Deep Dive: HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Part 2)

The Gospel of Glam Rock

In Part 2 of this Deep Dive, Matt continues to unpack the gender-bending punk musical confessional that is Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Continuing the journey with Matt is writer and composer Preston Max Allen (We Are the Tigers, Caroline).

Broadway Breakdown Links:

Broadway Breakdown:  Substack

Broadway Breakdown: Discord Community

“Broadway Breakdown, A Cabaret Now”: Tix

Preston Max Allen’s Caroline at MCC Theater: Tix

Timestamps

7:20 – Origins: John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s downtown beginnings, from Squeezebox to Jane Street

14:50 – Defining “genderpunk”: queerness, camp, and creation from trauma

30:45 – The music of Hedwig: glam rock, Bowie, and heartbreak

44:25 – “Origin of Love”: the myth that made a musical

51:00 – The film (2001): cult hit, critical darling, and indie landmark

59:20 – Broadway revival (2014): Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Hall, and the mainstreaming of queer theater

1:08:10 – The gender debate: casting controversies and the show’s evolving identity politics

1:16:45 – Hedwig’s legacy: postmodern mythmaking and queer catharsis

1:23:00 – Closing thoughts: what Hedwig still teaches us about self-invention

Key People Mentioned

Creators: John Cameron Mitchell (creator, original Hedwig), Stephen Trask (music & lyrics)

Original cast & creative team: Miriam Shor (Yitzhak), Peter Askin (director), Mike Potter (wig & makeup design)

Film (2001): John Cameron Mitchell (writer/director/star), Andrea Martin, Michael Pitt

Broadway revival (2014): Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Hall, Michael C. Hall, Darren Criss, Taye Diggs

Listener Discussion Questions

- When is Hedwig performing and when is she confessing? Are the two interchangeable?

- How does the character of Hedwig’s identity resonate in the broader conversation around gender today?

- Would you say that Hedwig found love with Tommy? Is Yitzhak’s care for Hedwig requited? And how can love influence even the smartest of us to make unhealthy choices?

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