INTERVIEW: Bold, free, and punk rock: Hedwig and the Angry Inch arrives at the Albany Civic Theater
05/15—05/31 @ Albany Civic Theater, Albany NY
**This article originally appeared in our May 2026 issue**
Photo by Amanda Dorman
“I try to find pieces of theater that I respond to on a visceral level, be it laughter or tears or just anger at something.”
The road is Hedwig Schmidt’s home, and it stops at the Albany Civic Theater from May 15 to the 31. The smash Broadway hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch will take center stage, where Hedwig, accompanied by their band, "The Angry Inch," will tell their hilarious and heartbreaking story of their difficult life, which is still as timeless an exploration of identity, gender, and life as ever.
“We’re living in tough times, and even the most creative, loving, charismatic, smart people can find themselves turning into things and people they don’t want to be,” says Director Nate Beynon. “Hedwig at the start of the show is in that position, doing nasty things to people that could help them.” This production provides one antidote to that tendency.
“I love how we find our way out of that trap at the end with empathy, love, and a reckoning with those demons, which is incredibly cathartic.”
The upcoming production will feature Leo Grinberg (Hedwig), Amanda Dorman (Yitzhak), and Chris Kowalski (Theater Custodian). ‘Hedwig’s band’ onstage includes music director Nicholas Graziade (guitar), Cory Haines (drums), Scott Winn (bass), and Benji Hefner (keyboard).
“Shows like these are not common in musical theater. You can count them; it’s just a handful of these stories that go as deep as Hedwig into questions of identity, love, and seeking validation,” says Grinberg. “It’s those stories that everybody can relate to. It doesn’t matter what gender or identity.”
Punk rock, disco, and the blues are the beating heart of the production, featuring an iconic soundtrack including songs from Lou Reed, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and more. “The music of the show is timeless,” says Grinberg. “It is one of the best rock musicals of all time. The music is so energetic and unpredictable.”
To Beynon, a great show is about even more than sparkling lights or snappy dialogue on paper; he has to feel it. “I try to find pieces of theater that I respond to on a visceral level, be it laughter or tears or just anger at something,” he explains. “Fortunately, this show in particular does all of that.”
“That leaves me with very little in terms of a safety net, but I think most art is usually created best without one anyway!”
This is Grinberg’s fourth time playing Hedwig in a national production. Their shared background as immigrants is relatable to Grinberg, who Beynon hand-selected to play the character because of his total embodiment of the role.
“It was clear from the first note [Leo] sang that he has a very specific connection to the text,” says Beynon. “With every syllable he utters, it is so clear that this text means a lot to him, which is very fortunate because so many people have such care for [it]. There is a certain amount of responsibility; he carries that text with him in his heart every day.”
This production will feature Grinberg’s most nuanced performance of Hedwig yet; his interpretation is a cathartic and empathetic portrayal of someone wanting to be seen for who they are, and this production delves into every facet of Hedwig’s cruel, loving, funny, and cynical persona.
“This Hedwig is so much deeper than what it was before,” he says. “Nate really digs into it. He questions every single thing, which I love. This is going to be the most thoughtful production yet.”
This will likely be Grinberg’s final performance as the iconic character. If practice makes perfect, he teases, then this is undoubtedly going to be his best performance.
“I really want to do it the right way and fix the things that I’ve missed the last time I did Hedwig. That is my goal here in Albany,” he says. “I want to meet the community. This will be my first upstate production.”
The cast believes that the Albany Civic Theater is the ideal home for Hedwig, as the venue creates a close-knit and personal atmosphere for the audience.
“It has to be a small house,” says Grinberg, speaking from experience. “It’s going to be very intimate. We're just going to go on the roller coaster together.”
Beynon is excited to see the community gather for this production. “I would love strangers to meet at this show and in the afterglow, just get to know each other and start forming a community in which they can take this newfound communal feeling and go do other good things,” he says.
After countless iterations and portrayals, the cast is confident that this production brings something entirely new to audiences. As Grinberg steps into the role one last time, he offers a warm invitation to the community to join him.
“You have to come see the show!” he encourages. “I’m ready to take everybody on this journey.”
For tickets and more info., visit www.albanycivictheater.org
