Hedwig and the Angry Inch Turns 20: An Interactive Timeline

Lift up your hands as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask cult musical.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch opened Off-Broadway at the Jane Street Theatre 20 years ago on February 14, 1998. “A lot of people were turned off,” book writer and original star John Cameron Mitchell remembers. “Audiences thought it was too loud, and asked, ‘What’s with the drag?’”

Now, 20 years later, the musical has developed a strong cult following (fans call themselves the Hed-Heads), a film adaptation brought Hedwig to the masses, and a Broadway production wowed at the Tonys.

But so much more has happened in Hedwig's world since that Valentine’s Day in 1998. Put on your makeup, turn on the 8-track, and pull your wig down off the shelf as we look back and celebrate 20 years of Hedwig.