Three years ago this month, the New Jersey debut production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH opened at the Baronet Theatre in Asbury Park to incredible reviews and exciting, growing audiences. In celebration of it’s anniversary, the cult-popular, glam-rock performance will return in concert form to the Jersey Shore’s historic home of rock ‘n’ roll, THE STONE PONY, 913 Ocean Ave. Asbury Park, NJ, for ONE NIGHT ONLY, Saturday, May 1st… with hopes of bringing the fully staged production back to Asbury Park!
THE ASBURY PARK PRESS called the 2007 production “ENERGETIC, LOUD, & HILARIOUS”.
THE AQUARIAN called it “a spectacular stage achievement… not a moment to miss…”.
To match the excitement, Anthony D’Amato, local favorite and acclaimed soul/rock vocalist, will play the title role of Hedwig, after a recent, life-changing weight loss of 200lbs in one year, without surgery or a trainer. A recent Asbury Park Music Award nominee for Top Male Vocalist, Anthony has been seen throughout the country fronting bands, on studio recordings, theater stages, and more. He has had acclaimed participation in the rock musical HAIR, shared stages with recording artists Ryan Shaw, James Otto, Ellen Foley, Constantine Maroulis, etc., recently appeared with Glen Burtnik in his tribute to THE WHO, was seen on Season 3 of “American Idol Rewind”, and much more.
This groundbreaking Obie-winning Off-Broadway smash also won multiple awards for its hit 2001 film adaptation, starring John Cameron Mitchell. It tells the story of “internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall smashing, East German, rock ‘n’ roll goddess, who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation. This outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious story is performed by Hedwig in the form of a rock gig/stand-up comedy routine, backed by the hard-rocking band “The Angry Inch.” It’s a rocking ride, funny, touching, and ultimately inspiring to anyone who has felt life gave them an inch when they deserved a mile.
The music of Hedwig has been covered by popular artists such as Meat Loaf, Cyndi Lauper, Rob Thomas, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, Ben Kweller, They Might Be Giants, Ben Lee, Fred Schneider of the B-52’s, Yoko Ono, The Polyphonic Spree, and Type O Negative.
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE says Hedwig is “visionary rock firepower” and “in the long, sorry history of rock musicals, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH is the first one that truly rocks.”
TIME MAGAZINE calls it “the most exciting rock score written for the theater since, oh, ever!”
“The Angry Inch” is comprised of back-up man Yitzhak (female rocker Bre Cade of the Jersey Shore, who appeared in the 2007 Baronet Theatre production, as well as The Rocky Horror Show, HAIR, The Wedding Singer, and more), keys/rhythm guitarist Skszp (Arlan Feiles, popular singer/songwriter, Angry Inch alumni, multi-Asbury Music Award Winner), lead guitarist Krzyzhtoff (Keith McCarthy, 2009 Asbury Music Award Winner for Top Guitarist, and currently fronts alt-country band The Sunday Blues), bassist Jacek (Stephen “Squigs” Minutillo of The Jack, Newton Crosby, and more), and Schlatko on the drums (Zach Jones, NYC rock multi-instrumentalist and theater performer).
Opening for Hedwig will be exciting, local indie-pop band VERITY IN STEREO, Detroit singer/songwriter and Perez Hilton / YouTube favorite MEGHAN TONJES, ambient indie favorite HOLLER, WILD ROSE!, and a post-Hedwig set by BLACK BIRDS. Tickets are $12 at the door, 7:30pm opening, Saturday May 1st, or available at The Stone Pony box office in advance for $10. For more information, visit www.stoneponyonline.com.