Pretty much all of my theatre fan friends are collectively losing their shit. I got tagged in a Facebook post, and when I clicked on the link, I audibly gasped at my desk and almost sucked the air out of the room. I almost danced around my office with flailing glee, which is something I haven't done since I saw Assassins was having a one night reunion concert last year. Hey, NPH was in that show as well! And did I mention that he was off book for the reunion after one weekend of rehearsal?
I haven't really seen much negativity towards this news, but I'm sure it's out there. The collective flailing is just overshadowing that right now. This production is going to begin after How I Met Your Mother ends for good. It's pretty awesome that NPH is already giving us something to look forward to. Barney Stinson and Hedwig Robinson are two incredibly different characters, and I'm so glad that he's proving his range once again. His Broadway stints were mostly before HIMYM, and I'm privileged to have seen him in Cabaret 4 times and in Assassins 3 times. He also did the LA tour stop of Rent, the London production of tick...Tick...Boom!, Proof, and the Sweeney Todd and Company concerts.
Let's examine why NPH will rock the hell out of Miss Hedwig:
Look at John Cameron Mitchell. Now look at NPH.
Two beautiful men with defined features and wry smirks who can rock blonde hair. We can abbreviate their names with a triple letter acronym and refer to them as such! JCM is the genius who created, wrote, and portrayed Hedwig. He performed the show off-Broadway at the Jane Street Theatre and wrote, directed, and starred in the 2001 movie version. Hedwig was supposed to recently come to Broadway with JCM starring, but that production never happened. I was just thinking about what happened to that rumor a couple days ago, and I was treated to this news today.
They both look beautiful in makeup and are unafraid to embrace the glam.
JCM with the composer Stephen Trask
NPH as the Emcee in Cabaret.
Look at those lips. Just imagine them in thick Cookie Puss lipstick (below) speaking in a German accent again.
Think of the score. I can envision him singing half the score already. I can actually close my eyes and imagine the spin he'll put on the songs. That is proof of his distinctive voice. His diction is absolutely impeccable, even with an accent. Yet, the melody is never stilted or boring. His tenor is clear and soaring, and he builds emotion beautifully. Can you imagine him singing "The Origin Of Love" or "Wig In a Box"? Oh my goodness, I already have chills.
He may not have had a lot of experience in rock musicals, with the exception of Rent, but I still think he's going to pull off the harder rock songs like "Angry Inch" and "Exquisite Corpse." Have you seen do random musical numbers on award shows? Did you see him sing AC/DC on HIMYM? I believe he will embrace the rock just fine, and I'm sure he'll give a fantastic "car wash." His evolution in the final numbers is going to be insane. Hedwig may be the most genuine punk rock musical out there, but it's still rife with emotion and character growth.
Remember, the stage version is a one-woman show. He hosts almost every award show now, and he broke the fourth wall with the audience as the Emcee in Cabaret 8 times a week in 2003. NPH has plenty of experience in commanding a stage and wooing an audience. He's very funny and is excellent at improvising and playing off an audience vibe.
I always dreamed of seeing JCM and his successors Michael Cerveris, Kevin Cahoon, and Matt McGrath as Hedwig, but I think that this choice is even better. This is a chance for more people to be exposed to the beauty and perfection that is Hedwig and the Angry Inch. This is a chance for NPH to show his true acting chops once Barney leaves our weekly DVR schedule. This is the chance for a household name to tell Hedwig's story. This is the time to rediscover and acclaim a beautiful transgender musical.
It is clear that I must find my other half. But is it a he or a she?
What does this person look like? Identical to me? Or somehow complementary?
What does this person look like? Identical to me? Or somehow complementary?
Does my other half have what I don't? Did he get the looks? The luck? The love?
Were we really separated forceably or did he just run off with the good stuff? Or did I?
Will this person embarrass me? What about sex? Is that how we put ourselves back together again?
Were we really separated forceably or did he just run off with the good stuff? Or did I?
Will this person embarrass me? What about sex? Is that how we put ourselves back together again?
Or can two people actually become one again?
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