Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Drag Royalty, Live Rock Vocals, and a Queer-Led Company Reclaim a Cult Classic

Austin, TX — Austin Rainbow Theatre (ART), Austin’s queer-led theatre company, announces a high-voltage new staging of Hedwig and the Angry Inch — directed by ART’s Artistic Director Clinton Williams —  that places nationally recognized drag artistry, powerhouse live rock vocals, and unapologetically queer storytelling at the center of one of modern theatre’s most iconic works.

At a moment when LGBTQIA+ stories — particularly trans and gender-expansive narratives — are under heightened scrutiny nationwide, ART’s production restores Hedwig to its original spirit: intimate, subversive, musically explosive, and defiantly human.

Performed in an immersive three-quarter thrust setting with a live band, this staging collapses the boundary between performer and audience. It isn’t a museum piece revival. It’s a reclamation.

About the Show

Written by John Cameron Mitchell with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows an East German-born singer navigating love, betrayal, gender transition, and artistic theft after immigrating to the United States. Structured as a blistering rock concert mixed with the biting humor of a stand-up special, the musical moves between hard-driving anthems and vulnerable confession, tracing one performer’s search for wholeness in a fractured world.

Since its premiere, Hedwig has become a defining work of contemporary queer theatre — raw, defiant, and fiercely human.

A Rotating Trio of Hedwigs — Each a Headliner in Their Own Right

Rather than a single lead, ART’s production features three distinct artists rotating in the title role — each bringing a singular lens and following.

Evah Destruction, winner of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans Season 2, brings international drag acclaim, emotional intensity, and cinematic theatricality to the role with striking force.

Michael Reyna (Cheeki Khant) blends seasoned musical theatre craft with high-impact drag performance, delivering a Hedwig driven by vocal precision, biting wit, and theatrical command.

Juni Nguyen, a rock singer with powerhouse vocals and commanding stage presence, brings Hedwig’s voice to new life with a voice built for a live band and a performance style rooted in raw authenticity.

Opposite them, Sandra Bates takes on the pivotal role of Yitzhak, anchoring the production with grit, depth, and vocal firepower.

Why This Story — Why Now

Across the United States, especially in Texas, legislation targeting gender-affirming care and escalating rhetoric around gender identity have placed LGBTQIA+ communities — particularly trans and gender-expansive people — at the center of debate. At the same time, immigrant communities face heightened enforcement actions and family separations, and cultural spaces that center marginalized voices are increasingly politicized.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch exists precisely at the intersection of these conversations. It is a story about bodily autonomy, state control, displacement, survival, and the radical act of self-definition. Hedwig’s journey — shaped by borders, betrayal, reinvention, and resilience — resonates differently in a moment when questions of identity and belonging are being legislated in real time.

Austin Rainbow Theatre’s production does not abstract these themes. It foregrounds them. By staging this work now, ART situates Hedwig not as nostalgia, but as living, breathing testimony — a reminder that the fight for self-determination, safety, and joy is ongoing.

A Queer Creative Force Behind the Scenes

Directed by Clinton Williams, this production assembles some of Austin’s most recognizable queer artists behind the table and in the room.

Notable Austin drag performer Cupcake (Brady Faucett) serves as Assistant Director, bringing deep drag performance expertise to character development and staging. Choreography is by Ritzy Bitz, another celebrated Austin drag artist, whose movement direction underscores the show’s glam-rock physicality.

Music direction is led by Andy Heger of the Austin Gay Men’s Chorus, ensuring the score’s muscular rock sound and vocal complexity are fully realized live.

Production Team: Clinton Williams (Director), Brady Faucett (Assistant Director), Andy Heger (Music Director), Ritzy Bitz (Choreographer), Iridessa Lewis (Stage Manager), Breeanna Green (Assistant Stage Manager), Claire Whisler (Assistant Stage Manager), Patrick Anthony (Lighting Designer), Johann Solo (Sound Designer).

Cast: Evah Destruction (Hedwig), Michael Reyna (Hedwig), Juni Nguyen (Hedwig), and Sandra Bates (Yitzhak). 

TICKET & SHOW INFORMATION

Tickets are available for purchase at www.austinrainbowtheatre.org/shows/hedwig-and-the-angry-inch/

Ticket Pricing: $20 – $90

Performance Dates: March 28–April 11, 2026 

Venue: Ground Floor Theatre 979 Springdale Rd #122 Austin, TX 78702

Special Events/Performances

• Opening Night Celebration (March 28): A festive evening honoring Austin’s queer community.
• Post-Show Discussion (April 2): An interactive conversation with the creative team about the immersive nature of the play and its themes of transformation.
• Industry Night (April 2): A night dedicated to Austin’s vibrant arts community, offering discounted tickets and networking opportunities.
• ASL Interpreted Performance (April 10): This performance includes two professional ASL Interpreters for our deaf & hard-of-hearing community.

PERFORMER SCHEDULES

MICHAEL REYNA (CHEEKI KHANT): 

Saturday, March 28th @ 8 PM

Sunday, March 29th @ 7 PM

Friday, April 10th @ 8 PM

Saturday, April 11th @ 8 PM

EVAH DESTRUCTION

Thursday, April 2nd @ 8 PM

Friday, April 3rd @ 8 PM 

Saturday, April 4th @ 8 PM

Sunday, April 5th @ 2 PM 

JUNI NGUYEN

Friday, March 27th @ 8 PM (PREVIEW PERFORMANCE)

Sunday, March 29th @ 2 PM

Thursday, April 9th @ 8 PM

PRESS INFORMATION & MEDIA KIT

PRESS CONTACT: Clinton Williams, Executive Artistic Director Austin Rainbow Theatre cwilliams@austinrainbowtheatre.org | (512) 387-2763 | http://www.austinrainbowtheatre.org

Media professionals may request complimentary press tickets by contacting info@austinrainbowtheatre.org or filling out our request form at the link below.

High-resolution production photos, logos, and additional press materials are available at the link below.

Media Kit: https://austinrainbowtheatre.org/press-room/hedwig-press-kit

ABOUT AUSTIN RAINBOW THEATRE 

Austin Rainbow Theatre is Austin’s premier LGBTQ+ theatre company, dedicated to producing works that celebrate, reflect, and uplift queer voices. Now entering its third season, ART continues to pair boundary-pushing performances with community-focused programming, bringing bold, inclusive theatre to Central Texas. For more information: www.austinrainbowtheatre.org

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHTS

John Cameron Mitchell is an award-winning writer, director, and performer best known as the co-creator and original star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. After originating the role off-Broadway, Mitchell co-wrote and directed the 2001 film adaptation, which won the Directing Award and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. His work spans film, television, theatre, and podcasting, and is recognized for its exploration of identity, sexuality, and outsider narratives. Mitchell remains a defining voice in contemporary queer storytelling.

Stephen Trask composed the music and lyrics for Hedwig and the Angry Inch, creating one of the most distinctive rock scores in modern musical theatre. Drawing from glam rock, punk, and power ballads, Trask’s work gives Hedwig its raw sonic edge and emotional drive. He received multiple awards for the score, including Obie and Drama Desk recognition, and has continued to compose for theatre, film, and television.