Put on some make-up! Go get your tickets! And watch her put the wig back on her head! Yes, that’s right, everyone of all genders, having conquered the great divide, Hedwig is coming for you! And not only is she coming— she’s HERE!! Dominion Stage is starting their 23rd Season with a tour du force production of John Cameron Mitchell & Stephen Trask’s Hedwig & The Angry Inch. Directed by Danni Guy with Musical Direction by David Smigielski & David Weinraub, this stunning and rarely-produced story is the sensational must-see of Northern-Virginia area theatre this spring. Evocative, emotional, exquisite, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more stellar performance, a more astonishing production, a more inclusive theatrical experience than you find with Dominion’s Hedwig.
Dominion Stages has turned up the heat with this production (possibly quite literally…on opening night there was definitely some lack-of-cooling happening in the building, so dress in light, comfortable, breathable clothing and bring a hand fan) and is dazzling audiences all around the district who will be flocking to catch this glitter-bomb of personality, persuasion, and perfection as it rocks out on the stage on Gunston Theatre Two, Dominion Stages’ resident performance space. Set Designer Alex Bryce, Set Painter & Decorator Matt Liptak and Lighting Designers Jeff Auerbach & Kimberly Crago culminate their efforts into creating a grungy, bordering on fetid ‘underground dive bar’ aesthetic and it is wholly perfect for a production of Hedwig & The Angry Inch. You feel like you’re not in a theatre but in some hole-in-the-wall, left-for-dead establishment and it’s a palpable current that sets the overall tone and mood for the evening. There’s posters, stickers, graffiti, you name it. And Auerbach & Crago’s lighting designs are simply off the charts. Auerbach & Crago employ a technique that I’m going to refer to as ‘shadow lighting’ (because it’s been almost two-decades since I took lighting & design in college and I couldn’t tell you if it’s actually called that or not) where you get Hedwig standing centralized to where a spotlight ought to be but instead you get colored light around her and this really impressive ‘darkened’ effect on her face and her body. There’s also an insane amount of hardcore color pops and flashes, particularly during the eponymous “Angry Inch” number. It’s like Auerbach & Crago understand that they’re lighting this meta-inception version of theatrical story which is a rock-concert which is telling a theatrical story about a rock concert. It’s insanely impressive and you’ve gotta see it to believe it.
“The Angry Inch” aka the on-stage live band is legit fierce, totally intense, and really knows how to own their moments of performance. It’s all about Hedwig, hands down and no doubt, but the band keeps the show moving along. Lead by co-musical directors David Smigielski (as Krysztof on guitar) and David Weinraub (as Skszp on keyboard & guitar) with Christopher Willet (as Schlatko on bass) and Tito Perez (as Jacek on drums) you get a well-metered sound with exceptional consistency throughout the performance. The band as a whole have a few interactive moments with Hedwig, several of which are crudely hilarious and they ultimately create this sonic backdrop of awesomeness, for lack of a better word, that adds that vivacious edge to this production. It’s an unyielding bullet-train of musical chaos and it is every bit as fantastic as one could hope.
Director Danni Guy lets the stars shine out in this one. With an inclusive approach to ‘activism forward’ direction, there is a profoundly striking moment that arises during the show’s final number “Midnight Radio” but for fear of spoiling its awe-inspiring beauty, I don’t want to touch on it too much. But it’s a message of acceptance, a message of learning and understanding, a peaceful reckoning and realization of sorts that ties the entire character arc of Hedwig together in a glistening, sparkling bow of unity and compassion. It’s such a simple moment and yet so deeply striking, meaningful and profound. Guy has a firm handle on the overall vision and message of this production of Hedwig & The Angry Inch and it’s 100% a “must-see-to-believe-and-understand” type of show.
Nowhere in the show’s title does it mention “…and Yitzhak…” who is an integral component of the Hedwig narrative, but that’s entirely intentional. Played by the astonishing Vanessa Bliss, the role of Yitzhak does not live in the shadows, much to Hedwig’s chagrin, in this production. Having only seen this show twice before in my life (and only once in my reviewing career of a dozen years) I can honestly say I have never seen Yitzhak so beautifully balanced— in the sense that the character is meant to play shadow/second-fiddle-wither & wilt in the blinding aura that is Hedwig— but in this production Yitzhak is so much more. Bliss has a powerful belt when it comes to delivering both backing vocals and full-on features (“Midnight Radio” comes immediately to mind for the latter) and will be seen and will be heard, regardless of what Hedwig thinks. The dynamic between these two characters is such a volatile one and yet oddly familiar, something caustic yet there is a truthfulness to it. Bliss is a powerhouse all her own and bringing and undeniable vivacity to the character of Yitzhak.
Cam Shegogue delivers an unabashed, unapologetic, and sensational trifecta of a true triple-threat performance when it comes to his portrayal of the titular character, Hedwig. From the moment Shegogue struts onto the stage until the finale, fully revealed as his most alive, most vibrant, most radiant self, you are just stunned. Jaw-dropped, hooked and cannot stop loving on and living for what he is selling as this beautiful character of Hedwig. The versatility of vocal range that Shegogue possesses is extraordinary and you get to hear all of it in his performance of Stephen Trask’s stupendous score. With an extraordinary balance between performing the performance and engaging with the audience on an intrapersonal level, Shegogue masterfully turns this experience into something unforgettable. Right from jump-street, you get the sense that Shegogue’s Hedwig is totally unfettered, completely unhinged, and hanging onto a precariously assembled sense of sanity and self, which is glued together with self-deprecating humor, snarky bites channeled at both Yitzhak and the audience, and a passionate loathing for the monstrous creation that is Tommy Gnosis. (Shout out to the intensive labors of Costume Designer Anna Marquardt and Hair & Make-up Designer Maurissa Sosa for giving this fashionable femme fatale character an astonishing wardrobe and sensational sartorial selection, all of which conflagrates into an undeniably awesome aesthetic.)
Blasting confidence for miles, Shegogue is a captivating storyteller, whether he’s narrating bits of Hedwig’s origin story or singing out the expressive songs featured in this production. Possessing an undeniable spirit that glows and burns and radiates with every step he takes in those monster-platform boots, Shegogue is delivering all the glitz of a proper floor show and also gut-punching us with a maelstrom of emotions. There’s unhinged dance movements, like a demonic possession has taken over his body when he’s power-belting his way through “Angry Inch.” And there’s polarizing stillness during “Hedwig’s Lament” with as much sobering beauty and stunning depth as “Angry Inch” has high-octane rage-fury-flames. Shegogue doesn’t just deliver a dynamic performance; Shegogue is dynamite as Hedwig. The emotions are raw, at times eviscerating punches in the gut, and so real that you want to embrace Hedwig with everything you have. It’s a phenomenal performance. Shegogue delivers this beautiful blur of seriousness and humor, you can never quite tell whether he’s letting Hedwig be funny or somber. It’s a wild ride from start to finish and it’s an humbling honor to get to see Cam Shegogue rule this role as if Hedwig were made solely for him.
Remarkable praises for the production— cast, crew, and company all round— does not begin to do justice for the experience. Cannot stress enough how much of a MUST-SEE this show is. It’s rewarding; it’s revitalizing; it gives you hope and love and joy and all of the feelings all at once. Hedwig & The Angry Inch is the show to see this spring. Don’t throw away your chance to experience extraordinary talent, exceptional performances, and overall astonishing evening of theatre.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission
Hedwig & The Angry Inch plays through May 6th 2023 with Dominion Stage at Gunston Theatre Two— 2700 S. Lang Street in Arlington, VA. Tickets are available at the door or in advance online.
