Neil Patrick Harris Headed to Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch in Spring 2014

Stage and screen star Neil Patrick Harris will don a wig and heels in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a rock musical that tells the story of a German transgender rock singer. Featuring a book by original star John Cameron Mitchell and a score by Stephen Trask, Hedwig will begin performances in the spring of 2014. Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Smash) is set to direct. Additional casting and creative team members will be announced shortly.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a musical comedy about a fictional rock and roll band, led by Hedwig (Harris), a transgender frontwoman from East Berlin. Hedwig premiered at off-Broadway’s Westbeth Theatre on March 9, 1997, starring Mitchell as Hedwig. It transferred to the Jane Street Theatre on February 14, 1998, where it played for over two years. The musical was adapted into an independent film in 2001, directed by Mitchell.

“I am simultaneously ecstatic and terrified to be stepping into Hedwig's heels,” Harris said in a statement. “It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime role and I can't wait to begin the journey.”

Best known to audiences for his starring role as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, Harris is a three-time Emmy Award winner and host of the 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 Tony Awards. He has appeared on Broadway in Proof, Cabaret and Assassins and starred as Bobby in the New York Philharmonic’s staging of Company. Harris has directed several stage productions in Los Angeles, including Rent at the Hollywood Bowl.