Hedwig and the Angry Inch at The Garage Theatre

THIS SUMMER THE GARAGE THEATRE BRINGS QUEER PUNK ROCK TO THE STAGE WITH HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH! Come experience rock goddess Hedwig, and her band, as she recounts her international search for freedom, her other half, and the strength to survive a life that has not been kind. This landmark American musical by John Cameron Mitchell & Stephen Trask, follows the story of a genderqueer East German singer who fronts a rock’n’roll band. “Internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Robinson is a survivor who is out to set the record straight about her life, her loves, and the botched operation that left her with that “angry inch.” Through her music and dynamic storytelling, Hedwig breaks down walls built by life’s brutality and indifference, finding an identity based through love and self-acceptance free of societal expectations, and a life of authenticity and glamour. Directed by Eric Hamme, the role of Hedwig Robinson will be played by JT in his Garage Theatre debut and the show’s other speaking character, Yitzhak, will be played by The Garage Theatre’s own Alyssa Garcia. Rounding out the show will be a live rock band, known as The Angry Inch, made up of local musicians.

“I can’t believe Long Beach has never had a run of this show” says Eric Hamme, “Long Beach is a beautiful community for this show. It deserves this show. I’ve been wanting to do this for over 10 years, and I want to do it justice. I wanted to find the right Hedwig. But when I found JT, COVID-19 hit, and the world shut down. I’m so thrilled that it’s finally happening. I can’t wait for the Long Beach community, as a whole, to experience it.”

On playing the titular Hedwig, JT says, “I find the character of Hedwig so interesting, there are layers to her. When you first meet Hedwig at the top of the show, she’s a bad ass daring you to tear her down, and that’s what the show does. She gets torn down to basically nothing by the very end. I think she is a strong character; she is a survivor”

“This show, the script, is incredible. The music is incredible. And the story provides something for my community that hasn’t really existed anywhere prior to it, and there are still very few places that have this kind of representation,” Alyssa Garcia says. “It’s a piece of art that I think everyone should be exposed to, and one that I think anyone can take an incredible amount away from, just in terms of honoring yourself in the best way possible, because when we don’t do that, we lose ourselves”

Part rock concert, part cabaret, and part stand-up comedy routine, Hedwig and the Angry Inch made its debut at the SqueezeBox, a New York City rock 'n' roll drag bar, after which it experienced an award-winning run Off-Broadway in 1998. The 2001 film adaptation won multiple awards at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to become a cult classic. In 2014, Hedwig and the Angry Inch finally debuted on Broadway, where it won four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

Tickets: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/553 or at the theatre box office 30-minutes prior to each night’s performance.

Prices: $30 General Admission

             $35 Closing Night: includes admission to post-show cast party with food & drinks

             $80 Sugar Daddy Table: 1 ticket gets you 2 seats at a VIP table for two with bottle of wine and snack (not sold at door)

             Twofer Sutherland Thursdays: Tickets 2-for-1 every Thursday; promo code: twofer