Interview: HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH's Hannah Corneau Chats About 'Acceptance and Love'

I recently had the chance to speak with Hannah Corneau, who is currently taking on the role of Yitzhak in the national tour of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH following a successful revival on Broadway during the 2014-2015 theater season. The tour arrives in Chicago on March 7, and Corneau reflected on her experience with the show and the importance of HEDWIG's message. Below are excerpts from the conversation.

This revival production of HEDWIG had such a successful run on Broadway and now you're part of the national tour going across the country. How's it going so far?

It's going so fantastically. It's such an honor to tell this story. It's such an important story about love and acceptance, and it's a huge honor going across the country. I feel like the coolest person ever going around with a band across the country. It's like a dream that I've had since I was little. It's been a huge honor and such a fun time.

You're following in the footsteps of Tony Award winner Lena Hall and Rebecca Naomi Jones in this role. How does it feel to be taking on the role of Yitzhak?

[It is] a humongous honor and responsibility. It's just such an unbelievable joy to follow in the footsteps of such incredibly inspiring performers. I saw Lena on Broadway in this role, and I saw Rebecca in MURDER BALLAD and AMERICAN IDIOT. To follow in their footsteps is a responsibility and a challenge to uphold the standard that these two performers have set...[I'm] continuously inspired by [them.]

Have you played a cross-gender role before, or is this a new experience for you? How did you prepare for the role and develop your character?

The character [of Yitzhak, Hedwig's husband] is such a human
with vulnerabilities and emotions and needs and wants and desires that every human has. I, of course, approached it from that angle. I said, "What does this character want and need?" I [also] had to really work on my physicality right off the bat. "What is it like to walk in this person's shoes?" I paid deep attention to the physicality of the character and the vocal component of the character. The costumes are [also] just incredible and really inform my physicality and the character himself truly. Looking at what this person would wear...immediately gets [me] in the character. It was truly a combination of things and a really interesting journey as an actress to go on.

You've previously performed in productions here in the Chicago area, including Writers Theatre's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and Marriott's recent production of EVITA, in which you had the lead. What excites you most about coming back to Chicago?

I understudied at Writer's Theatre and never went on. But I will always be very proud of that whole entire experience, and Writers is such an outstanding theater in the Chicagoland area. I did perform twice at the Paramount Theatre [as Fantine in LES MISERABLES], and the whole experience playing Evita [at Marriott Theatre] was a humongous responsibility and challenge and an extremely rewarding time in my life.

Why do you think audiences should want to see HEDWIG? And how do you think Chicago audiences will respond to the show? What do you hope they'll take away?

I'm hoping [audiences] take away a greater acceptance for themselves and an experience where they can look within themselves and love who they are, or at least just see who they are. I hope they feel love and acceptance and understanding about loss and pain and hurt. And I hope they can identify with these characters I hold so dear to my heart. And as an actress, I'm trying to communicate that to the audience every night.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show?

My favorite moment is probably "Midnight Radio," which is the end moment of the show...My other favorite part is "The Origin of Love" because it essentially sets up the message of the show: "The origin of love--where did it come from, and how does it make us feel, and why do we search for it in our lives continuously?" And I think technically what's happening there is one of the most interesting things I've ever seen on stage. When I saw that part on Broadway, I was just so taken by it.

Talk to me about what it's like performing alongside Euan Morton as Hedwig.

Euan is just such a communicator. His natural gift of his voice is astounding and impressive every single day I'm on stage with him. [Euan's] natural beautiful, beautiful voice lends itself so perfectly to the character of Hedwig because she is supposed to be this communicator. [She is] telling her story, but also Hedwig is a songwriter and she's trying to get across her music every night. I think Euan does that so genuinely and naturally through his portrayal of Hedwig. His acting chops are just there. He really has embodied who Hedwig is so beautifully in my opinion.

Do you have a dream role?

I think my dream role is an original role. To originate a role within an original piece, I value that within the theatrical community always. To be a part of something like that is always a goal as an actress.

What have been some of your favorite roles so far?

I loved playing Fantine at the Paramount Theater. I loved playing Evita at Marriott, definitely. And probably my favorite role, which turned my world around, was Ruth in HARMONY, which was a Barry Manilow musical they've been trying to get to Broadway. That was what took me out of the non-Equity Chicago theater community and allowed me to move to New York. That was the job that really started my professional career as an actress. It was such a special story and the role was one I truly believed in.

See Hannah Corneau as Yitzhak in HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH at Broadway in Chicago's Oriental Theater from March 7-19. Tickets are $35-$108. For more information, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.

Production Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

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