Jak Peters portraying Hedwig Schmidt, lead character and East German rock ‘n’ roll goddess.
AUGUSTA — Rocky for Equality (RFE), a nonprofit theater company in Augusta, is getting ready for its sixth annual summer production. Typically staging “The Rocky Horror Show Live,” RFE will depart from previous years and stage “Hedwig and the Angry Inch: for three nights, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 25, 26 and 27, at the Governor Hill Mansion.
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” text by John Cameron Mitchell and lyrics by Stephen Trask, is a groundbreaking musical that tells the story of “internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall smashing East German rock ‘n’ roll goddess who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation, which has left her with just “an angry inch.”
Starring Jak Peters as Hedwig, a Rocky for Equality veteran and fan-favorite, and RFE newcomer, Ashleigh St. Pierre, as Hedwig’s husband, Yitzhak, this production promises to deliver a high energy rock show that RFE audiences have come to know and love. This cast of two is accompanied by a three-piece rock band led by guitarist and music director Joe Tinkham, alongside Brendon Bouchard on bass and Sam Gilbert on drums.
Jak Peters portraying both Tommy Gnosis and Hedwig Schmidt as two halves of a whole, inspired by “The Origin of Love,” a musical interpretation of Plato’s symposium that propels the theme of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”
As with past RFE productions, audience members are encouraged to join in the fun with costumes and callbacks during the show. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” will mimic the setting of a rock club during the late 1990s where the participation of the audience adds to the experience. There will be a preshow, photo booth, costume contest and cash bar with themed drinks.
“ ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ is unique in the sense that it rocks harder than any other musical out there, but is also so raw and meticulously heart wrenching, that it haunts you for hours,” said Becca Tinkham, artistic director for RFE. “Following the format of a one-woman comedy act, Hedwig keeps you laughing while flawlessly tackling the complex matters of gender, acceptance and love.”
Tickets for “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” are available at www.rockyforequality.com/tickets, and range from $20 for general admission, $35 for VIP and $50 for Club Level VIP tickets. Shows will be held at 8 p.m. at the Governor Hill Mansion, 136 State St. Doors will open at 7 p.m.
About Rocky for Equality
Rocky for Equality was founded in July 2011 for the purpose of bringing the community together to discuss and help to facilitate social change. The creators of RFE want to support local businesses, artists and charities creatively while also giving back to the community via a community theater production. The goal is to produce annual showings of “The Rocky Horror Show Live” and other similarly themed musicals, making it a tradition.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.