Hedwig and the Angry Inch is glam rocking back into the Windy City and Ryan Lanning is sporting the winged blonde wig this time out.
The musical story of the fictional band fronted by a East German transgender singer has been performed around the world and also as a feature film.
Lanning's credits include Alien Queen, Candide and The Adventures of Pinocchio. He was most recently spotted in Exit, Pursued by a Bear at Theatre Seven Chicago.
We chatted a bit after the debut performance at Theater Wit.
Windy City Times: Hi, Ryan, nice to catch up with you. It must be great to do the show in front of an audience on opening night.
Ryan Lanning: It is very difficult to do the show without an audience. It is a room full of people that have been watching it and studying the script for so long that it makes you wonder if it will work. It is great to get the first preview in and see what the audience is reacting to and how they are reacting to it.
WCT: I have known you for a long time from singing in the church choir together but don't know all of your history.
Ryan Lanning: I grew up in Midland, Mich., and went to school at the University of Michigan. I studied opera and that is how I knew Dana Brown, our musical director at the church, he was a coach for me.
After I graduated I came to Chicago. Two of my friends were living here at the time so I decided to move here. I slowly but surely got into theater eventually. I have been doing it for the past eight years. It has been fun.
WCT: Have you had a favorite show so far?
Ryan Lanning: I have several for various different reasons. I would say Kiss of the Spider Woman at Bailiwick Repertory Theatre because that was my first experience doing a show that was serious in my mind. Everything else I saw as a hobby before that. It was an amazing cast and director. It was a fantastic experience.
WCT: How did you become involved with Hedwig?
Ryan Lanning: A friend of mine emailed the audition notice to me. He told me he would never talk to me again if I didn't audition for it. The audition was two days later. I didn't have an appointment and just showed up. After work one night I just crashed it. The guy at the door got me in and I got a call back.
WCT: What do you do to get into character?
Ryan Lanning: The makeup helps a lot. The character of Hedwig I relate to very well. It is not very difficult to get into character but the makeup and the wig does help an awful lot. I feel like I can connect with her pretty easily.
WCT: Any wig problems?
Ryan Lanning: Yes! It constantly feels like it is falling off. I don't know if it looks like it is falling off in the second half but after "Wig in a Box" when she puts the other wig on top of me, it felt like the thing was actually about to pull my scalp off.
The only other issue we have had with it is one night it all ended up in my face. I spent the next monologue picking it out of my face. I ended up losing an eyelash. Other than that, no...
WCT: This show needs to be seen live even though the movie does have its moments.
Ryan Lanning: It definitely is an experience to see it live. I have never seen it live myself before performing it. I did see the movie when it came out. The tone of the movie is different. It has all the same text in the movie just in a different order. His narration is so calm. I hope seeing the show live is an exciting event for people.
WCT: Tonight someone's phone went off and I thought you were going to channel Patti LuPone!
Ryan Lanning: [laughs and mimics LuPone] "Who do you think you are?" I felt bad for the audience member. She looked so sorry. She was digging around in that purse. It wasn't too distracting so we went on.
I don't have a lot of experience with ad-libbing or dealing without a fourth wall. I actually like having the fourth wall.
WCT: It can be distracting not having one.
Ryan Lanning: Yes, but it is a lot of fun to have people react to things and have people comment to those things. One person tonight was giggling uncontrollably about blowjobs. One night someone had a visceral reaction to me saying Hitler.
WCT: So it keeps you on your toes.
Ryan Lanning: Right. You can acknowledge things in the moment that they happen.
WCT: I like the car wash dance move with your fringe on my back behind me.
Ryan Lanning: I'm so glad you liked it!
WCT: It was hilarious. Do you have a favorite song that you love in the show?
Ryan Lanning: I love "Midnight Radio." It is so empowering and accepting your inner rock star. It is about being the freak that we all are in our own ways and celebrating it.
WCT: Is that real beer you drink onstage?
Ryan Lanning: It's water.
WCT: Good thing because drinking beer would dry out your vocal cords.
Ryan Lanning: Yeah. We thought about it for a second then thought it is not the effect we want!
WCT: I loved judging you during Windy City Gay Idol. We have such a great alumni group from it, such as JC Brooks and JDA, who was recently on the television show American Idol.
Ryan Lanning: JC was the same year that I was. There is so much talent in this city. It is just staggering. I love that Windy City Gay Idol exists in order to showcase that there are so many uniquely talented people around who deserve to be heard.
WCT: What is next for you?
Ryan Lanning: The Peoria Symphony Orchestra has called me to do a concert of love songs in February but other than that I am keeping my options open.
The fourth wall-smashing hit runs now through Aug. 11 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. For more information visit www.haventheatrechicago.org .
