If you’re a fan of Broadway musicals then you might be looking forward to seeing Taye Diggs perform the role of Hedwig in an upcoming production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Diggs revealed photos of himself in full costume for the first time yesterday, and the internet is going wild.
Diggs is set to begin his 12-week run with the musical on July 22. The show is running at the famous Belasco Theatre near Time Square, but Diggs is no stranger to Broadway. He has previously performed in productions of “Wicked,” “Rent” and “Chicago.” Fans of Hedwig are clamoring to see if the rising performer has the chops it takes to play the demanding role. If these recently leaked photos are any indication, the fans will not be disappointed.
“Hedwig is the role of a lifetime,” Diggs said. “I’m looking forward to being challenged performance-wise on many levels, as well as being humbled by the musical’s social implications. I also like wearing nail polish.”
Diggs will be playing the role of a cross-dressing, transgender East-German rockstar. His predecessors in the role include “Glee'” star Darren Criss, along with Neil Patrick Harris. Diggs himself his exceptionally handsome, but many admirers have noted on social media that the glitter adds a special something.
“Taye is fantastic,” said David Binder, the show’s lead producer. “He has theater cred, he has pop culture cred, he can sing, he can act, he can dance, he’s smart and he’s sexy. That’s why we cast him.”
Diggs grew up in Rochester, New York. His family are all artists, musicians and entertainers to varying degrees. He holds a BFA from Syracuse University in musical theatre, and he has been performing on Broadway since 1996. He is 41 years old.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a cult piece of theatre on par with Rocky Horror Picture Show. It debuted off-broadway in 1998, and has since been turned into a movie starring John Cameron Mitchell, who also wrote the original book and script. Mitchell is also famous for his work on Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.
The musical score to Hedwig is very East-Berlin inspired and heavy on the rock. Lyrics were written by Stephen Trask.