Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
Lena...was....astounding!!!
She is a star and the audience went crazy....
Go see her in LA if you can
I was there as well. It was ELECTRIC. Lena ROCKS!
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.
I can't imagine hearing it better sung.
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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
notalwaysontime-
thanks for putting Lena's performance into words
i was at a loss at first
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....
Understudy Joined: 5/23/16
The only problem with Lena Hall playing Hedwig is that she's no longer playing Yitzhak.
Devastated that they're not bringing her to the East Coast in the role
Maybe the choice was not up to the magical "they," but she didn't want to?
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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
favorite line when itzak was singing first song
"not as good as lena!"
unplugs itzaks mic
"no tony for you!"
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
seriously thinking of flying to la to see her 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
Understudy Joined: 5/23/16
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
"not as good as lena!"
unplugs itzaks mic
"no tony for you!"
"
Understudy Joined: 5/23/16
Maybe you need to go down to LA to confirm that dialogue for us.
broadwaysfguy said: "seriously thinking of flying to la to see her 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
"
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
Hello Los Angeles...
Hello West Covina.
Hedwig was great tonight. Darren Criss calling out Lea Michelle who was front row, followed by calling out James Franco...also in attendance.
Understudy Joined: 5/23/16
That is so funny. Darren referred to those same actors in SF, but obviously they were not actually in attendance. That's pretty wild.
That's really funny, she was there though, front row center. He even gave her the Hurt Locker sheet music...
Stand-by Joined: 1/15/05
Really? Wow, shows how little attention I pay to the audience--I was in row B and didn't even notice.
Demi Moore--that outfit!--is it a salute to something? a come as you are party[remember those?--I always changed first].
I just hope it was a gift and she felt obliged to wear 'it'.
Little late in posting that I had the privilege of seeing Lena as Hedwig in SF.
OMG.
To say she was a force of nature with her voice is an understatement, her Hedwig was ragged and raw in a glorious way.
Why this show can't book her for a regular gig as Hedwig is beyond me.
Understudy Joined: 8/28/16
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."
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7565529/lena-hall-on-revisiting-yitzhak-for-hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-tour-finally
Understudy Joined: 8/28/16
I'm hoping this cat goes viral. It's Mason Alexander Park's cat in a purrfect Hedwig outfit. Mason is Darren Criss's standby for Hedwig in LA.
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.park.7737/posts/10154703614108270
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."
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7565529/lena-hall-on-revisiting-yitzhak-for-hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-tour-finally
Omg. Yes please. Someone make this happen. Stephen Trask.... if you read this board... just... please???!!
"
Swing Joined: 10/4/16
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!!!
Stand-by Joined: 6/4/14
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.
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