Hedwig

Belasco Theatre, Broadway

2014-15

[ 59 Provided ] - Video Design

The revival of a legendary work

Brilliantly innovative, heartbreaking, and wickedly funny, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a landmark musical by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask.

As part of the process of reviving this legendary work, 59’s Ben Pearcy joined forces with regular 59 collaborator, Julian Crouch, to provide projection design for the show, creating technicolor animations and dynamic projection to suit the energy and life of genderqueer singer Hedwig Robinson.

Winner of 4 Tony awards, Hedwig has both played to packed-out audiences in the Belasco Theatre on Broadway and toured America. Songs like “the Origin of Love” backed by 59’s designs, have become iconic musical numbers in venues across the country.

Opened 2014-15

Belasco Theatre, Broadway & US Tour

[ 59 Provided ] - Video Design

★★★★

If deliberately provocative and libidinous, Hedwig packs a stronger emotional wallop than most Broadway musicals. Despite the blaring sound mix, a few songs, such as The Origin of Love, based on a speech of Aristophanes, Midnight Radio and Wicked Little Town, give you chills, aided by the harmonies of Lena Hall as Hedwig’s husband, Yitzhak. What aural pleasure.

The Guardian

★★★★

The costumes by Arianne Phillips are fun and — after the opening nod to David Bowie — tawdry enough to be believable, even as they sort of dazzle, in a low-rent way. The wigs and make-up of Mike Potter are similarly tatty and fun, with excellent lighting from Kevin Adams, a challenging and convincing sound design by Tom O’Heir and terrific projection designs by Benjamin Pearcy for 59 Productions which are a stand-out (and not just on “The Origin Of Love,” which one expected to shine). The stage band is crack with Hall nicely subservient as Yitzhak, though her strong voice never takes second place.

The Huffington Post

How do you justify the advent of a tarnished never-was on the Great White Way? Well, you start with a sassily tweaked script, which has the title character taking over the Belasco for one night — following some, er, gentle persuasion of a Shubert Organization producer — after the premature demise of its previous tenant, “Hurt Locker: The Musical.” This allows the witty designer Julian Crouch to come up with a ludicrously extravagant set, which depicts a besieged cityscape frozen in midexplosion. And how about some naughty eye candy in the form of cartoon projections by Benjamin Pearcy for 59 Productions?

The New York Times

Credits

Book
John Cameron Mitchell

Music, Lyrics & Orchestration
Stephen Trask

Director
Michael Mayer

Musical Staging
Spencer Liff

Scenic Design
Julian Crouch

Costume Design
Arianne Phillips

Lighting Design
Kevin Adams

Projection Design
59 Productions

59 Team

Projection Design
Benjamin Pearcy