park cleanup.

We hope to see you May 5!

—Stephanie Gaboriault

Stephanie Gaboriault has lived in Media almost 20 years, having decided to move here after just one visit to State Street. She has found that this charming and walkable town just keeps getting better with its involved community, small businesses and events. In recent years, Stephanie has channeled her energy into volunteering around Media, including for the Media Arts Council, Media’s Fair Trade Town Committee and now Friends of Glen Providence Park. She lives in the Borough with her wonderful husband and sons.

This article originally appeared on the Friends of Glen Providence Park’s website. To see it in its original form, visit the link.

Without giving away too much of the plot, I can tell you this: the show deals with issues facing adolescents—the same issues that have existed for centuries and that continue today. The show also portrays the consequences when parents and adults don’t or won’t help teens deal with these issues. It’s a gripping, at times heart-breaking, performance.

The show opens with young Wendla Bergmann asking her mother about the “birds & bees.” Her mother’s vague explanation leaves Wendla no wiser and leads into the show’s first song, “Mama Who Bore Me,” and then the reprise of the song by the entire girls’ cast. Right away we can see that the parents have given these young women no way to handle or understand their budding sexuality.

Erin Burniston and Schyler Conaway as Wendla and Melchior in "Spring Awakening" at The Media Theatre.

Next we’re taken inside the boys’ school—where we meet rebel Melchior Gabor. Not happy simply to accept what his teachers and parents tell him, Melchior questions everything and strains against the strict conformity required of him and his fellow adolescents. He challenges his teacher in defense of classmate Moritz Stiefel and is met with the teacher’s stick.  In his first song, “All That’s Known,” Melchior expresses his desire to change society’s narrow-mindedness.

As a counterpoint to the girls’ budding sexuality, which is portrayed (for the most part) as romantic and naive, the boys’ emerging desires are raw and fiery, as we hear in their first ensemble number, “The Bitch of Living, ” in which they enumerate their sexual longings. Their frustration and anger overwhelm them as they sing, “This can’t be it!”

With all of the these teens longing to break free from the restraints placed on them by their parents, their teachers, their religious leaders and society and just discovering feelings of love and lust (elaborated in the ensemble performance of “Touch Me”), it’s only a matter of time before their lack of guidance in handling these serious topics leads to adversity. The remainder of the show is a lesson in what can go wrong when adolescents are left to figure it all out on their own.

The stellar young cast is first rate in this fine production. The phenomenal Erin Burniston, making her Media Theatre debut, imbues the character of Wendla with sweetness and sadness—her voice is clear as a bell, and she perfectly portrays the struggles of a young woman wanting to find something, anything, to make her feel alive. Schyler Conaway brings passion, strength and confidence to his portrayal of Melchior, who, despite his outward self-assuredness, is inwardly conflicted (“It’s broken inside/I’m a man and a child,” he sings in “The Mirror-Blue Night”). And Jack Raymond shines as Moritz, the confused, awkward young man who wants to live up to the many expectations of him but just can’t seem to get it right.  At one point he has a chance to do something different, to escape to a different life. “All I had to do was say yes,” he sings. But he doesn’t.

I’ll admit it: There were points in the show when I wanted to look away. Spring Awakening tackles a host of issues that adults may not want to think about. But then I realized—that’s exactly the point. When adults turn away from controversy or do no more than create strict rules about what’s right and what’s wrong, we leave the younger generation confused and adrift, with only their peers—and their hormones—to guide them. Judging from the enthusiastic reaction of the teenagers in the audience to the show, these are the issues that matter to them. We would be wise to pay attention.

Spring Awakening runs through May 20 at The Media Theatre. For showtimes and tickets, visit the theatre’s website.

—Michele Kornegay

“All-Access Pass” columnist Michele Kornegay is also Fig Media and Fig West Chester’s Social Media Manager (and resident Facebook addict). Be sure to say “hi” when you see her out and about Media!  She invites you to follow Fig Media on Facebook and Twitter and to look for her columns on productions at The Media Theatre right here at figmediapa.com!