HEDWIG TOUR

[theoriginoflove]

It's Human.

[theoriginoflove]

It's Human.

[theoriginoflove]

Anyone seeing Lena tonight?

[Wick3]

Did anyone get rush tickets for tonight's performance with Lena?

[BroadwayNYC25]

when is the rush

[Terracentric]

I'm seeing Lena tonight. I got $40 rush tix from Today Tix. In-person rush starts 2 hrs before each show. LOTS of seats available. Seems like half of orchestra is empty. Hope my seats are good. Fingers crossed.

[A Canadian in NYC]

Well I just got out of the matinee show and I wanted to write this before I see Lena tonight because I really do have to give Darren some love. I've been hard on him and his performance in past posts because I honestly thought he didn't rise to the standard. When I saw him at the Belasco his acting was great. When he sang the rock songs he did it well; but I faulted him on the ballads. IMO he was pitchy and breathless.  So I was disappointed. 

Well hello Mr Criss and what have you been up to??? Because he was AMAZING today. I don't know what he's done and a part of me thinks maybe the heat is on with Lena starring with him. They have great chemistry. Whatever the reason he really was amazing. He's totally owning the role. Changing up the songs just enough to make it his own. His ballads were strong and emotional. I was so impressed. And I'm happy for him. To perform so strongly in his home town - kudos all around. 

He has catapulted up to be my fave Hedwig at the moment... we will see what Lena has in store in a couple of hours! 

The set is modest but works really well. They do a lot with the lights.  I actually preferred it to Belasco. 

Managed to dish out some digs to Donald. Well done. Also the Blue Angels are in town for fleet week. Hedwig noted " I blew angels before; they were never that loud" 

[BroadwayNYC25]

Did Lena get her own playbill or is it still Darren's and they just put a slip in for Lena?

[LuvMusicals2]

theoriginoflove said: "It's Human.

 

"

Thanks for the confirmation.   I appreciate it.

[BroadwayNYC25]

Merch question: Do they have Lena windowcards?

[A Canadian in NYC]

BroadwayNYC25 said: "Did Lena get her own playbill or is it still Darren's and they just put a slip in for Lena?

 

No. it's the exact same playbill and slip. They have Darren above HATAI and below says also starring Lena Hall. 

 

[A Canadian in NYC]

BroadwayNYC25 said: "Merch question: Do they have Lena windowcards?

 

I didn't see any merch directly relating to Lena. Maybe I missed it. There's a lot of Darren merch including an EP he has out. And there was some obc merch. I didn't see anything specific to Lena. 

 

[A Canadian in NYC]

I'm not really sure what to say about Lena Hall's performance tonight except that she blew the roof off of the Golden Gate theatre. Amazing - outstanding - funny - angry. Everything you hope and want for Hedwig. She ad libbed a lot. While Darren is expanding on a role he's already performed - Lena is making her mark -opting for different jokes and some physical comedy that I've not seen other Hedwigs do. 

I was sitting with a couple of ladies that were friends of hers and they said that she wasn't feel well today. That she was fighting something. If that was true you'd never know it. 

The audience was WAY more enthusiastic and loud  than the one from this afternoon. Tonight was a real celebration. People were giving her standing ovations after each song. It was a very joyous and party like atmosphere. Everyone knew they were seeing something really special. 

For those that didn't know the significance - they must have been confused. 

I had the pleasure of sitting with Hed heads and we had a great time. 

Brava Lena!!!  Can't wait to read Terracentrics take on the evening. 

[sacteach]

I saw Lena's show tonight (rush ticket) and was SO GLAD I stayed in SF to see it, even if it meant I didn't get home until midnight and I have to be up in a couple hours. She was phenomenal and the crowd was electric. The applause after every song was crazy. Her physicality is so different than Darren but worked perfectly. She pulled off some moves that were crazy and the crowd was loving every minute of it. There were some different jokes and fewer than Darren currently adds, but it still flowed really well and had the audience laughing. 

As someone else mentioned, the playbill was the same (darren's eyes) and even the insert was the same - I still don't understand the point of the insert, it seems to be the same as the playbill itself. No Lena merch (yet). 

[ChildofEarth]

Saw Lena. I'm still recovering. I can't. She's flawless.

 

Seeing Darren later in the week, I'm holding him to an extremely high standard. We'll see.

[madela2]

Wow. Nothing really new to add to the rave reviews on here. Lena is spectacular in the role. Was excited to see Shannon's Yitzhak for the first time.

Also, saw Darren the night before and enjoyed him more this time than when I saw him last year.

The WIAB car change isn't really behind the car. There's a moon roof kind of hatch that opens and she changes inside the car.

My friend heard the merch booth person telling someone that Lena windowcards are coming. Don't know when.

Anyway, heading back home to the midwest today. Can't wait to see who's the cast for the rest of the tour.

[Adair Haywind]

I can't wait to see her and am thrilled that there will be window cards!! Did anyone stage door after Lena's show as Hedwig? If so, how was the crowd?

[LizzieCurry]

Lena's singing the anthem tonight at the Giants/Cubs NLDS game! (It might be part of the live broadcast, but if not, it'll maybe end up on MLB.com later tonight.)

https://twitter.com/JohnSheaHey/status/785598800840658944

[Wick3]

LizzieCurry said: "Lena's singing the anthem tonight at the Giants/Cubs NLDS game! (It might be part of the live broadcast, but if not, it'll maybe end up on MLB.com later tonight.)

https://twitter.com/JohnSheaHey/status/785598800840658944"

Wow! I wish I can go to SF and see Lena perform. :/ Is she performing as Hedwig in select performances in the other cities they're touring as well?

 

[LizzieCurry]

Just SF and LA. See earlier posts.

[Terracentric]

It's been a little over 24 hours since I saw Lena perform as Hedwig and I'm still on a Hedwig high. As Yitzhak, she left me wanting more. Last night, she nearly left me dumbstruck. The show was phenomenal...euphoric.

Lena was fiery, funny and believable. She wasn't just good. I felt she had virtuosity that comes from being the character, not just playing the character. In a Playbill interview published today, she said "I have an understanding that no Hedwig has, and that’s from the Yitzhak point of view, and that also brings a whole new color to the show as well." The audience, as described by other posters, were engaged and fired up like no other I've been with in a play or musical. It was a really memorable evening and I'm so happy to have been a part of it.

Here are a couple tweets that echo what I think/feel:

"I am SHAKING!! @LenaRockerHall absolutely SLAYED as Hedwig!!!!!! I'm so happy!!!" - @rob_e_bee

"@LenaRockerHall Your Hedwig is a wounded animal: equally ready to strike out or lick her wounds. THIS was the room where it happened. Bravo/a!" - @dancelivesing

(On another happy note, here's Lena singing the National Anthem for Game 3 of NLDS: https://www.facebook.com/SHNBroadwayinSF/videos/10154510221393503/)

[BroadwayNYC25]

Does anyone have a photo of Lena as Hedwig? I can't find any. But I did find an instagram video of her singing Wig in a Box but you couldn't see her. But, it was cool to hear her accent.

[VernonGersch]

alrighty, I'm getting tickets for Lena now...cant wait

[sacteach]

madela2 said: "My friend heard the merch booth person telling someone that Lena windowcards are coming. Don't know when."

I was told the 14th (this Friday) and that they WILL be available at all performances, not just the ones that she is doing. I'm going back for closing weekend, so I'm glad I'll be able to get one 

[sacteach]

Adair Haywind said: "I can't wait to see her and am thrilled that there will be window cards!! Did anyone stage door after Lena's show as Hedwig? If so, how was the crowd?

 

"

Very enthusiastic crowd and a pretty long line. The entire band came out which I haven't heard has happened yet. I was able to get my vinyl album signed which I was hoping for at some point on the tour, so that was cool.

The crowd moved up to Lena (she stayed at the stage door) and she signed, took pictures, etc. I was a little annoyed because the two women in front of me took quite a while talking with her, which was cool, but when I stepped up to talk with her and she was signing my album and playbill, they took a step back to her and started a new conversation with her. She was trying very politely to talk with me, make eye contact, etc. but the woman in front of me just kept telling her another story or something. It wasn't a huge deal, but pretty disrespectful IMO. 

 

[Terracentric]

VernonGersch said: "alrighty, I'm getting tickets for Lena now...cant wait"

Oh, I wish I could see Lena again, but I can't make her other show days. I also wish they'd release a recording of her as Hedwig.  

Good description of Lena's performance here: http://www.gabbinggeek.com/2016/10/11/theater-geek-lena-hall-is-the-ultimate-hedwig/

"Ms. Hall ripped through the music like a scalpel through butter...Ms. Hall’s voice pushed her pain into everyone...The rage was palpable, intense."