Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
#1Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 1:48pm
In a new interview with Queerty.com, Adam Lambert revealed that he was approached to take on the lead role in Broadway's Hedwig and the Angry Inch but decided to decline the offer.
"They offered," he shared with the site. "I'm flattered they asked me, but it's not what I want to do right now. It's an amazing role. Maybe one day. The thing about it is I don't want to get in drag for eight shows a week. [Laughs]"
Asked if he had any future plans to appear on Broadway, the American Idol finalist commented, "I don't know. I definitely want to try it, but there's nothing on the radar right now."
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I have hopes Adam will play Hedwig someday. His vocals on those numbers would be incredible.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#2Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 1:52pm
Thank you Adam for knowing the limits of your ability.
#2Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 1:58pm
Adam Lambert would have killed it as Hedwig. Probably would have been the best vocally. I hope he plays the part some day. He'd be perfect for it.
#3Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:01pm
I would assume you mean questions about his acting ability, because vocally the songs of Hedwig would seem easily in his wheelhouse.
Here's a youtube of Adam in that "Wicked" production:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZHvNm6oKeU
#4Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:02pm
I don't think this is at all surprising. Offering it to him is a fairly obvious choice, as was his turning it down, given he has a new album coming out and is about to go on tour again.
#5Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:07pm
"I don't think this is at all surprising. Offering it to him is a fairly obvious choice, as was his turning it down, given he has a new album coming out and is about to go on tour again. "
Yes, his priorities are on his recording career and touring. I could see his revisiting the offer a years down the line, but for now, it doesn't make sense for him, what with his pop album needing his full focus.
#6Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:08pm
But dang, his vocals would be out of this world for Hedwig.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#7Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:10pm
Yes, Adam Lambert would have killed Hedwig.
#8Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:10pm
I know, I know!
It's almost a parody to put Adam as a Glam rocker at this point, but those vocals!!
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#9Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:15pm
He needs to focus on not finally having that breakthrough new album.
#10Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:17pm
Namo, why don't you like Lambert? You can't deny that he would have rocked the score.
#11Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:22pm
I see him 100% as Frankenfurter. He probably wouldn't do that role either, if he doesn't want to do drag, but I'd pay to see that if he did.
karen24
Broadway Star Joined: 2/27/06
#12Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 2:32pm
I've gotten the impression from some interviews he's given that he really isn't very interested in doing theater again. Who knows if that will change, but I can see him wanting to focus right now on touring and his album. I do agree that he'd be great on the vocals.
He did some acting on GLEE and I thought he was quite good. Very natural and charming.
#13Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 4:18pm
Yes, Adam Lambert would have killed Hedwig.
I couldn't have said it any better.
AppleSunday
Understudy Joined: 5/1/15
#14Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 4:30pm
The music is in his wheelhouse in terms of genre, but because the score wasn't written with a voice like his in mind, oversinging would almost inevadably happen and that would take away from his overall performance as the character. For me, John and Darren have produced the best Hedwig vocals because they aren't glam or Broadway. Adam's acting of the part would have to be insanely perfect and above on point for it to balance out and work.
MarkBearSF
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/25/11
#15Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 4:31pm
In five years or so, after the (inevitable) smell of failure - he'll be even better for the role.
No reflection on his talent, but as any viewer of VH1, Behind the Music knows, there will be stumbles and failures ahead - as for any artist.
#16Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 4:37pm
The other Adam would have been better instead--the one with the tattoos?
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#18Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 4:50pm
Who is his audience in 2015? How does he actually make a living? What pays the bills, club dates, concerts? For whom is his record, target demo wise? That's an honest question, since he seems off the radar. He has said on more than one occasion he doesn't really enjoy theater, so this is no big surprise. I'm sure he's been offered the NY "Wicked" and said uh-uh.
#19Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 4:54pm
He's smart. The show isn't that good, and being the 5th replacement? I'd have said no too.
#20Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 5:12pm
He goes concert gigs and last year with Queen had a very successful tour in both the US and UK, apprarently it was close to a sell out.
I'm not sure how having a strong rocker strong voice disqualifies Adam Lambert from Hedwig automatically. AS to JCM, as good as he is in the persona of Hedwig, his vocals are a relative weaknesss, and for all the talk of Darren Criss having this musician/band/mic experience background, his vocals lack both power and grititiness if the goal was to have a "non Broadway" voice.
The question for Adam would be how good of an actor he is capable of for going for Hedwig's persona, not whether he would "over sing" his vocals. That would seem to be the least of the problems of Adam in the role.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#21Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 5:31pm
Auggie, he made money playing Freddie Mercury in a Queen cover band featuring 50% of Queen. But I'm sure it wasn't equal money, he was probably just a hired gun. He's wise not to do another replacement gig.
And I agree with Jane. He'll make a good Frank N Furter in about 10 years in a Rocky Horror tour that's supposedly headed to Broadway but never opens in New York. I'd go see that if there were some interesting people in the cast.
#22Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 5:47pm
"Who is his audience in 2015? How does he actually make a living? What pays the bills, club dates, concerts? For whom is his record, target demo wise? That's an honest question, since he seems off the radar. He has said on more than one occasion he doesn't really enjoy theater, so this is no big surprise. I'm sure he's been offered the NY "Wicked" and said uh-uh. "
Other than the Beyoncees/Taylor Swift/Justin Timberlake stratosphere, most recording artists make their money pounding the pavements in concerts, big and small venues. The Label companies make whatever profit from album/record sales and the artist usually gets a pittance or even ends up in debt. Live performances are the bread and butter.
So pretty much Adam tours and since American Idol he has his set of fans he can carve out a living that way. A lot of singers are "off the radar" (as in radio play/celebrity profile) yet do OK.
FindingNamo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#23Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 5:50pm
He's done exactly two solo tours, one American Idol tour and two Queen tours. He probably got scale for the non-solo tours.
#24Adam Lambert turned down Hedwig
Posted: 6/12/15 at 5:56pm
"He's done exactly two solo tours, one American Idol tour and two Queen tours. He probably got scale for the non-solo tours."
I'll grant you the American Idol tour the show probably paid the contestants peanuts for that one. The last Queen tour Queen had said it was planned well ahead of time to being much more ambitious due to the positive feedback from the first Queen/Lambert collaborations. It seemed more that both Queen and Lambert needed and complemented each other, apparently most venues sold out within hours of tickets being available.
The North American part of the tour grossed 37 million and was #35 in all world wide tours in 2014, and that's not even including a later added Asian jaunt and a European tour. But with those numbers if people want to believe Adam Lambert was paid "scale..".... ; )
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