It was a Broadway Black family reunion the first Saturday in August, as we all made our way to the Belasco Theater to see Taye Diggs hilariously deliver as the lead in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The show ran for an hour and thirty minutes with no intermission and my first thought was… WHAT?! However, that time was so overwhelmingly entertaining that you don’t ever want to get up from your seat because you will feel like you’ve missed something important. For example, if you had gone to the bathroom, you might have missed a cheeky reference to the “Whitney Rag” (I believe only the Black people in the audience caught that joke). Or you may have missed Taye kissing the man in the front row (Seriously. He comes off the stage to kiss someone. I was jealous.) or you may have missed the Idina Menzel/Let It Go joke that made me laugh and cringe at the same time.
I was laughing at what was hilarious, in awe of what was mind-blowing (the projections on the scrim during one of the numbers was AMAZING), or crying at what was touching. Hedwig draws you in from beginning to end. Much of that is due to Taye Diggs. He brings subtle vulnerability and an abundance of charisma to the role of Hedwig that makes you want to see the character come out on top, which is why the latter half of the show is so moving.
I went in expecting a grand ol’ time with a bunch of laughs, but I left the theatre with way more than that. The show was hilarious, but it also had serious undertones. The show’s message was loud and clear with the final song. It’s about being true to yourself, living for your authentic self and not letting anyone take that away from you. We are all individuals with vastly different, unique personalities. Everyone’s journey doesn’t look the same.
After the show it was only right to do what every other theatergoer does, wait at the stage door for Taye Diggs to emerge. This was an event in itself. It was one of the most packed stage doors I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a lot of them. Hundreds of people waited outside to take pictures and get autographs of the man of the night, as testament to Diggs’ star power.
All in all, it was a fantastic evening with even more fantastic people. If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, hurry! Hedwig is only playing until September 13 at the Belasco Theater. You can get tickets here or by calling telecharge at 212-239-6200 or 800-432-7250.
