Hedwig and the Angry Inch playwright John Cameron Mitchell calls the ‘well-meaning protest’ that ousted Hugh Sheridan from lead role of the rock musical ‘a little misguided’
John Cameron Mitchell created rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and starred in the lead role in the 1998 Off-Broadway production.
The American actor, who is currently in hotel quarantine in Sydney ahead of filming Joe Exotic TV series in Brisbane, told The Daily Telegraph on Friday that any actor should be free to play the role of Hedwig.
He said of the role: ‘I don’t believe that only gay people can play gay people or only straight play straight or that trans should only play trans.’
Honest thoughts: Hedwig and the Angry Inch playwright John Cameron Mitchell called the ‘well-meaning protest’ that ousted Hugh Sheridan from the rock musical ‘a little misguided’
John, who identifies non-binary, told the publication he hopes the production will return to a Sydney stage soon.
‘We don’t want it to die on the vine because of some well-meaning protest. Well-meaning but I think a little misguided,’ the actor said, referring to the petition that saw actor Hugh Sheridan dropped from the Sydney production last year.
The objection was made by the Queer Artist Alliance Australia after the former Packed To The Rafters star was announced he would be playing the role of Hedwig for the musical last year.
For any actor: The American star, who created the musical and starred in the lead role in the Off-Broadway production (pictured), said of the role of Hedwig: ‘I don’t believe that only gay people can play gay people or only straight play straight or that trans should only play trans’
The QAAA activists said in a statement on social media that while Sheridan was a talented and deserving actor, it was not appropriate for him to ‘be the gatekeeper of a trans story’.
‘The choice to cast a cis-gender male as a transgender character is offensive and damaging to the trans-community, and continues to cause genuine stress and frustration amongst trans- and gender- nonconforming performers all across Australia,’ part of their statement read.
In March, Hugh spoke to Sam Armytage’s Something to Talk About podcast about feeling ‘sad and lost’ after being dropped from the cast of stage musical.
Dropped: Actor Hugh Sheridan was dropped from the Sydney production last year after the Queer Artist Alliance Australia said not appropriate for him to ‘be the gatekeeper of a trans story’
The QAAA statement read: ‘The choice to cast a cis-gender male as a transgender character is offensive and damaging to the trans-community, and continues to cause genuine stress and frustration amongst trans- and gender- nonconforming performers all across Australia’
Hugh moved his entire life from the U.S. to Australia for the role, only for it to fall apart.
‘I signed up [to Hedwig] thinking I was going to have an income and actually I was feeling very sad and lost. I was wondering why I was in Australia.’
Hugh was set to play eight roles in the one-man show version of Hedwig and said that it was unfair he lost his job just because the title character is trans.
‘What I found very difficult was that if you told me today you wanted to explore the idea of trans, I would say “go ahead”,’ Hugh told Sam.
‘I was wondering why I was in Australia’: In March, Hugh spoke to Sam Armytage’s Something to Talk About podcast about feeling ‘sad and lost’ after being dropped from the cast of stage musical
Hugh explained the role was more of a drag character than a ‘trans’ character, which playwright John Cameron Mitchell has said himself.
‘It has traditionally only ever been played by gay men or straight men. I think there’s one trans person who has played it. And a woman has played it,’ Hugh said.
The role of Hedwig was famously played by openly gay actor Neil Patrick Harris in the 2014 Broadway revival and won four Tony Awards that year.
Role: Hugh explained the role was more of a drag character than a ‘trans’ character, as playwright John Cameron Mitchell said himself