For this actor, ArtsWest's 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' is a love letter to the trans community

Sometimes, the themes and characters within a piece of theater can feel even more relevant to the moment we’re taking it in than the time period in which it was created.

That's the case while watching actor Nicholas Japaul Bernard perform as Hedwig in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" at ArtsWest here in Seattle. It’s running at ArtsWest until July 23. It’s Bernard's second time playing the character.

"Hedwig and the Angry Inch" centers on the character Hedwig — formerly known as Hansel — who grew up in East Germany during the Cold War.

After meeting a American GI named Luther, Hedwig has a sex reassignment surgery so Luther and Hedwig can get married and move to the United States to pursue the American Dream.

Things don't quite go as planned.

Beyond the rock and roll, the comedic one-liners, and eye-popping costumes was the gut-wrenching story of Hedwig trying to love herself and be loved by the men in her life.

Since premiering off-Broadway in 1998, Hedwig’s journey to find love within herself has captivated audiences. But right now the play feels particularly pertinent, as we’ve witnessed a new wave of anti-LGBTQ laws and discourse specifically targeting the transgender community.

Earlier this year, Tennessee governor Bill Lee signed legislation restricting drag performances. That law was struck down by a U.S. district judge last month, but a number of other states have signed anti-drag bills into law or are considering it.

KUOW arts and culture reporter Mike Davis sat down with Bernard to talk about what it means for him to play Hedwig now in 2023, compared to when he last took on the role five years ago.

"The elephant in the room is the attacks that are happening on queer people, specifically trans people right now, which makes this show particularly important I think, because those those attacks and ... the the vitriol and the violence against queer and trans people has always been there," Bernard said. "It's just now, unfortunately, mainstream. We have let the yarn unspool enough that like now, they can just run amok with all of that stuff."

ArtsWest's production of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" runs until July 23. Tickets are available on ArtsWest's website.

Listen to the full interview by clicking the play button at the top of this story.