Taye Diggs Returning To Broadway As The First Black Hedwig
Actor Taye Diggs is returning to the Broadway stage.
However, reports confirm that he will not be returning for a revival of the Tony-winning musical Rent in which he starred as an original cast member.
No, Taye Diggs will breathe new life into a character that started as a Broadway production back in 2014 with none other than Neil Patrick Harris as the leading character.
That’s right! Taye Diggs is reportedly going to play Hedwig in the Hedwig and the Angry Inch starting July 22.
Taye Diggs Returns to Broadway with ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ http://t.co/5pRNd9Y5lD
— Explosion Tweet 2 (@Decacaz) May 18, 2015
Keep in mind that Taye Diggs has not performed on a Broadway stage in over a decade. In addition to the pressure of returning from an extensive hiatus, there are two other factors that may add a little more weight to his debut performance as Hedwig.
It’s A Titular Role: Even though Taye Diggs performed on Broadway in Rent and Wicked, he was primarily part of a supportive ensemble cast in both productions. In Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Taye Diggs is getting a shot at his very first titular Broadway role.
He’s Making History: Playing Hedwig makes Taye Diggs the sixth actor to play the titular role in the Broadway production. However, the Private Practice actor will make history as the very first African-American actor to play Hedwig in New York.
David Binder, the lead producer of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, strongly believes that Taye Diggs is going to do a great job as Hedwig because of everything that he is bringing to the table as a sexy, talented actor with past stage experience.
“Taye [Diggs] is fantastic — he has theater cred, he has pop culture cred, he can sing, he can act, he can dance, he’s smart and he’s sexy. That’s why we cast him.”
Taye Diggs will definitely have his work cut out for him — especially since he will be replacing former Glee star Darren Criss. Even during a struggling season, Binder reportedly admitted that the grosses with Darren Criss as the leading actor kept increasing with each passing week.
PRESS: David Binder, producer of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” on Broadway. http://t.co/GYj6nhwTXz pic.twitter.com/5PCBISpxPG
— Darren Criss News (@darrencrissnews) May 18, 2015
Taye Diggs just might be able to pull out all of the stops and dive into his portrayal of Hedwig headfirst, potentially coming out with a Tony nomination for his performance.
[Image Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images & Daily Mail]
