I was able to snag a couple of tix in the first 2 rows for rocker friends, including one new to musical comedy and Hedwig (although he's a tattooed punk daddy) who she pretty much played to for much of the show. (AA 103). I think his head exploded.
Seriously, those of you who would be able to see Lena as Hedwig in LA, DO. NOT. MISS. IT. You WILL regret it if you don't go, I can promise you that. I don't even have words, honestly, she was absolutely incredible.
I was talking to someone at the stage door, and we were talking about the difference between her and Darren, becuase it wasn't like either one of us thought he was bad or anything, we both actually really really enjoyed in performance, but we kind of came to the conclusion that what makes her stand out is where their difference lies. Darren plays up the campy and sassiness, and he's very very good at it, and that made his Hedwig so much fun to watch, whereas Lena didn't do that so much, she was a tiny bit more reserved, but much more connected to telling the full emotional arc of Hedwig's story and so when she got to the songs it was like there was this extra bit of burning fire you could sense, because she was definitely tackling the character from a much more emotional angle (not to say darren never hit those points, because he definitely did, those moments when it gets silent, he gave me chills, but there was just that little something extra from Lena.) You can definitely also tell how happy she is to get to play that role, you can just sense it completely how into it she is and it makes her that much more enjoyable to watch.
her emotional embodiment of hedwig, from the brashness and bravado at the beginning, to her tears shed when she was dissapointed by her quest for love yet again with tommy, was more powerful and real than id seen or felt....
if they were smart and she would do it, they should give lena the lead for part of the tour....
BroadwayMomma said: "The only problem with Lena Hall playing Hedwig is that she's no longer playing Yitzhak. "
If only the technology existed so that we could see her play Hedwig and Yitzhak against herself, live. Like I literally kept thinking about that last night.
Mine too, but wasn't it actually during the Hurt Locker song? I remember it like this (but I could be wrong):
Yitzhak reading/singing the Hurt Locker sheet music. Hedwig: "Lena Hall played it better." Hedwig snatches the sheet music out of Yitzhak's hands and as she throw it into the audience: "No Tony for you."
I loved her Darren Criss bit too.
broadwaysfguy said: "favorite line when itzak was singing first song
lol, to clarify the line, when Yitzhak is singing the song from The Hurt Locker, and Hedwig interrupts, she said "Lena Hall was better in the role." then when she grabbed the sheet music from him, she added "No Tony for you!" Biggest reaction of the night by far, everyone went crazy
broadwaysfguy said: "seriously thinking of flying to la to see her (Lena) again
my bet is if ygey gave her the lead she woukd continue on tour to show what forcd she is as a lead actress"
You're right. This is from yesterday's Billboard.com interview with Lena: "I’m hoping that after L.A., I can hang up my Yitzhak hat, and hopefully they’ll give me a small run as Hedwig somewhere -- like my own run where I don't have to do both roles."
Terracentric said: "broadwaysfguy said: "seriously thinking of flying to la to see her (Lena) again
my bet is if ygey gave her the lead she woukd continue on tour to show what forcd she is as a lead actress"
You're right. This is from yesterday's Billboard.com interview with Lena: "I’m hoping that after L.A., I can hang up my Yitzhak hat, and hopefully they’ll give me a small run as Hedwig somewhere -- like my own run where I don't have to do both roles."
I had a question for those who went to the show in san fran and got to see Lena. During midnight radio, towards the end Lena rips off the plastic covering her chest, then tears off the pasties off her breast. exposing her full chest. she wasnt shy about it and proudly saluted the audience. i was curious if she had been doing this in san fran or if the crowd, emotion and moment just took over. even as a gay man i felt liberated by her moment! was out of control!!!
Chistery88 said: "I had a question for those who went to the show in san fran and got to see Lena. During midnight radio, towards the end Lena rips off the plastic covering her chest, then tears off the pasties off her breast. exposing her full chest. she wasnt shy about it and proudly saluted the audience. i was curious if she had been doing this in san fran or if the crowd, emotion and moment just took over. even as a gay man i felt liberated by her moment! was out of control!!!
"
I was at her first performance in SF and she held her chest as she took of the pasties and had her back to the audience as she walked upstage never turning around to show bare chest. Not sure what the rest of the performances were like after that.