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KCRW interview
Tuesday, November 9th, 1999 at 11:15 am
Michael was interviewed both as himself and as Hedwig
on "Morning Becomes Eclectic".
The show also included Michael's versions of Tear Me Down, Angry Inch, Wig in a Box.
The program was hosted by Nic Harcourt aired on KCRW 89.9 FM
and was also broadcast live over the internet from 9am to 12noon
and repeated 4 - 7pm & 2-5 am
http://www.kcrw.org/
Nic:
Twenty minutes after 11 o’ clock, Morning Becomes Eclectic with Michael Cerveris and
Hedwig next.
Commercial
Nic:
It’s Morning Becomes Eclectic at 89.9 KCRW and Michael Cerveris is in
Los Angeles to reprise a role he played in New York as Hedwig. Hedwig and the Angry
Inch has been playing Off-Broadway for a number of years and the LA production opened
appropriately enough, I think, on Halloween to some pretty impressive reviews I might add
and Michael joins us this morning. Good morning.
Michael:
Good Morning.
Nic:
Welcome.
Michael:
Thank you very much.
Nic:
We’ll be chatting with the character Hedwig in a short while, which is
going to be interesting for both of us, I think, and we’re going to listen to some of
the music as well. But first off, Michael tell us a little about yourself and your
background. You’ve done a lot of musical theatre. Including the role of ship builder,
Thomas Andrews, in Titanic, Tommy, in the Broadway production of the same name,
both somewhat lavish Broadway productions I would guess.
Michael:
The big ticket items.
Nic:
Yeah exactly, and I know that you’re a musician yourself,
having played as a side man and also been in your own bands as well. How did you get
involved in musical theatre? How did you become a musical theatre actor?
Michael:
Through no fault of my own. No real ambition to do that on my own. I
had been doing theatre for years and years, but mostly straight dramatic theatre. And I
had done musical theatre sometimes in the summer, my dad is a musician and musical
director mostly an academic professor so I sort of fell into it that way, but never
professionally really did musicals until Tommy… and that… I was doing a
show at the Mark Taper Forum, doing Richard, the Second, and on a lunch break went
over into the valley and auditioned for this weird production of Tommy that
somebody wanted to do on stage at the La Jolla Playhouse, which I thought was maybe either
one of the best ideas or one of the worst ideas for a musical I’d ever heard of. And
so I just wandered in with my guitar and played Young Americans, David Bowie song,
and that was my audition song and the rest became my history.
Nic:
Turned out to be a pretty good idea all and all because it went on to
Broadway. How long did you perform on Broadway with that?
Michael:
I did it a year and a half almost two years on Broadway and then
another almost two years in Germany, also. So overall 1,304 performances, but who’s
counting?
Nic:
(laughs) Quite a number of pin ball machines to be blown up. How about Hedwig?
Now interestingly enough. I didn’t know you’d done Tommy in Germany, but
that must have given you a little bit of background for Hedwig.
Michael:
Well as it turns out almost everything I’ve done in my life was
sort of pointing me towards this moment, where I’d be standing on stage in a dress
with a German accent, and (laughs) I don’t know what I did wrong, but I’m happy
I did.
Nic:
You first took on the role, I guess, you filled in for a month when
the show’s writer and originator John Cameron Mitchell took a break.
Michael:
Right.
Nic:
And then went on to do it in New York for what 6, 8 months?
Something like that?
Michael:
Yeah about 8 months, I guess. After that too, I started… When I
came back, I started… the first performance back was actually opening for Boy George
and Culture Club at Radio City Music Hall on New Year’s Eve and then I started back
in the run of the show down at the Jane St. for the next 8 months or so.
Nic:
And how come you’re the L.A. Hedwig, was that a natural
progression that they asked you to come out here and do that?
Michael:
Yeah, John is sort of focusing now on writing the screenplay for the
movie that they’re gonna do of the show, so I fortunately get the chance to step in
and take over here. And it’s really sort of fun for me to get to originate it in a
new city. When I stepped in New York, people, by that time, pretty much knew what it was
and the audiences knew what to expect, so it’s really fun to come out here for people
who may have heard something about it, but for the most part really don’t know what
to expect when they come in, and so it’s really fun for me to get to be the one who
introducing it to them.
Nic:
Tell us a little bit about the history of Hedwig, actually that’s an
interesting point, because how long has it actually been playing in New York?
Michael:
Over a year and a half now, I guess… it started it’s
official run at the Jane Street Theatre on Valentine’s Day a year ago.. we seem to
like opening on holidays, for some reason. I don’t know what that’s about. But
it actually began life even before that about 4 years ago, I think, at this club called,
Squeezebox, in New York, which is sort of a glam, drag, rock night at a place called Don
Hills in New York. and It began Stephen Trask, who is the composer of the songs of Hedwig,
wrote, he and his band Cheater were the house band at Squeezebox and so he and John
started it as just a 15-20 minute set in the middle of those nights and through the years
it just developed and was workshopped at the public theatre and the Fez and other public
clubs in New York and then a workshop was done at the Westbeth Theatre, I guess maybe 6 or
7 months before they finally did it at the Jane street and it’s official Off-Broadway
debut was there.
Nic:
And over this whole time developing a cult following, I guess, is a
fair way to describe it.
Michael:
Yeah… we aspire to our cult status.
Nic:
We’re gonna talk a little more about the story of Hedwig and in
fact Hedwig’s gonna talk to us in a little while.
Michael:
She’s in the limo now.
Nic:
(laugh) She’s in the limo, getting out of the limo
Michael:
Falling out of the limo probably! (both laugh)
Nic:
And we’re going to play a piece of the music that is the
opening number from the production and actually this is you singing on this one. The song
is called Tear Me Down it’s the opening number from the production and then
we’re gonna come back and talk with Hedwig, and Michael we’ll probably talk with
you before the end of this as well.
Michael:
Great.
Nic:
Here’s music from the production of Hedwig. It’s
"Tear Me Down," on Morning Becomes Eclectic.
"TEAR ME DOWN!"
Nic:
It’s Morning Becomes Eclectic at 89.9, KCRW, that is the
opening number from the production that just opened about a week or so ago in Los Angeles,
of Hedwig and interestingly enough Hedwig has managed to get out of the limo and
joins me in the studio here this morning on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Hedwig, thanks for
being here.
Hedwig (Michael):
Oh thank you so much, It is such a thrill to be here really.
Nic:
You know that song was likening you to the Berlin Wall a little bit.
We’ll talk later about your escape from East Germany, but maybe you can tell us first
about growing up in East Berlin and why you wanted to leave.
Hedwig (Michael):
Well you know, I began as, of course, as so many of us do as a young
boy in East Germany and my name, of course, was Hansel, Hansel Schmidt. It was not easy. I
don’t know have you spent much time in East Berlin through the years?
Nic:
Didn’t actually get across the wall myself.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah, well, that’s the same problem I had, actually, for years.
But it was not exactly the kind of place you want to raise a family, you know, so I felt
that I had to get out at some time, but the options were somewhat limited, you know, being
a young East German boy. So I met a wonderful man named Luther. Luther, he was a corporal
in the American Army, and he sort of, opened, well shall we say he opened a whole new
world to me, Luther did. And he explained so many things to me about life in America and
his home land, and I thought this is something for me. My path lies beyond the wall.
Nic:
Well growing up in East Berlin, of course, you probably weren’t
too aware of anything outside the communist regime there.
Hedwig (Michael):
Well ya know of course we had armed forces radio from America and so
I was able to discover so much of the great American artists, Debby Boone, Toni Tennille,
Anne Murray, who actually was a Canadian working in the American idiom, and then of course
there was the fabulous, the crypto homo rockers, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and of course David
Bowie, who was actually an idiom working in America and Canada. But, um… so the
voices of these artists left a great deep impression on me through the years, so I had
some exposure. More exposure than I give the people now actually…
Nic:
So listening to this music as you were growing up, you knew there was
something different, something better, and then, I guess, when you met Luther, you
possibly saw a way to change your circumstances.
Hedwig (Michael):
Absolutely, eh… Luther… I have to say found me… eh,
rather charming and attractive but he felt that for me to… well he asked me to marry
him, actually, I have to say. I had invited Luther home for dinner, and after dessert he
presented a ring and an application for American citizenship and a wig, and I said to my
mother ‘oh, he wants to marry me, he wants me to get out of here.’ Unfortunately
it was a little difficult, we couldn’t just walk out of East Germany apparently,
often as we tired, but it required some, well, some procedures that are not…
Nic:
Well being a young boy I would imagine that in itself presented a
bit of a problem.
Hedwig (Michael):
Well it was more than a bit of a problem, I don’t want to brag
of course, but there was a little more to be dealt with than a bit, but Luther explained
to me that as well as he put it, ‘to walk away you’ve got to leave something
behind’ and he said to my mother ‘ain’t that right Mrs. Schmidt’ and
she said ‘yes, well of course Luther I always thought that was true.’ She said
to me ‘Hansel to be free one must be willing to give up a little part of one’s
self’ and she knew just the doctor to take it. And that sort of left me in the state
which you find me today.
Nic:
So you decided to have this operation so that you could come to
America… We’re going to listen to a song called "Angry Inch," which
should clear things up a little.
Hedwig (Michael):
Ah yes, it’s a charming love ballad…
"ANGRY INCH!"
Nic:
It’s Morning Becomes Eclectic at 89.9 KCRW, Hedwig and
the Angry Inch is playing right now at the Henry Fonda Theatre, and
Hedwig joins us this morning, who obviously had to go through some pain to get here.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah it was not easy, but sometimes these are the sacrifices you
have to make.
Nic:
And when you actually got to America you ended up in Kansas.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yes I arrived in lovely Junction City, Kansas. It’s a lovely
holiday destination for, of course, for many people, for me it was not so much of a
holiday.
Nic:
And you’re living in a trailer park in middle America, not
quiet the American dream that you had thought of as a child I guess in East Berlin.
Hedwig (Michael):
No when I was thinking of leaving, I was thinking I’m leaving
on a jet plane and by the time I get to Phoenix love will keep us together, cause I’m
just an embryo with a long, long way to go and I know too much to go back and pretend.
Nic:
Now the disappointing part, I guess, after all of this is when you
got here the wall came down, in fact yesterday I believe was the anniversary of that..
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah I think November 9th, actually, is that today, I don’t
even know what day it is today.
Nic:
Yes.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yes today, all my troubles seem so far away. But yeah that was a
very significant anniversary, Unfortunately they couldn’t get around to doing it,
maybe, oh I don’t know, like a year earlier or something? Save me a lot of time and
trouble. Also I believe this is the anniversary of Kristallnacht, which oddly enough was
the performing name of my husband when he was doing his drag act in Zagreb, so lot of
coincidences in the stars here today Nick you know what I’m saying.
Nic:
(laugh) When you were in Kansas you met with Tommy. You got to tell us a
little bit about Tommy, cause Tommy really is how you came to be in Los Angeles really in
a number of ways.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah… yes well I suppose, as if Tommy Gnosis has not had enough
publicity, riding on my back all these years. Yeah… Tommy was a 16 year old,
pock-marked, dungeons and dragons obsessed, Jesus freak with a fish on the back of his
truck, I think you know the type. And I, of course, found him incredibly hot. He was the
oldest son of the General of the nearby army fort, and I was babysitting for the youngest
son. I met this Tommy he was this nowhere kid, going nowhere, and I taught him essentially
everything he knows about rock and roll and he barely mentions my name on that giant
sucking sound Larry King calls a show. But we began collaborating. He began singing with
me and well one thing led to another and soon we had the Sizzler calling and inviting us
to perform and well of course you understand what an honor that would be.
Nic:
Absolutely.
Hedwig (Michael):
Absolutely and well essentially he became a big rock and roll star
and I decided it was better to retain my credibility and perform in the TGIFridays of the
world and really bring the rock to the people, you know.
Nic:
So Tommy basically learned all he needed to know from you.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah.
Nic:
And it may be a little unkind to say but essentially, sort of,
dumped you and moved on.
Hedwig (Michael):
Dumped is a strong word, I prefer to say uh, just… really…
uh… well I guess I can’t say that on the radio. But ah yes he walked out on me.
I wrote every song on his albums, but of course this is not mentioned on his interviews is
it? No of course not. Yeah he dumped me and he went on to be, or course, the great rock
and roll star we all know him to be, although some of us know the dark semi-side behind
the mask.
Nic:
But now you’re in LA with your show.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yes and I think people finally will see where the roots of
Tommy’s success really, really, come from the fertile ground of me.
Nic:
There must have been a lot of pain, obviously, around this first of all
having to have the operation, coming to United States, you’re in Kansas, and then
helping someone write a multi-platinum selling album. I mean tell us a little about this,
how has it affected you and impacted you.
Hedwig (Michael):
ell I have to say that I feel that I am a survivor and I am not
about to be dragged down in the horrible name calling and mud slinging that you have in
your American political campaigns for example, you know I just think that it’s so
tacky and so tasteless. I prefer to lead by example and I think when people come to see me
and my band The Angry Inch perform at the Henry Fonda Theatre on lovely Hollywood Blvd.,
where the walk of fame meets the walk of shame, I think they will see and know they are
seeing the genuine article, they are seeing true creative force behind, well certainly
Tommy Gnosis’s career, and in many ways the creative force behind much of we call
rock and roll today.
Nic:
We have another song we’re going to play, it’s called "Wig
in a Box."
Hedwig (Michael):
Oh yeah.
Nic:
Tell us a little bit about this and where it fits into the story.
Hedwig (Michael):
Well "Wig in a Box" it’s a little song we have
written to sort of explain what it was like when I first discovered who I could become,
essentially. And so much of it, as is so often the case, has to do with finding just the
right hair.
Nic:
That says it all, it’s "Wig in a Box" on Morning Becomes
Eclectic and then we’ll come back and wrap things up, so to speak, with Hedwig.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah lot of wrapping required. Yeah.
"WIG IN A BOX" (ok, Ladies and Gentleman those of you following at home, please consult your score cards and I do expect to hear you all singing…. Oh you’re so beautiful people really…)
Nic:
It’s Morning Becomes Eclectic at 89.9 KCRW. Music from the show Hedwig,
Hedwig has been with us this morning, before we wrap things up. Maybe Hedwig, I could ask
you a couple more questions.
Hedwig (Michael):
Certainly Nick.
Nic:
Tell us a little bit about what ultimately what this story tells us, what
does Hedwig’s story tell us.
Hedwig (Michael):
I think, in the end, the story is the story of what I have learned
through the years which is that the search for your other half often just brings you pain
and difficulty and sometimes an itching sensation that you need to relieve with a kind of
crème or a suave. Whereas, if you realize you’re other half is really a part
of yourself and when you can finally become whole with yourself, that you’re going to
be much happier.
Nic:
So there is a very spiritual aspect to this story.
Hedwig (Michael):
Absolutely.
Nic:
And being up there on stage and telling your story.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah people, they laugh, they cry, they, sometimes they have to go
to the bathroom but then they come back again and then they laugh and they cry some more
and it becomes a part of them more so even than I think with Cats.
Nic:
(laughs) Hedwig has joined us this morning, we’re going to talk a
little more with Michael Cerveris before we wrap up our program, we’ve got a bit of
music coming up right now, which I’m sure you would appreciate. This is music by
Wendy Carlos who used to Walter Carlos.
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah yeah…
Nic:
You’re friends?
Hedwig (Michael):
Oh yeah. Someday we hope to do a sort of dance theatre piece
together, it’s all about piecing together you know.
Nic:
Morning become eclectic, thank you Hedwig, I think the limo is waiting,
we’ll try and get you out of here before anybody..
Hedwig (Michael):
Yeah please you know, the fans. It’s so difficult, sometimes,
to get anywhere in this town, you know, when you’re so internationally ignored as
myself.
Instrumental Music
Nic:
(voice over music) It’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. Thank you
Hedwig…
End music
Nic:
It’s Morning Becomes Eclectic at 89.9 KCRW, quite a feat getting
Hedwig into the limo there Michael.
Michael:
Yeah, well that’s the way we travel with three or four armed
security guards cause it just takes that much sometimes.
Nic:
And as much as some people know, the radio station is on the campus here at
Santa Monica Community College so there’s always a crowd when big stars are coming in
and leaving.
Michael:
The kids really love Hedwig.
Nic:
Tell us a little bit about this production. It’s at the Henry Fonda
Theatre right now. It’s running Wednesdays thru Sundays, 2 shows on Fridays and
Saturdays, we’re gonna give away some tickets before the program is over.
Michael:
Oh great.
Nic:
Been open two weeks right now, I think we talked about the fact that the
reviews were wonderful, great reviews. Enjoy being back in Los Angeles? Cause I know you
lived here for a little while.
Michael:
Yeah it really been really great actually, to be back and to be
doing something so much fun as this. I’m finding myself, like, actually able to find
my way around town. I got a Thomas Guide, like immediately when I got back to town and
thought I’m gonna have to at this constantly. But I actually am finding myself not
looking at it as much as I thought, I have more of a memory of Los Angeles than I thought.
Nic:
It’s an open ended run. The plan for you is to be here 6 months or so,
and then to take the show to London right?
Michael:
Yeah, that’s what we’d all like to have happen, although
we’d like it to stay here as long as possible, and have me followed up by whoever,
and have it just part of a growing Los Angeles theatre scene. It’s great to see how
much theater there is in Los Angeles now and to be a part of that is really great.
Nic:
Hedwig and the Angry Inch. We should
point out the Angry Inch is the band that plays on stage.
Michael:
(laughs) That’s one of the levels.
Nic:
With Hedwig. It’s playing right now at the Henry Fonda Theatre.
It’s a lot of fun, the songs and a lot of intrigue in the story as well.
Michael:
And the band is really great…
Nic:
Oh they rock.
Michael:
…and for right now we have Stephen Trask, who’s the
composer of the music, is in the band for another couple weeks which is an extra added
treat
Nic:
Stephen Trask wrote the music as you said and he music directs on stage,
performing at the same time. And John Cameron Mitchell originated the role and wrote the
book as well. My guest this morning, Michael Cerveris is in Los Angeles performing as
Hedwig, So we thank you so much for being here.
Michael:
My pleasure.
Nic:
I think you did a great job going in and out there. I think that was
interesting for all of us, I’m sure. Thanks so much for being here and good luck with
the role and hopefully taking it on to London at some point in the near future.
Michael:
Thanks and thanks for helping me with the dress and heels too that was…
Nic:
You know something… you know English guys are good at that…
Michael:
…above and beyond.
Nic:
Hedwig and the Angry Inch continues at the Henry Fonda Theatre
Wednesdays thru Sundays, 2 shows on Fridays and Saturdays. Right now we have 5 pairs of
tickets for KCRW subscribers to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Henry Fonda
Theatre… (details on tickets)… My thanks to Michael Cerveris. Thanks so much.
Michael:
My pleasure.
Nic:
My thanks to Hedwig and assistants, this morning Karyn Cooks, Karen
Glawber, JC Swartech for technical assistance, Tina Green for assisting this Tuesday
morning… Thank you… and Ariana Morganson is the producer of this program…
Thank you for listening. Enjoy your day.
Random "this is our radio station, have a good day" Music…….
Transcribed by Joy Healy on Jan. 9th, 2000