Could Hedwig march side by side with ‘The Black Parade’? That’s the possibility John Cameron Mitchell seemed to hint at during an appearance on the podcast ‘Bob’s Only Child’, hosted by Bob the Drag Queen.
GettyThe creator of Hedwig and the Angry Inch told Bob the Drag Queen that the deal isn’t ready. However, he hinted at a possible collaboration with My Chemical Romance on a future “secret project,” whose details remain under wraps.
According to Them, Mitchell is also currently starring as Mary Todd Lincoln in the Broadway production of Oh, Mary!. During his conversation with Bob the Drag Queen, however, Mitchell casually mentioned that he was in negotiations with the band My Chemical Romance, led by Gerard Way.
What John Cameron Mitchell Revealed About the Secret Theater Project
The revelation surfaced during a discussion about Mitchell’s demanding theater schedule, which includes performances in Oh, Mary! and often involves as many as five shows over the course of a single weekend.
Getty“My Chemical Romance, who I am working on a project with for theater, they do one show a week,” Mitchell said. “Is it a secret project?” Bob responded. “It’s a secret, it’s not announced yet, but I’m gonna give you a little zzz there, that’s all you’re getting,” Mitchell said. “And you know, we still gotta sign stuff but they’re great people.”
Will there be a musical version of ‘The Black Parade’?
While Mitchell is no stranger to the stage, My Chemical Romance has also embraced theatricality in its performances. During the band’s most recent tour, My Chemical Romance carefully orchestrated musical elements alongside dramatic staging and visual storytelling.
GettyGerard Way has long drawn inspiration from musical theater throughout his artistic career. During a 2021 interview with Travis Mills on Apple Music 1, Way even discussed the possibility of adapting the My Chemical Romance’s iconic album The Black Parade into a musical.
“There were talks very early about some kind of animated musical. Then there was talks a decade or so later about a musical. But the person who approached me about this musical there said, ‘Are you ever interested in doing Black Parade as a musical?’ I was like, ‘To be honest with you, I think it’s too soon,’ at the time. I was like, ‘I don’t think the record has lived long enough.’”
GettyWhat Is the Future for Hedwig’s New Face
Besides the confession about the new project with My Chemical Romance, Mitchell and Bob also discussed the many casting possibilities for Hedwig. As their interpretation can vary widely, The creator described the character as “kind of a genderless creature.” Also highlighted was one of the aspects he loves most about the role.
Mitchell offered the role to Maya Rudolph, Patti LuPone and Meryl Streep, but they all ultimately declined it. According to Mitchell, however, Streep delivered the most memorable response when turning down the role. Mitchell said, “John Hedwig is a Hamlet in heels, but my knees aren’t up to it.”
