Hedwig to appear at Pride
Excerpts from “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” will be a featured component of the 11th annual East Central Minnesota Pride event, scheduled for June 7 at Voyageur Park in Pine City. As part of the entertainment schedule, the co-stars of the award-winning Duluth production will present a live soundtrack from “Hedwig”.
Written by John Cameran Mitchell, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” won three Tony Awards after finally making its way on to the Broadway stage in early 2014, introducing Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig.
Duluth’s version of “Hedwig” played to standing room only crowds by the closing weekend of its October, 2014, run on the Underground stage at the Duluth Playhouse. It was named best local play by the Northland Reader’s Best of The Northland 2014. Ogilvie-native and Mora High School graduate Alec Schroeder, as Hedwig, won best local actor of 2014 and Tonya Porter, co-strarring as Hedwig’s husband and back-up singer Yitzhak, won best local actress as well.
For those not familiar with “Hedwig”, this rock musical, set in a bar, is the life story in the form of a monologue of Hedwig. Her tale starts in East Germany, where she is a rock and roll, philosophy loving boy with the name of Hansel. In order to follow back his lover back to America, Hansel changes his name and has a botched sex change surgery, which leaves him with an “Angry Inch”. Hedwig then forms a band which she names “the Angry Inch”. Once in the United States, she then meets Tommy Gnosis and starts writing songs with him who in turn leaves her to become a famous rock star with the songs they wrote together. In her search for love, freedom and happiness, Hedwig –and The Angry Inch – follows Tommy around and supports herself by playing in dive bars close to venues that are hosting Tommy’s performances.
Schroeder and Porter will revive their roles as Hedwig and Yitzhak on the Pride stage via a live performance highlighting songs from the Tony Award winning soundtrack. Come and experience hits like Origins of Love, Wig in a Box, Wicked Little Town, and Midnight Radio.
Why go? Robert Lee, Director of the Duluth production, describes it this way: “Hedwig is the triumphant freak. The hero for anyone who has ever felt different, out of place, pushed down, pushed out, spit on or cursed at – you know, everyone. She is calloused, but funny; Jaded, but witty; different, but triumphant. She is deeply flawed and self-destructive, but no one can tear her down.” Come and be moved by the music of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”.
Photo Credit: Photos provided by Robert Lee and Ryan Fargo