Stage set for ‘Hedwig’ will include auction of local queer and punk art

Marina Eisenbraun: Dakota Jones and I founded Cryptid Entertainment — in its current form — in 2021 when we did “Bigfoot Saves America” for IndyFringe Festival. We’re now doing productions of licensed work, which I think is really cool.

Dakota Jones: We have our shows planned through June of next year. We’re bringing back some shows we’ve already done, some pop culture musicals, some shows inspired by TV shows spanning 70 years.

Eisenbraun: Because I wanted to [laughs]. “Hedwig” is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. The fact that this is the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie isn’t the only reason, but it’s what got me to decide we should do it.

Eisenbraun: “Hedwig” is the only show I’ve ever done with a notice at the beginning that this is a document of one production of one night and to make it your own. There are a few places in the show that have to be done a certain way, but there are so many things you can add in or ad lib.

There are no casting requirements. And 75% of the conductor’s score is just chords.

For instance, our version of “Sugar Daddy” will be like the Neil Patrick Harris version, so our version will be more rock and less country.

Eisenbraun: It’s not a secret that we’re all incredibly liberal. Everyone in our main group is LGBTQ. So that’s always top of mind. We never stop thinking about it. But we do want to have fun, and theater for a lot of us is our only hobby.

Dakota Lumley: Theater is our only escape.

Eisenbraun: We want to do something that’s fun, but this is a little more challenging. This is the most political script we’ve done. For instance, Hedwig threatens Itzak that immigration is coming. At another point, Hedwig screams at the band, “That’s big talk for someone without a passport.” It sounds much more threatening today than when the show was written. Different things are much more poignant than they were originally.

Lumley: We tend to be unapologetically us.

Lumley: I had not heard of this happening before. We talked about doing a silent auction for local artists when we were talking about our other shows. When “Hedwig” was brought up, I thought about how we’re doing the background with this giant hanging, floating display of art that looks like it’s defying gravity.

When I brought that up, I was wondering, “How am I going to fill that space and make that happen?”

I didn’t want the silent auction to be a benefit for us. A lot of artists struggle to find people to see their work, and a lot of people in theater don’t always get to go to art shows. This will be a great mixture of both.

Eisenbraun: The artists are getting 100% of the funds.

Lumley: I’m trying to fill the IF Theatre space with as much art as I can get my hands on.
Some artists have already provided multiple pieces of art. One artist will be selling 10 different pieces. We have 15-17 artists so far.

Anything that doesn’t make it into the floating display will be on the walls of the theater.

Lumley: For all the pieces coming in, I’m going to be creating a catalog. Audience members will be able to see anything in the theater when they are there.

Eisenbraun: Or people can just buy art directly.

Lumley: After the final show, people who are buying the artwork can come pick it up from the theater. Also, some items will be just for display and not for sale.

Eisenbraun: Dakota Jones is working on the animated sequence for “The Origin of Love.”

Dakota Jones: It’s influenced by Keith Haring, his simplistic style.

Eisenbraun: Not to toot my own horn, but I’ve done costuming and stage management for a long time. This is definitely the show where the costuming is less costumes and more art pieces that Hedwig is wearing. Everything in the show is thrifted or something I already have or something I borrowed. We have a bunch of these punk battle vests people have kept. It’s really fun to see what strangers thought was “punk” when they were younger.