Making his triumphant return to the stage after a decade, Taye Diggs will star as the lead in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, beginning July 22 for a 12 week run at the Belasco Theatre. Diggs, the original Benny the landlord in Rent, will undoubtedly add his own unique flare to the role as the first Black man to play the role in New York. Diggs will be joined by Rebecca Naomi Jones, Broadway’s first Black Yitzak. 
Hedwig and the Angry Inch tells the story of a fictional rock ‘n’ roll band, fronted by internationally ignored song stylist Hedwig, a transgender woman from communist East Berlin. Between rock songs, Hedwig regales the audience with stories about her life, including her botched sex change operation and her relocation to Kansas. The Broadway production of Hedwig, with a book by John Cameron Mitchell and music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, opened in April of 2014 with Neil Patrick Harris in the title role, and won Best Musical Revival at the 2014 Tony Awards, the Drama Desk Awards, Drama League Awards, and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Previous Hedwigs include John Cameron Mitchell, who wrote the play and originated the role, Neil Patrick Harris, Andrew Rannells, and Michael C. Hall. Hedwig currently stars Darren Criss, perhaps best known for his role on FOX TV’s Glee. Criss departs the show on July 19 and Diggs will begin his stint on July 22.
“Taye 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,” said lead producer David Binder. “That’s why we cast him.” Diggs’ recent work has included both film and television work, and he is currently in production of season 2 of the TNT crime drama Murder in the First. Diggs last appeared on stage in the 2005 Off-Broadway revival of A Soldier’s Play.
