Hedwig and the Angry Inch extends to 23 Nov 2014

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

The Tony Award-winning musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, currently running at the Belasco Theatre, has extended its booking to 23 November 2014. Interestingly, the show's current star Tony nominee Andrew Rannells, who took over the role from Tony Award winner Neil Patrick Harris on 17 August, is only scheduled to perform until 12 October 2014. Could this mean that either Rannells will extend his limited engagement or do producers have another actor in line to step into Hedwig's high heels after Rannells? Could what was initially intended to be a limited run starring Mr Harris now be becoming an open ended run with a revolving door of talent doing drag?

The production took home this year's Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and has seen increased demand for tickets since the telecast, which saw Neil Patrick Harris take home his first Tony Award for his portrayal of transgender Hedwig. Lena Hall also took home the award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

The show opened to excellent reviews, with critics praising the show, party due to Patrick Harris' central performance: "Shamelessly enjoyable show. ... one of the few unqualified pleasures of this Broadway spring" (NYTimes); "Frisky, unapologetically raunchy fable of love, loss, fury and freedom" (NY Daily News).

Hedwig and the Angry Inch originally opened at the Belasco Theatre on 22 April 2014, following previews from 29 March. It is directed by Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), with choreography by Spencer Liff ("So You Think You Can Dance").

Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the story of an "internationally ignored' rock singer, Hedwig (Harris), and her search for stardom and love. Born a boy named Hansel whose life's dream is to find his other half, Hedwig reluctantly submits to a sex change operation in order to marry an American G.I. and get over the Berlin Wall to freedom. The operation is botched, leaving her with the aforementioned 'angry inch.'"

The musical comedy began off-off-Broadway at Westbeth and then ran over two years at the Jane Street Theatre beginning in Feb 1998. The musical won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical and both John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask won Obies. Rolling Stone called it "the Best Rock Musical Ever" in 2001. It won a 1998 New York Magazine Award and Entertainment Weekly's "Soundtrack of the Year" Award. Time Magazine named Hedwig and the Angry Inch the Top Musical of 1998.

The film of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, directed by John Cameron Mitchell, won the Audience Award and Best Director Awards at Sundance. John Cameron Mitchell won the Best New Director from the National Board of Review, the Gotham Awards, and the LA Critics Society.

- by Tom Millward

Andrew RannellsHedwig

Originally published on

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