Zac Morgan is exhausted.
On an average day, he鈥檒l spend hours at his job before heading to rehearsals in the evening at Yorkdale Central School. As the lead character and director, he鈥檒l run a scene and adjust it as he goes, starting and stopping when he notices a blemish or imperfection.
After working on the show for several months now, Morgan has blocked out the entire play, so his rehearsals now consist of running through the complete, 100-minute runtime of the piece. On top of everything, his play is a musical, so he has a lot of dialogue, songs, and choreography to juggle in his mind.
When he鈥檚 not rehearsing or working, Morgan is promoting the play, looking for musicians, or researching one of a dozen other things. 鈥淔ree time鈥� is a pretty foreign concept for him at this point.
鈥淚鈥檓 single-handedly working myself and this show to the bone,鈥� he said.
It鈥檚 an intense, break-neck schedule, but for Morgan, who鈥檚 dreamed about doing this show since 2015, it鈥檚 more than worth the time committment and energy.
鈥淚 need to do this show,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you have a lot of passion for something, you put everything into it.鈥�
Morgan is staging 鈥淗edwig and the Angry Inch鈥� at the Anne Portnuff Theatre on February 14 and 16. Morgan discovered the musical three years ago and became enamored with it as he learned more about it.
鈥淚 found myself relating more and more to this character that I just fell in love with it,鈥� he said.
鈥淗edwig and the Angry Inch鈥� tells the story of Hedwig Schmidt, a brash rock 鈥榥鈥� roll star from East Germany who struggles through life after a botched sex-change operation. The show is structured like a concert, as Hedwig sings to and talks with her audience.
Morgan related to the pain Hedwig suffers in the play, since he鈥檚 endured heartbreak and health scares. One year ago, Morgan underwent surgery for a kidney transplant. He鈥檇 been struggling with a kidney disease for months. Right before his surgery, Morgan listened to 鈥淭ear Me Down,鈥� the opening song from the play.
鈥淚 can embody this character and feel all the pain that they have gone through,鈥� Morgan said.
After his surgery, Morgan set out to get the play onstage. He booked the Anne Portnuff Theatre, secured grants, and started rehearsing.
鈥淕etting it off the ground was pure initiative on my end,鈥� he said. 鈥淸Having] the will not to give up.鈥�
Morgan stars as Hedwig in the play. He鈥檚 joined by Hillarie Pacholko, who plays Hedwig鈥檚 husband, Yitzhak.
鈥淸I鈥檓] pretty entralled to be a part of the show,鈥� she said. 鈥淸Performing is] what I love to do.鈥�
Morgan will spend the entirety of the play onstage with no intermission or break. He said his relationship with the crowd is crucial for maintaining his stamina.
鈥淚 feed off the audience,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can see their faces and interact with them.
鈥淎s long as you keep your energy up, the audience will [do the same].鈥�
Morgan said that, at its core, 鈥淗edwig鈥� is a love story, which makes it perfect for Valentine鈥檚 Day.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the search for Hedwig鈥檚 other half,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can feel the love connections she鈥檚 trying to make.鈥�
鈥淸It鈥檚] about finding out who you are,鈥� Pacholko said. 鈥淚 think people will walk out of the show feeling a bit inspired.鈥�
Morgan is excited to finally bring 鈥淗edwig鈥� to the stage, but he鈥檚 a little uncertain what he鈥檒l do with his free time once the show鈥檚 over.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to have to pick up a new hobby,鈥� he said.
Admission to the show is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at www.angryinch.ca.
