Hedwig and the Angry Inch

In August 2024, Give 5 Productions launched a bold, immersive staging of Hedwig and the Angry Inch in Denver. Originally planned for Herman’s Hideaway, the production faced a last-minute venue change but quickly landed at The Arch in RiNo — a shift that ultimately elevated the production’s scale and spectacle.

Clark Destin Jones delivered a powerhouse performance as Hedwig, while Yitzhak was alternately played by Emma Rebecca Maxfield and Anne Terze-Schwarz.

Behind the scenes, the creative team — led by director/choreographer Kelly Van Oosbree and produced by Julia Tobey of Give 5 Productions — anchored the show in emotional authenticity and artistic rigor.

One of the signature features of the Denver run was its variety-style pre-show, curated by drag artist Jessica L’Whor. Each performance began with drag, circus, and burlesque artists, and included an ‘80s glam rock costume contest with East Berlin-inspired flair.

This pre-show wasn’t just theatrical frosting — it helped set a tone of celebration, connection, and queer visibility, and deepened the sense of community among audiences.

The production received strong local praise: 5280 Magazine called it “a glam-rock inspired party … a celebration … of the queer community and allies, and incredibly high-quality local musical theater.”

Audiences, many moved to tears, expressed how deeply the story resonated — especially queer, trans, and non-binary attendees who felt seen in a way they hadn’t before.

In fact, one parent wrote to the team: their trans, nonbinary teen, newly 18, won the costume contest, and the parent described the performance as “transformative,” saying their child “was full of joy and wonder … being fully immersed in a performance.”

Given the production’s emotional and critical success, Give 5 mounted a limited remount in November 2025, this time at Ballyhoo Table & Stage in LoHi.

The November run ran November 6–23.

The 2025 version retained many of the signature elements: Clark Destin Jones reprised Hedwig, Jessica L’Whor again hosted the pre-show, and the same spirit of live rock music and queer storytelling powered the production.

Doors opened nightly with the pre-show beginning an hour before Hedwig took the stage.

Throughout both runs, the production underlined Give 5 Productions’ commitment to centering queer voices, offering a space for catharsis, and building a theatrical experience that’s as much about community as it is about performance. From immersive staging to heartfelt audience reactions, Hedwig Denver stood out as a deeply personal, unapologetically queer celebration of identity, longing, and self-acceptance.