Hedwig and the Angry Inch recoups its capitalization

The Tony Award winning musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, starring Broadway favourite Neil Patrick Harris as 'Hedwig', has officially recouped its capitalization costs, just short of four months after beginning performances. The show is running through 12 Oct 2014 at the Belasco Theatre.

The production recently took home the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and enjoyed an increase in demand for tickets following the telecast, which saw Neil Patrick Harris take home his first Tony Award for his portrayal of transgender Hedwig. Lena Hall, who plays 'Yitzhak', also took home a Tony - for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Andrew Rannells, who originated the role of Elder Price in the multi-award winning hit Broadway musical 'The Book of Mormon', will play the role of 'Hedwig' from 20 Aug 2014. He replaces original cast member Neil Patrick Harris, who plays his final performance on 17 Aug 2014.

The show opened to excellent reviews, with critics praising the show, partly 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 Apr 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, 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 Bona Ruocco