Rocking Out to Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Before there was Caitlyn Jenner, or Pose on FX ... 

Photo by Dan Norman

... or any number of other famous trans faces or characters; before Janet Mock was a twinkle in the eye of Hollywood's firmament, there was Hedwig.

Photo by Dan Norman

Hedwig and the Angry Inch has been making splashes on stages ever since it first premiered over 20 years ago, perhaps most famously when Taye Diggs became the first African American to perform the role on Broadway in 2015. She's now filling every ounce of Theater Latte Da's stage in Northeast Minneapolis in a taut, high octane performance that forces you to view her straight on, loud and proud, just as she always intended.

Photo by Dan Norman

Let me back up. Part memoir, part rock and roll concert, Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the story of an accidental trans woman named Hedwig who is trying to scrounge a living as a rock and roll star, literally caught between two worlds - man and woman, Germany and the U.S., the spotlight and the shadows. Born in a world with no defined place for her, abused and with few options, Hedwig gets gender reassignment surgery in order to "marry" an American GI and flee East Germany only two years before the Berlin Wall comes down. Quickly divorced afterwards, bereft and driftless, Hedwig builds a life as a rock star and tells the entire sordid tale of her in a flashy 90 minute performance that includes her backup band The Angry Inch and a host of sideways stories that collectively paint the tapestry of trauma and resilience that define Hedwig and help her continue on.

Photo by Dan Norman

There's not a lot of presence on-stage outside of Hedwig herself, played brilliantly by Tyler Michaels King. I've seen King do a lot of different kinds of roles, but this is his most transformative yet. He easily blends between the hyper-feminine Hedwig and her masculine rock villain Tommy, almost unrecognizable at either end of the spectrum. King's lithe voice brings a classic-meets-metal tinge to the music much like a 1980s-era Linda Ronstadt (not a bad thing at all), and he absolutely dominates the performance. Jay Owen Eisenberg is an equal (if more subtle) chameleon as the other speaking role in this show, Hedwig's partner Yitzhak. Eisenberg is deceptively subtle and showcases an absolutely gorgeous voice at several points in the show, culminating in an exquisite rendition of "The Long Grift" that is a true highlight.

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Hedwig prances through a dizzying spectrum of costumes and wigs, designed respectively by Alice Fredrickson and Paul Bigot. Each presents a completely different image of her, and the rapid visualization helps demonstrate how confusing - or liberating - such a wealth of options could be to someone who doesn't have a defined place in society. Abbee Warmboe's mountain of props are masterfully tied into Michael Hoover's scenic design, keeping the transitions lighting fast and providing a place for everything. Mary Shabatura's lighting design is intentionally heavy handed - a little too much so for my taste, but certainly effective - and Alex Ritter's sound design prioritizes the distortion and tense tones that define rock and roll and keep the audience on edge as well.

Photo by Dan Norman

I'd never seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch before, and there was so much more packed into this show than I expected. I'm still chewing on it days after seeing it, and I suspect I'll continue to find new themes and threads the longer it sits with me. It's an aggressive, punchy musical that is so different from the softer stories of trans lives and experiences we tend to see in pop culture these days (call it the Janet Mock effect?). I think there's a place for both of them; what's undoubtedly true is that many people feel seen because of Hedwig, and this play opened a door that needed to be for many LGBTQIA+ friends among us. I want to call out Theater Latte Da's beautifully designed program here, which includes interviews, a glossary of terms, and a bunch of other important information that helps provide context around LGBTQIA+ issues and the history of this show.

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One question that lingers with me is the identity of the actor playing Hedwig herself, and it's one I don't have answers to. When King was announced in the titular role months ago I heard many grumblings in the #tctheater community that it should have gone to a person who publicly identifies as trans instead. Ideologically I support the sentiment; but I have to say in practice and after seeing the show, I have more questions than answers. Should all actors auditioning for roles like this be required to list their sexuality and gender on their applications? How does that affect a right to privacy? What if there are many other trans or queer actors on-stage, but just not in that titular role (as is the case here)? Who gets to be the gatekeeper of who is "acceptable" to play certain parts? Is this a standard that could backfire when applied in reverse? How do we prioritize marginalized voices in casting productions like this without erasing them? What if King really is the best choice for this role for this company - can we say that?

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It's an interesting conversation, and I think the fact that we're having it shows a lot of positive progress. This show is really well produced (as is Theater Latte Da's standard), and I am inclined to think that fans of Hedwig and the Angry Inch will leave the theater happy with the show they've seen. As far as those deeper questions go, I don't think I'm qualified to weigh in on them; but I am very interested to hear the answers the LGBTQIA+ community presents. If you want to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch, make sure to click here to learn more and get your tickets before it closes on May 5.

Photo by Dan Norman