Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Musical

Writers: John Cameron Mitchell Stephen Trask

Overview

Show Information

Lyrics
Category
Musical
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1998
Genres
Dark Comedy
Settings
Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
present day / site-specific; setting should vary depending upon where it is produced
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
Rock Combo
Dancing
Optional
Ideal for
College/University, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Male
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes adult characters

Synopsis

Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the tale of how a “slip of a girlyboy” from communist East Berlin, Hanschel, becomes the “internationally ignored song stylist” known as Hedwig after a botched sex change operation. The show daringly breaks the fourth wall, as Hedwig directly tells the audience of her past tribulations and heartbreak in the form of an extended monologue paired with rock songs. With a little help from her band and her back-up singer Yitzhak, Hedwig examines her quest for her other half, for love, and ultimately for her identity. Featuring a groundbreaking rock musical score by Stephen Trask, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is hilarious, harrowing, and essentially uplifting for anyone who’s ever felt different.

Lead Characters

Hedwig and the Angry Inch guide sections