Local theater fans can get a taste of sexual awakening in 19th century Germany mixed with the spectacle of a Broadway musical, and they can do it within walking distance of Saint Louis University.

“Spring Awakening,” the winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2007, is playing at The Fabulous Fox Theatre until Feb. 22. The musical, based on German playwright Frank Wedekind’s play of the same name first published in the 1890s, focuses on a group of young adults in the late 19th century in Germany as they come into their own, mentally, physically and even sexually.

Matt Shingledecker, a cast member in the current, touring production coming to the Fox, said that he appreciates the initial bravery it took on the part of investors to put on such a different kind of musical on Broadway, where plays can routinely under perform when not sponsored by Disney.

“I think it had a lot of potential to bomb, [but] they wanted to make it for arts sake,” he said.

What sets the musical apart, and what Shingledecker believes is the reason for its successful run, is that feeling like nothing had ever been seen quite like it before.

“I think it’s a lot of things,” he said. “It’s its creativity and its uniqueness and the fact that it really breaks the mold of the traditional musical.”

In this, his first major role in a national, theatrical production, Shingledecker plays the character of Georg, a role that provides much of the comic relief in “Spring Awakening.”

“He is one of the six main boys,” he said. “I play piano in the show as well as sing and act. Mostly, my character is obsessed with his piano teacher’s breasts.”

Shingledecker began to pursue acting in high school when a role in a high school production piqued his interest in the business and showed him that acting could be a fruitful and interesting career.

“In high school, I was really into sports, but I played piano. I kind of did everything,” he said. “I was, like, if you can get paid for this, why do anything else?”

He went on to play roles in a few already well-established productions. In this current tour, however, he has gotten to experience what it’s like to adapt to the dynamics of an evolving show.

“It’s very similar to the original production, but there are some changes, so it kind of grew organically out of us,” Shingledecker said. “It was nice to create something with a group rather than be plugged into an existing show.”

Though minor, the changes in the current show from the original production primarily deal with the limitations of staging a play on a different stage every few weeks,

“They had to change a couple of little blocking things,” he said. “When I say change, I mean very, very subtly in a way that you might not even notice.”

Though the process of “Spring Awakening” for Shingledecker has been a long one-rehearsals began in July of last year and touring began in September-he is enjoying every minute of it.

“It’s been great,” Shingledecker said. “I really enjoy touring and getting to see cities I’ve never seen before.”

Visit www.fabulousfox.com for more information, including show times or to buy tickets for the show.