Nick Sugar figures the role of Hedwig is just about the next-best thing to playing Curly in “Oklahoma!”
“That’s actually my dream role,” Sugar said of the iconic, “everything’s going my way” All-American cowboy.
Sugar’s better known for playing glamorous, androgynous roles, such as the Emcee in Cabaret and Frank ‘N Furter in “The Rocky Horror Musical.”
“I learned early on in my career that I would never be playing the ingenue,” Sugar said with a laugh. “Hedwig says it the best: ‘We’re the misfits and the losers, the rock ‘n’ rollers spinning to our own rock ‘n’ roll!’ “
Sugar, a multiple award-winning director and choreographer, returns to the stage after a four-year absence Saturday to star in the driving rock-musical concert, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” through Aug. 7 at the Avenue Theater.
Sugar narrates John Cameron Mitchell’s tale of an East German who comes to America to find freedom and fortune, but who’s left more than a piece of his heart behind.
Q: How’s it feel to be about to make your return to the stage?
A: Exciting and scary as hell. My directing style is usually very actor-oriented. So when I’m performing, it’s always a little “put up or shut up.” If I can dish it out, I better be able to take it. I have had the honor to direct so many talented people, and I have learned from them and studied them. Observation is a great way to hone your craft, and it’s one thing I recommend my casts do – watch each other work.
Q: For readers who don’t know this musical, what’s one reason they should be afraid of it?
A: “Hedwig” is rock ‘n’ roll performance art. It’s fearless, wide-open, passionate, disturbing, a roller-coaster ride, an adrenaline rush. “Hedwig” punches you in your gut and sweetly embraces you at the same time.
Q: What’s one reason they should not be afraid of it?
A: We have installed an invisible electronic fence that will keep you safe from the band.
Q: What would you compare the musical stylings to?
A: The musical inspiration ranges from David Bowie to Debbie Boone . . . Have you ever noticed they both have the same initials — and that they never appeared on the “Dinah Shore” or “Mike Douglas” shows at the same time? . . . Coincidence? . . . Just when you expect the music to go one way, think again.
Q: How is Hedwig different from the Emcee and Frank ‘N Furter?
A: Hedwig embraces diversity with a vengeance. That is what makes his life worth living.
Q: What’s Amanda Earls’ role in all of this?
A: Who is that again? No, seriously: She completes me. Amanda plays Yitzhak, who, like Hedwig, is both male and female. Amanda had me at hello. I’m still deaf in one ear.
Q: How is “Hedwig” a universal story about seeking wholeness?
A: Everyone experiences love, loneliness, loss and rebirth, and if we are lucky, we are able to share our experiences with people who love us back, faults and all. Hedwig’s journey is about completion. What completion is for each of us is what makes the journey our life.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”
Rock musical. The Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave. Written by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. Directed Robert Wells. Starring Nick Sugar and Amanda Earls. Through Aug. 7. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; also July 12; 6 p.m. select Sundays. $20-$29. 303-321-5925 or
This weekend’s other theater openings
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” Off-beat musical comedy about six awkward adolescents with steely ambition confronting the pitfalls of puberty while spelling their way through the biggest night of their young lives. Presented through Sunday by Little Theatre of the Rockies at the Langworthy Theatre, in Frasier Hall on the University of Northern Colorado campus, 970-351-2200 or
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” See description above. Presented through Aug. 12 by the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, 1025 Grand Ave., Grand Lake, 970-627-3421 or
“The 39 Steps”In this quirky British send-up of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 spy thriller, four actors play more than 150 roles, retooling the classic thriller into a hilarious comedy that manages to be faithful to the movie. This staging stars Steven Cole Hughes. Through Sept. 25. Creede Repertory Theatre, 124 N. Main St., 719-658-2540, 1-866-658-2540 or
“Bernice/Butterfly: A Two-Part Invention” Former Denver Center Theatre Company director and playwright Nagle Jackson’s gut-wrenching and yet comic showcase takes us to a small, dying Kansas town where we meet two people on the brink of losing everything. Through July 3. Thunder River, 67 Promenade, Carbondale, 970-963-8200 or
“Chicago” Cynical musical about murdering dame Roxie Hart, who parlays her notoriety into celebrity. Songs include “All That Jazz.” Through July 11. Presented by Performance Now at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, 303-987-7845 7845 or
“Defying Gravity” This musical concert featuring an all-local cast includes songs from Broadway musicals including “Wicked,” “Les Miserables,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “The King and I.” Through June 26. Theatre Aspen, 400 Rio Grande Place, 970-925-9313 or
“The Meeting”Jeff Stetson’s fictional play asks what if Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X had debated before they were assassinated? Through June 28. Presented by the Afterthought Theatre Company at the Festival Playhouse, Arvada, 5665 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., 720-365-7754 or
“Rent” A modern musical about love, friendship and community in AIDS-era New York City. Mature themes. Not recommended for those under age 13. Through Aug. 29. Lake Dillon Theatre Company, 176 Lake Dillon Drive, 970- 513-9386 or
“Who Wants to Murder a Millionaire?” Interactive mystery dinner- theater comedy set at the reading of the will for a late multibillionaire. Through Aug. 28. Adams Mystery Playhouse, 2406 Federal Blvd., 303-455-1848 or
“Women Alone and Their Stories” Four monologues by Nobel-winning playwright Dario Fo, best known for 1978’s “Tale of a Tiger,” and wife Franca Rame, a leading actress in Rome. Through Aug. 17. Tuesdays only. Free. 73rd Avenue Theatre, 7287 Lowell Blvd., Westminster, 720-276-6936 or the73rdavenue
“Young Frankenstein” National touring production of the stage adaptation of Mel Brooks’ classic film. Starring Roger Bart and Rye Mullis. Through June 27.
At the Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex. Through June 27. 303-893-4100 (800-641-1222 outside Denver), at all King Soopers or
Complete theater listings
Go to our complete list of in Colorado, including summaries, run dates, addresses, phones and links to every company’s home page. Or check out our listings or
The Running Lines blog
Catch up on John Moore’s roundup of theater news and dialogue:
