John Cameron Mitchell to Reprise Hedwig Role on Broadway

Neil Patrick Harris, Andrew Rannells and Michael C. Hall have all taken a crack at the Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, but now the man who first brought its titular character to life is taking over.

Next year, John Cameron Mitchell will reprise the role he co-created in 1998, when Hedwig made its debut at the Jane Street Theater. The musical follows a transgender frontwoman of an East Germany rock band.

Mitchell begins an eight-week run at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre on Jan. 21. The 51-year-old told the New York Times that he would be working with a trainer and adjusting the choreography to accommodate his age.

“15 years ago she kicked my butt so hard that I quit acting,” Mitchell said in a statement. “But like an expertly face-lifted ex-wife, she’s lured me back.”

Mitchell also starred in the 2001 film adaptation of the play, which he directed himself.