Euan Morton to Lead HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH Tour, Strutting Into Chicago Next Spring

Broadway In Chicago has announced Tony and Olivier Award-nominated Euan Morton will play the role of Hedwig, and Hannah Corneau will play Yitzhak in the National Tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the 2014 Tony Award-winning Best Musical Revival. Hedwig and the Angry Inch will play Chicago's Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) March 7-19, 2017.

Euan Morton originated the role of Boy George in the musical Taboo in London and New York, garnering Tony and Olivier Award nominations and receiving the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Hedwig and the Angry Inch co-creator Stephen Trask gushes about why Euan is the perfect choice to fill Hedwig's golden boots: "Euan's Hedwig is going to be so exquisitely beautiful and archingly heartbreaking. What an emotional powerhouse. He is otherworldly."

Morton is equally thrilled to play Hedwig: "I have been blessed in my career, but no blessing has been as exciting as the chance I've been given to take over the role of Hedwig. Joining the cast is the kind of challenge that an actor dreams of. I can't wait to slip into her golden boots and begin the transformation to cultural icon! And I'm so much better looking with sparkling eyes and a caking of Lavern Baker! All the more thrilling is that I'll have the honor of taking darling Hedwig all over the country. I'm ready for the ride of my life; I hope America is ready for her ride too."

Hannah Corneau, who will play Yitzhak, is making her Broadway National Touring debut. About the casting of Corneau, director Michael Mayer enthused, "Hannah is a force of nature, and I'm really excited to unleash her on the country."

The members of Hedwig's band "The Angry Inch" -- aka "Tits of Clay" - are music director Justin Craig (guitar and keyboards), Matt Duncan (bass), Tim Mislock (guitar), and Peter Yanowitz (drums), all of whom originated their roles on Broadway and launched the National Tour in San Francisco last week.

Rounding out the company are Mason Alexander Park (Standby for Hedwig), Shannon Conley (Standby for Yitzhak), Dylan Fusillo (Standby for Schlatko) and Matt Katz-Bohen (Standby for Skszp, Jacek and Krzyzhtoff).

Brilliantly innovative, heartbreaking, and wickedly funny, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is the landmark musical by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask that is "groundbreaking and undoubtedly ahead of its time" (Entertainment Weekly). This genre-bending, fourth-wall-smashing musical sensation, with a pulsing score and electrifying performances, tells the story of one of the most unique characters to ever hit the stage. "Internationally ignored song stylist" Hedwig Robinson is out to set the record straight about her life, her loves, and the botched operation that left her with that "angry inch."

Directed by Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American Idiot) and winner of four 2014 Tony Awards, Hedwig and the Angry Inch played to record-breaking sell-out crowds on Broadway and promises to take North America by storm with what Time Magazine proclaims is "the most exciting rock score written for the theatre since, oh, ever!

David Binder, who first produced Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 1997, and the Tony Award-winning Broadway production, is producing the National Tour with Barbara Whitman, Paula Marie Black, Latitude Link, Raise the Roof, Ah, Broadway, Ruth Hendel, Just for Laughs Theatricals, Sharon Karmazin, Heni Koenigsberg, Stacey Mindich, Eric Schnall, Jayne Baron Sherman, Cassandra DovEd Simon, Starry Night Entertainment and The Shubert Organization. 101 Productions, Ltd are the executive producers.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch was originally produced Off-Off-Broadway at Westbeth and then, under the direction of Peter Askin, ran over two years at the Jane Street Theatre beginning in February 1998. The musical won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical and both John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask won Obies in 2001. It won a 1998 New York Magazine Award and Entertainment Weekly's "Soundtrack of the Year" Award. Time Magazine named Hedwig the Top Musical of 1998.

The film of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, directed by John Cameron Mitchell, won the Audience Award and Best Director Awards at Sundance. Mitchell won the Best New Director from the National Board of Review, the Gotham Awards, and the LA Critics Society. Stage productions have played for many years in Japan and in 2008, Korea hosted a popular televised reality show about the search for a new star to play Hedwig.

The creative team for Hedwig and The Angry Inch features Emmy Award nominee Spencer Liff (musical staging), Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Julian Crouch (scenic design), Tony Award and two-time Oscar nominee AriAnne Phillips (costume design), four-time Tony Award winner Kevin Adams (lighting design), Mike Potter (hair and makeup design), Tony Award nominee and platinum-selling record producer Tim O'Heir (sound design), Benjamin Pearcy for 59 Productions (projection design), John Bair/Phosphene (animation), James Calleri (casting), Tony and Grammy Award nominee Ethan Popp (music supervisor & music coordinator), Justin Craig (music director), Stephen Gabis (dialect coach) and Johanna McKeon (associate director).

The Tony Award-winning, record-breaking production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch ran for over 500 performances at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway.

The Grammy nominated Original Broadway Cast Album for Hedwig and the Angry Inch is available from Atlantic Records.

Group tickets for 10 or more for Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Oriental Theatre are available now by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Individual tickets for Hedwig and the Angry Inch will go on sale at a later date. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 16 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining well up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago's Loop including The PrivateBank Theatre, the Oriental Theatre, Cadillac Palace Theatre, the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.

ABOUT THE CAST

Euan Morton (Hedwig) originated the role of Boy George in the musical Taboo in London and New York. He was nominated for an Olivier and a Tony Award. In addition, he received a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Additional Broadway credits include Cyrano de Bergerac and Sondheim on Sondheim. He has numerous Off-Broadway and regional credits, including a production of Measure for Pleasure at The Public Theatre that earned him an Obie Award, and Parade at the Ford's Theatre as Leo, for which he won a Helen Hayes Award. A favorite recent collaboration was with Tony Kushner and Maurice Sendak on the new musical Brundibar. Euan also has an active concert career. He's released two solo albums and has had the pleasure of singing in many of the best concert venues around the country. Euan feels very lucky to be on the journey. For a more detailed look at his work, check out www.euanmorton.com

Hannah Corneau (Yitzhak). Off-Broadway: Daddy Long Legs (Davenport Theatre); Ethel Sings (Beckett). Regional: Evita (Marriott Theatre); Fiddler on the Roof (Arena Stage); Harmony (Alliance/Ahmanson; Ovation Nomination).Chicago: LES MISERABLES (Paramount Theatre; Jeff Award); Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Bailiwick Chicago); A Little Night Music (Writers Theatre). Hannah is also a proud member of RANGE a cappella. Endless thanks to her amazing family. @hannahcorneau

Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig Standby) is thrilled to work on his dream show with such an incredible team. Theater: Altar Boyz (Mark), The Drowsy Chaperone (Man in Chair), Rocky Horror (Frank N. Furter), Mary Poppins (first countertenor to play Miss Andrew). TV/film: "iCarly," "Bucket and Skinner's Epic Adventures," (Nickelodeon) "Broadway or Bust," "Becoming an Artist" (PBS). masonapark.com.

Shannon Conley (Yitzhak Standby). Broadway: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Lead singer of the all-female rock band Lez Zeppelin (lezzeppelin.com). Voice of several cartoon characters on "Pokémon," "X-Men," Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Star Kidz network. On-camera roles include "L&O: SVU," "A.B.E.," "Fugue" and the "Downsized" webseries. More info and heartfelt thank yous at shannonconley.com

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