Gene Dante: (Hedwig/ Tommy Gnosis)
Prior to starring opposite Lisa van Oosterum in the critically acclaimed 2002-2003 Boston production of HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, they toured Europe together in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (as Riff Raff and Columbia, respectively). Closer to home, he played Benny in RENT and he’s been featured in several productions with Ryan Landry’s Gold Dust Orphans, notably: ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS EVE, CINDERELLA ROCKS, CLEOPATRA- THE MUSICAL. Gene (with his band The Future Starlets) released ‘The Romantic Lead’, and album of Gene’s original rock songs. The video for “A Madness to His Method” was featured on MTV’s LOGO Network. Gene continues to write and perform original music and currently spends his time between Boston and New York. Check out: www.genedante.com or www.facebook.com/genedante.futurestarlets. Follow Gene at www.twitter.com/genedante.
Lisa van Oosterum (Yitzhak)
Lisa is thrilled to be returning to the stage after a 7 year hiatus. An Emerson College graduate, Lisa has been performing in plays since she was a kid. She has very fond memories of performing with Gene Dante in the 2002-2003 Boston production of HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH as well in the 1998-1999 European Tour of The Rocky Horror Show as Columbia. Other favorite roles include Veruca Salt in WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Cordelia in FALSETTOS, and Connie Miller in 1940’s Radio Hour. She can be heard as several characters in the POKEMON television show. Currently, she resides in South Portland with her husband and 2 kids where she teaches Acting at SMCC She is also a board member for the Portland Music Foundation.
Jim Collins: Jacek (Musical Director, Bass)
Erik Andersen: Skszp (Guitar and Keyboard)
Adam Amoroso: Krzyzstof (Guitar)
Tamora Gooding: Schlatko(Drums)
Based on direction by Michael Messer:
Messer made his directing debut with Hedwig when this production first appeared at the ICA in Boston, MA. He studied theater at Carnegie Mellon University and Balliol College in Oxford, UK, and learned music on a street corner. He's the lead singer of "the Dirty Sock Funtime Band" a rock band for kids currently in heavy rotation on Nick Jr and Chuck E Cheeses around the country. In addition to a full life in theater and music, Michael is an active photographer, published in Variety, The New York Times, and American Theater, amongst many others. www.myspace.com/themikemesserband
JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL (text):
John's film adaptation of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH received directing and acting awards at festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Deauville, Seattle Int'l, San Francisco Int'l and SF Lesbian & Gay. The film was also honored by the National Board of Review, The LA Film Critics Association, Premiere Magazine and the Golden Globes. For his Off-Broadway stage version of HEDWIG, he won an Obie Award, a New York Magazine Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award. His next film, “Shortbus” premiered in May 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2005, Mitchell directed music videos for Bright Eyes’ ‘First Day of My Life’ and Scissor Sisters’ ‘Filthy/Gorgeous,’ the latter of which was banned from MTV Europe for its explicitly sexual content. Together with “Shortbus” producer Howard Gertler, he is producing an animated feature “The Ruined Cast” by graphic novelist Dash Shaw, and developing Neil Gaiman’s short story for the screen entitled “How to Talk to Girls at Parties”. Broadway acting credits include THE SECRET GARDEN, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION and BIG RIVER. Off Broadway: THE DESTINY OF ME by Larry Kramer (Obie Award), HELLO AGAIN, MISSING PERSONS. He is a member of the Drama Department Theater Company for which he adapted and directed Tennessee Williams' KINGDOM OF EARTH. Mitchell lives in New York City.
STEPHEN TRASK (music & lyrics):
Stephen was the original leader of the notorious Squeeze Box house band. During his time there as Music Director he performed with Debbie Harry, Lene Lovitch, Hole, Green Day, Joey Ramone, as well as New York's most popular drag queens. For five years Stephen performed with his band, Cheater, who originated the role of "The Angry Inch" off-Broadway and performed on the original cast recording. From 1993-1998, Stephen danced with and accompanied The Corner Store Dance Company. He has scored numerous dance pieces and movies. For HEDWIG, Stephen received an Obie Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding off-Broadway Musical, a 1998 New York Magazine Award, Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Music, Outstanding Lyrics, and Outstanding New Musical, a Grammy Nomination for Best Cast Album and two GLAMA Awards: Best Cast Album and Best Score for Film or Stage. He has recently completed producing an album for the rock band Nancy Boy, as well as the score and soundtrack album for the film version of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. In 2003 Trask scored the movies Camp and The Station Agent as well as Dreamgirls (2006), In the Land of Women (2007), The Savages (2007) and The back Up Plan (2010), among other works. Recently, he scored the 2010 film Little Fockers.
Prior to starring opposite Lisa van Oosterum in the critically acclaimed 2002-2003 Boston production of HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH, they toured Europe together in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (as Riff Raff and Columbia, respectively). Closer to home, he played Benny in RENT and he’s been featured in several productions with Ryan Landry’s Gold Dust Orphans, notably: ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS EVE, CINDERELLA ROCKS, CLEOPATRA- THE MUSICAL. Gene (with his band The Future Starlets) released ‘The Romantic Lead’, and album of Gene’s original rock songs. The video for “A Madness to His Method” was featured on MTV’s LOGO Network. Gene continues to write and perform original music and currently spends his time between Boston and New York. Check out: www.genedante.com or www.facebook.com/genedante.futurestarlets. Follow Gene at www.twitter.com/genedante.
Lisa van Oosterum (Yitzhak)
Lisa is thrilled to be returning to the stage after a 7 year hiatus. An Emerson College graduate, Lisa has been performing in plays since she was a kid. She has very fond memories of performing with Gene Dante in the 2002-2003 Boston production of HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH as well in the 1998-1999 European Tour of The Rocky Horror Show as Columbia. Other favorite roles include Veruca Salt in WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Cordelia in FALSETTOS, and Connie Miller in 1940’s Radio Hour. She can be heard as several characters in the POKEMON television show. Currently, she resides in South Portland with her husband and 2 kids where she teaches Acting at SMCC She is also a board member for the Portland Music Foundation.
Jim Collins: Jacek (Musical Director, Bass)
Erik Andersen: Skszp (Guitar and Keyboard)
Adam Amoroso: Krzyzstof (Guitar)
Tamora Gooding: Schlatko(Drums)
Based on direction by Michael Messer:
Messer made his directing debut with Hedwig when this production first appeared at the ICA in Boston, MA. He studied theater at Carnegie Mellon University and Balliol College in Oxford, UK, and learned music on a street corner. He's the lead singer of "the Dirty Sock Funtime Band" a rock band for kids currently in heavy rotation on Nick Jr and Chuck E Cheeses around the country. In addition to a full life in theater and music, Michael is an active photographer, published in Variety, The New York Times, and American Theater, amongst many others. www.myspace.com/themikemesserband
JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL (text):
John's film adaptation of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH received directing and acting awards at festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Deauville, Seattle Int'l, San Francisco Int'l and SF Lesbian & Gay. The film was also honored by the National Board of Review, The LA Film Critics Association, Premiere Magazine and the Golden Globes. For his Off-Broadway stage version of HEDWIG, he won an Obie Award, a New York Magazine Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award. His next film, “Shortbus” premiered in May 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2005, Mitchell directed music videos for Bright Eyes’ ‘First Day of My Life’ and Scissor Sisters’ ‘Filthy/Gorgeous,’ the latter of which was banned from MTV Europe for its explicitly sexual content. Together with “Shortbus” producer Howard Gertler, he is producing an animated feature “The Ruined Cast” by graphic novelist Dash Shaw, and developing Neil Gaiman’s short story for the screen entitled “How to Talk to Girls at Parties”. Broadway acting credits include THE SECRET GARDEN, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION and BIG RIVER. Off Broadway: THE DESTINY OF ME by Larry Kramer (Obie Award), HELLO AGAIN, MISSING PERSONS. He is a member of the Drama Department Theater Company for which he adapted and directed Tennessee Williams' KINGDOM OF EARTH. Mitchell lives in New York City.
STEPHEN TRASK (music & lyrics):
Stephen was the original leader of the notorious Squeeze Box house band. During his time there as Music Director he performed with Debbie Harry, Lene Lovitch, Hole, Green Day, Joey Ramone, as well as New York's most popular drag queens. For five years Stephen performed with his band, Cheater, who originated the role of "The Angry Inch" off-Broadway and performed on the original cast recording. From 1993-1998, Stephen danced with and accompanied The Corner Store Dance Company. He has scored numerous dance pieces and movies. For HEDWIG, Stephen received an Obie Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding off-Broadway Musical, a 1998 New York Magazine Award, Drama Desk nominations for Outstanding Music, Outstanding Lyrics, and Outstanding New Musical, a Grammy Nomination for Best Cast Album and two GLAMA Awards: Best Cast Album and Best Score for Film or Stage. He has recently completed producing an album for the rock band Nancy Boy, as well as the score and soundtrack album for the film version of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. In 2003 Trask scored the movies Camp and The Station Agent as well as Dreamgirls (2006), In the Land of Women (2007), The Savages (2007) and The back Up Plan (2010), among other works. Recently, he scored the 2010 film Little Fockers.
photo by Catherine Carter