AFTER Robert Readman's staging of Spring Awakening for York Stage Musicals four years ago, here comes a re-awakening of Frank Wedekind's 1891 play by the same company. Different cast, different director, different venue, but again using the same 2006 Broadway musical adaptation by writer and lyricist Steven Sater and composer Duncan Sheik.

Artistic director Nik Briggs will further shake up Wedekind's exploration of morality, sexuality and the journey from adolescence to adulthood by bringing the musical's setting up to date to match the pop/rock score.

"I first came across the piece as the Wedekind play at 17, which was mind-blowing; then I saw the musical in London, which was equally mind-blowing, and I performed in YSM's show in 2010, so it's great to complete the journey by directing it as a play for today," says Nik.

The home of Upstage Centre Youth Theatre, 41 Monkgate, will play host to a minimalist modern set for Wedekind's story of students navigating their way through self-discovery and coming-of-age anxiety in a celebration of youth and rebellion.

"I want to bring a Fringe feel to York by producing smaller scale, more artistic shows that cater for different types of audiences, and this play does that," says Nik, whose decision to revive Spring Awakening was prompted by the depth of York's talent pool.

Adult themes such as sex, homosexuality, suicide and teenage pregnancy all feature in a drama to be played out by a cast with an average age of 19, supported by a handful of adult actors. Among the principals will be Megan Forgan, 17, as the inquisitive but naive Wendla, Ben Williams, 17, as rebellious, free-thinking atheist Melchoir, and 23-year-old Lucy Mulvihill, daugher of Rory , stalwart leading man of the York stage, as the abused Martha.

Megan and Ben are performing in the musical for the first time; Lucy played Anna in a Liverpool University Studio Theatre production a year and a half ago. "As a show, it's completely different to everything else I've done," she says. "It's not your typical cheesy musical. It's intimate and it's easy to connect with because even though it was set in the late 1800s, you can relate to a lot of the problems.

"My character has been abused, and she's not angry, she's scared, though that's not something in other interpretations of her."

Ben connects strongly with the piece too: "That's one of the reasons I was so interested in doing the show; I've done Miss Saigon and The Phantom Of The Opera but you can't really relate to those, but you really can with the issues in this show. That's why it's like nothing I've been in previously."

Nik's production forms part of YSM's Independent Women season of plays, which duly throws the spotlight on Megan's Wendla. "She's seen as a very innocent girl, child-like, but actually she would have to have a little bit of backbone," says Megan. "She's just a little naive because she hasn't been taught about love."

York Stage Musicals present Spring Awakening, 41 Monkgate, York, tomorrow until Saturday, 7.30pm. Box office: 01904 623568, at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or on the door.

Warning: this show contains adults themes and bad language; suitable for age 14 plus.