Student Blog: Whether You Like it or Not: Hedwig, Inside The Mountain Productions’ Love Letter to the Arts

Weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to Cooper Lamontagne, founder of The Mountain Production Company, a completely student-led non-profit production company with one mission, to “Elevate the stage, elevate the story.” This group of unbelievably talented students does just that. 

Recently, the crew put up a production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at a small night-life venue in downtown Gainesville, The How Bazar. When I first caught wind of this production, I was intrigued by the bold and fervent messaging of this incredibly important story showcasing the LGBTQ+ community, specifically centering a trans female. I was dually enthralled once realizing it would be produced in Florida, a state actively trying to ban such topics on stage and in the media. When speaking to Lamontagne, an active Florida resident, about the current climate regarding such ‘divisive’ material, he spoke to the newly instilled anxiety in drag performers, with a large community of people halting their open-support for drag out of fear they might be ridiculed. Overall, there is an incredible sense of hesitancy surrounding LGBTQ+ rights. In fact, in 2024, Ron Desantis vetoed over $32 million in funding for the arts, citing the Orlando Fringe Festival, known for work featuring LGBTQ+ creators, as an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds.

Despite the odds being stacked against them, this fierce group of artists wouldn’t let that stand in their way. In fact, it just fed their fire. Lamontagne and co. utilized their non-profit 501(c)(3) company to create a space for wild, unafraid queer resilience on a large scale. For Lamontagne, this was not just a small production. This was an amalgamation of hard work, dedication, passion, and importance. 

Upon entering the completely-transformed venue, audience members were met with a gift bag featuring various Hedwig-centric goodies, and a personalized note from Lamontagne himself. Hedwig attracted a range of patrons during its short weekend-long run, from Floridian activists to non-theatre goers, each performance was met with a completely sold-out audience. Guests shared personal stories regarding their experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, their gratitude towards this group of artists for telling such a timely story, and their comments on the power of artistic activism.

If that weren’t enough, the show’s leading sponsor, PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), organized a field trip for high-school students to see the show, actively inspiring the next generation of theater-makers to continue to create, no matter the circumstances, or governmental regulations. Those students had the privilege of watching young college kids make a difference in real time. 

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Ethan Garrepy, Creative Director of The Mountain Productions, and Hedwig in this staging. I spoke to them a bit about what it means to be leading this production as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, 

“I started doing drag in 2020…it’s a musical, it’s a rock musical, it has drag in it, and, of course, it’s incredibly transgressive and divisive and politically important right now which, I think, is mainly the crux of why I wanted to do it."

This show is the exemplification of what it means to be a queer artist during trying times. Though riddled with pain and hurt, it’s a profound expression of beautiful, unbridled queer joy: a sentiment that The Mountain Productions has instilled in every member of its audience through this massive feat. 

The Mountain Productions’ dedication to important, timely, enticing work is evidenced not just through its founder, or its shining stars, but through its deep undercurrent of passion permeating each corner of Gainesville and beyond. Their story is undoubtedly inspirational to students everywhere. Take a little advice from Cooper, and please, “don’t wait for permission to start creating."

For more from The Mountain Productions, find their Instagram here.