Darren Criss will kick off the national tour of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” taking on the lead role during the production’s first two stops in San Francisco and L.A.
Criss previously had a 12-week stint in the show on Broadway. For the tour he’ll reunite with band members who also appeared in the Broadway incarnation, including Justin Craig, Matt Duncan, Tim Mislock and Peter Yanowitz. The performer playing Hedwig’s back-up singer, assistant and husband, Yitzhak, remains to be set.
Casting will likely play a significant role in “Hedwig” on the road just as it did on Broadway. While the show itself has a core group of avid fans, the Broadway production skyrocketed up to hit status thanks to Neil Patrick Harris, who won a Tony for his performance in the role. Subsequent performers to fill Hedwig’s shoes had vary degrees of luck at the box office.
Criss, who’ll be familiar to national audiences for his run in “Glee,” will star in “Hedwig” for its lengthy runs in San Francisco (Oct. 4-30) and in L.A. (Nov. 1-27). Before that, Criss will appear as Prince Eric in a run of “The Little Mermaid” at the Hollywood Bowl in June.
Directed by Michael Mayer (“Spring Awakening”), the Broadway revival of “Hedwig” came away with four 2014 Tony Awards. For the national tour, casting beyond the first two California stops hasn’t yet been announced.
