Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a raucous musical comedy that tells the story of a fictional rock 'n' roll band, fronted by Hedwig, a transgender woman and “internationally ignored song stylist” from East Berlin.
What Is the Story of Hedwig and the Angry Inch?
Hedwig centers on an East German transsexual, “a slip of a girlyboy,” who moves to America after a botched sex change operation. As the show begins, Hedwig is performing in concert and recounting her life story: childhood abuse, a disastrous marriage to an American soldier and, after being plunked down alone in Kansas, a doomed romantic and songwriting partnership with a Christian teen who becomes a rock star. Hedwig remains obsessed with this former love, Tommy Gnosis, and follows him on the road, accompanied by her loyal new husband, Yitzhak. By the end, our heroine embraces the fullness of her identity in one of the most electrifying scenes on Broadway.
"Furiously entertaining with a heartwarming message. A terrifically smart production!"
New York Magazine
Jesse Green
"Spectacular! Helmed with fabulous flash by Michael Mayer. What fun!"
Variety
Marilyn Stasio
"Dynamite! John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask's frisky, raunchy fable of love, loss, fury and freedom thrives."
NY Daily News
Joe Dziemianowicz
"Shamelessly enjoyable! Electrically tuneful and furiously funny. An unqualified pleasure."
New York Times
Ben Brantley