Hedwig Fan Casting

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 3/13/24 at 9:20pm

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a show that is basically a one man show with a very involved band. Not to discredit the band, they're integral to the show, especially Yitzhak, who gets a handful of lines and, depending on the revision, gets to sing one of the most important songs. Hedwig, though, sings 12 entire songs that are essentially solos, and often very demanding solos with a very high tessitura and often dense phrases both musically and lyrically. Factor in complicated choreography, pages upon pages of monologues and one man scenes, improvisational elements, and you have probably the role that requires the most stamina of any role on Broadway. Fanny Brice and Evan Hansen may only have like three exits total, but I think Hedwig has a total of one exit at the very end of the show. And that's speaking nothing of the huge shoes you have to fill in playing the role. John Cameron Mitchell, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Cerveris, Andrew Rannells, Lena Hall... 

So my main point here is: Who do you think could play this role in future major productions, such as if this show comes back to Broadway in a few years? I'm personally a little baffled that Billy Porter wasn't a replacement in the Broadway run, I think he'd be great for it and he'd just won a Tony the previous season, but I'm sure he was busy or maybe just didn't want to do it. He would've been great though. But I won't say any of my other ideas. I'm excited to hear what you have to say!

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 10:03am

I think there is still plans to bring that production to West End but they're just waiting for the right person to be available. I  recall reading this interview with JCM on how they wanted Neil Patrick Harris to be Hedwig back in 2011 but he wasn't available. So what did they do? They waited 3 years until NPH was available and this became a smash hit. I still think had Hedwig been eligible for Best Musical that year, it would have beaten A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.

https://playbill.com/article/were-going-to-wait-for-the-right-person-says-john-cameron-mitchell-on-casting-hedwig-in-the-west-end-com-353026

I think Billy Porter would have done an amazing job but I think he was still in Kinky Boots during that time. 

I watched all Hedwigs (NPH, Andrew Rannells, Michael C Hall, John Cameron Mitchell, Darren Criss, and Taye Diggs) who performed in that revival and loved it! I was younger/poorer back then but thanks to in-person lottery I managed to see all of them.

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 8:03pm

Due to similar poorness, I only saw John Cameron Mitchell. I knew that it was a huge event in theatre history, but I did not know that it would go on to be my favorite performance of an actor in any role in any musical ever. That is not even a little bit exaggerated. I enjoy the recordings so much, too, because the crazy stuff he says and does somehow manages to always add. The fact that he hadn't been on stage in many years before doing that doesn't even show a little. No wonder he was the replacement actor to be honored with a Special Tony. 

I agree that it would've beaten A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, though I also love that show very much for completely different reasons. I don't think Hedwig needed it, though. It's a legendary role, it's a legendary show, it's written by a legendary performer/director, and its score has become so revered and influential both in theatre and just music as a whole. It didn't need any Tonys. It won 4 of them and caused a huge upset and that is incredible. 

I wasn't aware that Billy Porter was still in Kinky Boots into 2015, though now that I think about it Harvey Fierstein (who famously performed both Edna and Arnold a thousand times each, granted he wrote both shows and in Edna's case was probably the highest payed actor that whole season) mentioned Billy being especially dedicated so I could see him staying with the show for more than two years. 

The idea of stunt casting for London is worrying but exciting. We all know that Neil Patrick was so outside of his ordinary type for Hedwig but wound up making an incredible, career defining showing in what is one of the only performances that could cause any controversy in giving Jefferson Mays his second Tony. When I read Jefferson Mays didn't win the Tony that year, I'd forgotten it was the same year as Hedwig. I was initially outraged. A performance better than Jefferson Mays??? How could this be! But, nah, Neil Patrick completely deserved that Tony. It hardly felt like stunt casting, even though it objectively was. 

I was thinking of theatre involved celebrities in the UK... 

And this is a terrifying thought 

But I actually feel like he could pull it together

...

Eddie Redmayne? 

I mean his EmCee is pretty great and there are some comparable aspects of that

I don't know how he'd be with the style of the music, though, but he's a very versatile and talented performer

Updated On: 3/14/24 at 08:03 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 8:29pm

I don’t think the Billy Porter of 2013 would’ve been able to pull it off since he still was a bit restrained at the time due to his career just getting back on track, and I think the Billy Porter of 2024 would be so bombastic that I think any subtler moments of the show would be steamrolled over.

I know he wouldn’t be a name draw and I’m not sure if he sings, but if we are looking to racially diverse casting, I would LOVE to see Jordan E. Cooper in a production. 

[The8re phan]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 8:30pm

1000%, I need to see Gavin Creel as Hedwig.

Would love to see Kevin Cahoon put the wig back on his head (he was a replacement during the show's original Jane Street days.... ).  Still think he could carry it off beautifully

Jeremy Jordan would be an interesting choice, as i think his vocals would be AH-MAH-ZINGLY brilliant and full-out rock.



Just PLEASE no suggesting Aaron Tveit. Or Bernadette Peters...... or Loretta Swit for that matter

Updated On: 3/14/24 at 08:30 PM

[scripps]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 9:34pm

I have dreamed of Norbert Leo Butz as Hedwig for a very, very long time but I believe it is just not meant to be. I guess this is my Bernie as Mrs. Lovett moment.

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 9:50pm

Oh wow! These are great!

But first, to those Criticisms of Billy Porter: Those are completely fair, I could see his personality being too much for certain. I still think he could do it very well, but maybe there'd need to be extra effort from the director... 

Jordan E Cooper: If you listened to the Broadway station on Sirius XM enough, you'd know that Jordan E. Cooper sings remarkably, and I completely agree that he would be great in the role and I bet he would be all over it. Man that would be so good. I hadn't even thought of that!

Gavin Creel: After Andrew Rannells was announced that was my first thought. Absolutely Gavin Creel. Oh my God he could do it on the West End. 

Kevin Cahoon: That sounds great, it better happen tomorrow. But, I mean, John Cameron Mitchell showed that fifty year olds can pull off the role. 

Jeremy Jordan: I actually thought of him when I made this thread. I think he brings a certain haminess that is completely necessary, I know he'd rock the accent, he's sufficiently charming, and he certainly has the voice for it. 

Aaron Tveit would be um... Uh... Well I don't think he'd completely suck but I just am not sure if he has the presence for it. I dunno, I have a bad taste in my mouth with him in Sweeney... 

Also what? Who would even think Bernadette as Hedwig? That sounds like a Broadway Backwards thing. I know women have played Hedwig, but something about somebody like Bernadette... What? Does anybody have that suggestion? And she's like seventy. 

Norbert Leo Butz: My lord. The king of the role that sings a million songs with a bunch of incredibly varied acting moments. It's an out of body experience to remember that he played Fiyero because he is just the definition of a leading man and I could absolutely see him playing an amazing Hedwig, but it does seem like he's gotten a bit too old now... Maybe if he did it next week it'd work, but any later and he'd definitely be too old. And don't remind me of the love I've lost. Bernadette Lovett lives in my dreams, and every time I wake up I turn back to myself-- the me in the world where that never happened and never will.

[Quinn Wilson]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 9:52pm

BeingAlive44Ever said: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a show that is basically a one man show with a very involved band. Not to discredit the band, they're integral to the show, especially Yitzhak, who gets a handful of lines and, depending on the revision, gets to sing one of the most important songs. Hedwig, though, sings 12 entire songs that are essentially solos, and often very demanding solos with a very high tessitura and often dense phrases both musically and lyrically. Factor in complicated choreography, pages upon pages of monologues and one man scenes, improvisational elements,and you have probably the role that requires themoststamina of any role on Broadway. Fanny Brice and Evan Hansen may only have like three exits total, but I think Hedwig has a total of one exit at the very end of the show. And that's speaking nothing of the huge shoes you have to fill in playing the role. John Cameron Mitchell, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Cerveris, Andrew Rannells, Lena Hall...

So my main point here is: Who do you think could play this role in future major productions, such as if this show comes back to Broadway in a few years? I'm personally a little baffled that Billy Porterwasn'ta replacement in the Broadway run, I think he'd be great for it and he'd just won a Tony the previous season, but I'm sure he was busy or maybe just didn't want to do it. He would've been great though. But I won't say any of my other ideas. I'm excited to hear what you have to say!"

because this says dream 

Miley Cyrus as Hedwig 

Emily Benjamin (West End Cabaret alt) as Yitzhak

Thank you so much 

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 10:02pm

Quinn Wilson said: "because this says dream

Miley Cyrus as Hedwig

Emily Benjamin(West End Cabaret alt) as Yitzhak

Thank you so much"

Man Miley Cyrus? That would be crazy! Makes me consider all of the pop stars who could do it. 

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 3/14/24 at 10:49pm

What funny timing! I was just revisiting this show today. I’ll throw J Harrison Ghee’s name into the mix

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 8:05am

Jinkx Monsoon!!!! Jinkx has a following and sells tickets (look at her previous stint at Chicago and her upcoming stint at Little Shop). I still wish I had seen Lena Hall as Hedwing during the national tour back in 2016 but I'd def buy a ticket if Jinkx does Hedwig someday!

There are a few youtube videos out there of Jinkx singing "Origin of Love" from this musical.

 

Updated On: 3/15/24 at 08:05 AM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 9:02am

Gaga as Hedwig or Yitzhak would be unbelievably thrilling.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 11:01am

Also not at all realistic to ever happen -- but I'd love to see Pink as Hedwig!

[Wick3]

Posted: 3/15/24 at 11:32am

Would love Pink too! I'm a Rihanna fan and would love to see her perform on Broadway in this role as well! 

One thing that made the 2014 production so memorable for the audience was all the ad-lib antics Hedwig did especially during the song "Sugar Daddy." In a post-pandemic world, I doubt that would ever happen again but who knows.

At the Tony Awards, Neil Patrick Harris did some of it on TV. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIaFn5lsLd8

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 1:42am

Wick3 said: "Jinkx Monsoon!!!! Jinkx has a following and sells tickets (look at her previous stint at Chicago and her upcoming stint at Little Shop). I still wish I had seen Lena Hall as Hedwing during the national tour back in 2016 but I'd def buy a ticket if Jinkx does Hedwig someday!

There are a few youtube videos out there of Jinkx singing "Origin of Love" from this musical.

 

"

Before their current renaissance, Jinkx did actually play the role in a 2013 Seattle production

https://playbill.com/article/hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-starring-jerick-hoffer-jinkx-monsoon-returns-to-rock-seattle-dec-17-com-212867

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 8:21am

I wasn't aware that Billy Porter was still in Kinky Boots into 2015, though now that I think about it Harvey Fierstein (who famously performed both Edna and Arnold a thousand times each, granted he wrote both shows and in Edna's case was probably the highest payed actor that whole season) mentioned Billy being especially dedicated so I could see him staying with the show for more than two years. 

Fierstein did not write HAIRSPRAY, Thomas Meehan wrote it - yes, Fierstein did contribute to some of Edna’s dialogue, but he did not write the entire show. TORCH SONG TRILOGY is fully his work.

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 11:09am

BrodyFosse123 said: "I wasn't aware that Billy Porter was still in Kinky Boots into 2015, though now that I think about it Harvey Fierstein (who famously performed both Edna and Arnold a thousand times each, granted he wrote both shows and in Edna's case was probably the highest payed actor that whole season)mentioned Billy being especially dedicated so I could see him staying with the show for more than two years.

Fierstein did not write HAIRSPRAY, Thomas Meehan wrote it - yes, Fierstein did contributeto some of Edna’s dialogue, but he did not write the entire show. TORCH SONG TRILOGY is fully his work."

It's pretty common knowledge at this point that Harvey ghostwrote Hairspray. I mean, he talks about it in his memoir, and it's been rumoured ever since the show's initial Broadway run. To me, Harvey's involvement in Hairspray is like Alex Lacamoire's in Hamilton or Rachel Chavkin's in Hadestown-- that is to say, they obviously contributed a good deal to the structure of the piece and clearly wrote at least a little of the material, but they don't feel ownership over it. I agree that Hairspray isn't Harvey's work the way Torch Song is, but he did a lot more than just write Edna dialogue. Remember that, no matter how you feel about him, Harvey Fierstein is excellent at structuring Broadway shows in a way that is exciting and engaging for an audience and understands to a tee what makes shows work financially, especially in licensing them in the future. Even if he and several others hadn't confirmed him ghostwriting Hairspray, to me it just seems unthinkable that he didn't. 

 

Anyways, Hedwigs. J Harrison Ghee would be excellent, but that got me thinking... 

Do you think Christian Borle could do it? I mean he's almost too old, though he's not quite as old as John Cameron Mitchell was when he played the role. Christian Borle has a lot of experience with really meaty roles, ad libbing, concert like mic technique, dancing, drag... Most of the things he'd need to play this kind of role. I mean, I don't think this'd ever happen, but I could totally see him pulling it off. Maybe the one issue is how brassy his voice is in comparison to the people who've come before him. He might not be a perfect fit. 

But a lot of the ex wives in Six would completely kill this. If I had to choose one I'd particularly love, I think I'll have to go with yet another Some Like it Hot cast member, Adrianna Hicks. 

Oh and a Yitzhak I'd love to see is Annaleigh Ashford. Let's be honest, though, she wouldn't take the role. A lot of people see Yitzhak as a nothing role, which isn't fair at all because many of the actresses and actors who've played the role have been brilliant and really made the show. I mean, Neil Patrick Harris as Hedwig is a great night at the theatre, but add Lena Hall as Yitzhak and you have one of the most transcendent theatre experiences of the whole 2010's. But I guess the fact that she has comparably much less to do than Hedwig is a turn off to some stars. Really sad. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/16/24 at 12:50pm

As time goes on, Hedwig herself ages. So no one in their 40s or even early 50s is “too old” for Hedwig. If anything, they’re too young!

 

John Cameron Mitchell will always be the right age for Hedwig. :)

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 3/23/24 at 11:56am

TotallyEffed said: "As time goes on, Hedwig herself ages.So no one in their 40s or even early 50s is “too old” for Hedwig. If anything, they’re too young!



John Cameron Mitchell will always be the right age for Hedwig. :)"

I think 60's is too old just because of the physical demands. I think that it's always possible for people anywhere from twenties to fifties to play the role, especially with John Cameron Mitchell employing rewrites for most actors playing the role on Broadway, but I think that the ideal age for the role is 40s. Old enough to seem like she's been through all the decades that she describes but not so old that it becomes incredibly physically strenuous to do the role. I mean, most actors who have played the role have been in their 40s or late 30s. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 3/23/24 at 12:43pm

The play takes place “now” as there is no fourth wall and the audience at any given performance is directly addressed. But Hedwig is tethered to a very specific historical timeline, ie the Cold War. I’m not sure how this will be dealt with in the future. Suspension of disbelief I guess.

[Kad]

Posted: 3/23/24 at 12:47pm

I think as more time passes, Hedwig has to be staged as a period piece set in the late 90s unless the Hedwig is appropriately aged (which right now would be 50/60). 

[baritonewithtenortendencies]

Posted: 3/23/24 at 5:36pm

I think that there's a lot that could be done into the 2010's where the characters' story still made sense temporally, but I think that Hedwig is basically stuck in the nineties through the 2010's. Like I just don't see a production in 2040 having a seventy five year old Hedwig. To be fair, a lot of drag queens and glam rockers cover up aging with makeup and energy, so it can probably still work as a modern day thing for a little while longer, but I really don't think this show was written with the idea of being performed for many decades in mind. The references John Cameron Mitchell and some other Hedwigs made to things like Google and Grindr in 2014/15 were already bordering on idiosyncratic so I completely agree that the best solution is to play it as taking place in the late nineties or 2000's. 

 

Back to people who could do the role, I was thinking about women I could see carrying a show like this as Hedwig and felt so stupid when I realized-- 

Lea Michele? 

I don't think she's quite as rock and roll as Lena Hall but that's nothing a few concerts can't fix for a ball of talent like Lea

She already did Funny Girl, the other show where the lead has like ten solos or something, so she could totally pull it off

Maybe even Anthony Warlow, who did Jekyll and Hyde which is the third ten solos for the lead show

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 3/24/24 at 8:12pm

I'm so glad so many people have responded to them. I feel like this show literally won't be revived on Broadway for like twenty more years, sadly.