Ladies and Gentleman....Taye Diggs is your next Hedwig- Page 8

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/18/15 at 6:15pm

""Not sure if this is new, but Taye Diggs is now listed in the Hurt Locker playbill. "
 He's always been listed in it."

 Quite a coincidence!  I've never been able to grab one until today so I didn't know. 

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 7/18/15 at 10:47pm

apparently when Taye starts they are using someone else in the Hurt Locker playbill.

[Alex M]

Posted: 7/18/15 at 11:08pm

Is anyone going to Tayes opening or invited dress?

[SDV]

Posted: 7/19/15 at 12:37am

Opening night. It has nowhere to go but up after Darren Criss.

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 9:44am

Due to a happy turn of events I have to go to New York Wednesday and Thursday for work. Scored a premium seat and I'll be front and center for Taye's opening.  

[skies]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 12:45pm

Lucky you!

 

[Phan2]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 6:39pm

ChiTheaterFan, I am looking forward to your opinion!  I hope you return to share with us.  Where are you sitting? 

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 7:03pm

"ChiTheaterFan, I am looking forward to your opinion!  I hope you return to share with us.  Where are you sitting? "

 I will do that!  I may be biased.  I should disclose have a thing for Taye Diggs...  Always have  :)  But I have never seen him live!

 

I am sitting right in front of the stage on the stage left aisle.  So literally front although not so literally center.  Couldn't believe that seat was still remaining. 

 

One thing I love about seeing Hedwig so many times is how all of these different actors really bring something different to the role.  I have seen it with Andrew Rannells, JCM (crate show), and Darren Criss.  I honestly have a hard time ranking them because they were all so different.  Criss was by far the most physical and shocked me with how angsty he was.  Rannells was the most feminine take.  JCM... well, I mean he is just Hedwig.  I think the most fun time I had was this last time with Criss but that was heavily influenced by watching my dad get the car wash from two seats away.  I am SUPER excited to see what Taye Diggs brings, and not ONLY because I think he's insanely good looking.  (Although that is most definitely a factor...)

Updated On: 7/20/15 at 07:03 PM

[A1st]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 8:33pm

We have Eyes!!

And a Marquee! ( Just scroll down a little bit couldn't get the picture to work ) 

 

 

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 9:34pm

Oh.  My.  God.  Thanks for sharing. Did you watch the video they tweeted?  He says the backstory has been adjusted to make it make sense for him as the first "chocolate Hedwig" (his words) and Trask said they've made adjustments for his voice. Interested to see the changes.

 

He is so good looking its bordering on absurd. 

Updated On: 7/20/15 at 09:34 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/20/15 at 10:16pm

i think it's time I finally see this show.

[Phan2]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 2:38am

ChiTheaterFan, I'm sure there are some fans of Taye in this thread, just like there were fans of NPH, JCM, etc. in their respective threads (in other words, some bias is expected).   Have fun, and let us know your thoughts! 

You are close.   You will have a good view of the car-washing and the kiss. 

I agree, that each Hedwig brings a different perspective to the show.   Well, if I saw my father get car-washed by Hedwig, I would say I had a fun night!    No argument from me, Taye is so handsome.  He's going to make a very lovely Hedwig.    Am curious about changes in the script.

 

 

Updated On: 7/21/15 at 02:38 AM

[skies]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 3:59am

The countdown for Taye to start his run is less than 48 hour, and seeing Taye and Naomi together , hope their chemistry is off the roof.

[HedwigInch]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 7:11am

"Oh.  My.  God.  Thanks for sharing. Did you watch the video they tweeted?  He says the backstory has been adjusted to make it make sense for him as the first "chocolate Hedwig" (his words) and Trask said they've made adjustments for his voice. Interested to see the changes.  "

 Weird thing is that Stephen Trask said on Twitter yesterday they made no background changes, that none are needed. He also said he saw Taye saying that in a video and was confused. 

 

https://twitter.com/stephentrask/status/623220394116411392

 

https://twitter.com/stephentrask/status/623221410748567552

 

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 8:40am

Makes sense. When I saw the video I was thinking changes to the back story wouldn't be required for it to make sense. A son of an East German woman and an American GI could be any race, really. 

 

 

Maybe he was referencing changes to the jokes? I'm sure there are some as there always are (Darren Criss made a joke about Chris Colfer fur and the audience went INSANE) and I wouldn't be surprised to see a chocolate joke thrown in there since that is how Taye refers to himself.  

 

Or maybe he was just confused. Or maybe he's just messing with everyone. :)

 

I seem to recall  an Idina Menzel joke. Wonder if that will stay. I would think not. 

 

either way, we'll know tomorrow!

[Anshel2]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 9:00am

I have a TDF ticket for Saturday matinee.  Where have seats generally been?

[dfrillsnedit]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 11:04am

I'll be attending the Wednesday opening performance. Unfortunately only got Balcony tickets, but they could be good ones, since TodayTix only mentioned "Balcony" as a choice rather than Rear Balcony as they usually do. Either way, beyond excited to see Taye, who I have a feeling is gonna bring something special to this role. 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 11:45am

Sorry if this has been posted already. It's a fantastic NY Times article on Taye by James Hannaham.

NY TIMES: How Taye Diggs Is Transforming the Role of Hedwig

Updated On: 7/21/15 at 11:45 AM

[ChiTheaterFan]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 12:01pm

What a great article!  Thanks for sharing. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 12:02pm

I wish I was those rolling steps he is leaning on...

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 12:20pm

Very insightful interview.  Interestingly enough, I never remotely considered his race an issue (or obstacle) in playing the role, only his beauty and physique.  I've never seen Hedwig as such an idealized specimen of male beauty.  But he is clearly losing himself in the part, and may change our perceptions. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 12:22pm

Skies, she doesn't go by Naomi, her name is Rebecca.

I haven't really been following the Hedwig replacements so I'm curious. Is Michael Mayer working with all of them or do they have an associate/assistant doing that?

[skies]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 12:31pm

Nice to see he's on apparently good terms with Idina.  

[veronicamae]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 12:36pm

I'll be there Thursday night.

[karen24]

Posted: 7/21/15 at 1:10pm

I found the beginning of that NYT article a bit annoying, with the writer spending so much time going on about Diggs's straightness and sex appeal and so on, seemingly forgetting that he is an ACTOR (and a very good one, too): 

"Hold up, though — is this not madness? Black America’s most eligible bachelor is about to play a glammed-out Teutonic genderqueer mash-up of Nico and Axl Rose?"

I'm not sure the writer actually knows that much about Broadway (or Hedwig). However, Diggs does come across as a thoughtful, modest person who is absolutely giving his all to this role. I think it will be really exciting to see him in it.