A Little Longer - 'Inch' Extends To July 26 in Atlanta

A hit at Actor's Express in Atlanta back in 2003, the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch is proving once again that it has what it takes to pack audiences in. The theater recently announced that its current production of "Hedwig" has been extended through July 26.

Written by John Cameron Mitchell (text) and Stephn Trask (music and lyrics), the show Hedwig, a would-be rock star who fled East Berlin with an American GI following her botched sex change surgery. She now follows a pop star, Tommy Gnosis, on his blockbuster tour. Hedwig plays in dive bars adjacent to his concert venues, claiming a relationship with the star and that she wrote all the music that made him famous. Throughout the evening, she performs the music and tells of her journey to self-actualization and completion.

The new AE production offers a fresh spin on the show. Artistic Director Freddie Ashley helms the production. He says, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch remains one of the most popular shows in AE’s history, so the decision to mark the end of our anniversary season by revisiting this popular show was an easy one.” Ashley continues, “It was important to us to take a new approach with the show. The idea was that in a milestone year, we want to honor the theatre’s history while at the same time looking to the future by re-imagining the production from the ground up.”

For this production, Actor's Express’ theatre space is being transformed into a seedy stripper bar, complete with runway and stripper pole. There is a combination of table seating and traditional theatre seating. A special section of the audience, “Hedwig’s Fan Club VIP Section,” is available for VIP patrons. This area seats six and includes comfortable couches and a guaranteed visit from Hedwig during the performance.

The cast of Hedwig and the Angry Inch features AE newcomer Craig Waldrip in the title role. Waldrip has appeared in numerous shows throughout Atlanta at such theatres as the Alliance Theatre, Jewish Theatre of the South, Aurora Theatre, Theatre Gael, Process Theatre, Art Station, Habima Theatre and Dad’s Garage.

Angela Motter, who played Yitzhak in the AE production of the show in 2003, reprises her role. She has also performed as Yitzhak at Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Performances of Hedwig are Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm. Tickets are $22 - $27 and can be purchased by calling 404-607-SHOW (7469) or by visiting the theater's website at: http://www.actors-express.com.