John Cameron Mitchell ORIGIN OF LOVE Tour — Page 3

haterobics said: "I'd be more surprised if someone who is all into Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Yoko, etc., WOULD be a huge Madonna fan... also, why would promoting the Criterion release of a 4K remastered edition of Hedwig on Blu-Ray be a sign of his desperation?!"

I was referring to him trotting Hedwig out on tour when back in the day he said he didn't really have any interest in doing so. I realize he is trying to raise funds for his mother, so I understand his priorities. At the same time, I don't think it's great to criticize another creative as being desperate when she is just trying to maintain a profile to also fund her philanthropy like her pediatric AIDS hospital and release some new work that is gratifying to her. She knows she doesn't sell well anymore. He sounded just like another misogynist by criticizing her, which is why I was surprised.

No fan of Madonna (she's entered her Mae-West-in-Sextette phase), but what "great work" has JCM created? The one good thing he did is Hedwig, and Stephen Trask is responsible for that particular success. Note the tour isn't readings from the script. It's the songs. Trask made Hedwig a hit. JCM just gets all the attention.

VotePeron said: "joevitus said: "No fan of Madonna (she'sentered her Mae-West-in-Sextette phase), but what "great work" has JCM created? The one good thing he did is Hedwig, and Stephen Trask is responsible for that particular success. Note the tour isn't readings from the script. It's the songs. Trask made Hedwig a hit. JCM just gets all the attention.

"

Imagine having this opinion lmao"

Anyone go around reciting the dialogue? This show a revival with the script? People love the songs. The songs made it. Can't see how one can "imagine" anything else. Without that score, what do you have?

KJisgroovy said: "The character and the concept. Created and perfected over years. At Squeezebox and Fez. Many early performances featured rewritten (by JCM)pre-existing songs from many the artists mentioned in the show. Many of the plot and charactersare taken directly from Mitchell's life. The whole Hedwig thing is John Cameron Mitchell's. The songs are great but many of them are pastiche. Trask got the gig because he was the music director at Squeezebox. He did an amazing job and his work is extraordinary. But.A good many people would pay to see John Cameron Mitchell as Hedwig sing the songs that initially inspired the show. The songs from the show would be a bonus.

What has John Cameron Mitchell done? Directed a movie that premiered at Cannes. Directed an Oscar nominated movie. Directed an OK movie nobody saw. Produced a documentary that won the Independent Spirit award. Created an exceedingly popular podcast musical. Recurring cast member on buzzy tv shows.

Your point that the songs are a big part of the show's success is valid and should be acknowledged. But. The show is the character and the character is John Cameron Mitchell. For a certain kind of person (admittedly a niche group), John Cameron Mitchell is an icon.Yourposts are on the far side of ridiculous.



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Even Wigheads say JCM wasn't the best Hedwig. The show can be, and usually is, done without him. The show can't be done without the songs and, again, I never hear anyone quoting lines from the book. Can you think of one off the top of your head? Trask made that show work, and JCM hasn't had a hit since. Unquestionably he created the character. But if this had been a comedy without songs, or if it had recycled hits from the performers Hedwig admired instead of using the score it has, it would be forgotten, if it had ever succeeded to begin with.

John Cameron Mitchell is by far the best Hedwig and I don't know any Hedhead that would disagree.

And who has ever questioned the brilliance of the score? Stupid, pointless argument.

There is no Hedwig without John Cameron Mitchell and no musical without Stephen Trask.

WHY IS EVERYTHING A COMPETITION?

joevitus said: "TotallyEffed said: "John Cameron Mitchell is by far the best Hedwig and I don't know any Hedhead that would disagree.

And who has ever questioned the brilliance of the score? Stupid, pointless argument."

You don't own the dvd, I guess. There's a whole documentary about the show with Wigheads saying the best Hedwig wasn't JCM."

It's been a few years since I have seen the documentary, but I don't recall any of the hedheds saying that JCM wasn't the best. I do recall some of the creatives discussing what each of the Hedwigs brought to the role. I specifically remember someone discussing the sense of legitimacy they felt Michael Cerveris brought to the production, I think I recall someone mentioning the beauty of Asa Sommers, and maybe the intensity of Ally Sheedy. None of that, though, was anyone saying that JCM wasn't the best. It would see weird for such a comment to be made at all in a documentary about the gestation of the show and film. If you insist such comments are there, perhaps I am misremembering. I will have to rewatch it soon.