Taye Diggs To Replace Darren Criss in Hedwig

Professional groove retriever Taye Diggs will soon step into Broadway's brotherhood of the traveling stilettos also known as Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

The former Mr. Adele Dazeem Idina Menzel replaces Darren Criss starting Wednesday, July 22 at the Belasco Theater for a limited 12-week run. Diggs steps into the title role previously made famous on Broadway by Neil Patrick Harris (who snatched a Tony), Michael C, Hall, the show's creator John Cameron Mitchell and most recently Criss, who hangs up his wig with the July 19 performance.

Related | Hot List: Darren Criss

Though those are some pretty tough acts to follow, Diggs is no stranger to the stage. This Broadway baby made his debut in 1994 with the Tony Award-winning revival of Carousel before going on to the landmark musical Rent in 1995. Hedwig, however, marks his first stage role since 2005's A Soldier's Play.

This is unlike any role Diggs has done and Diggs is unlike any previous Hedwig on Broadway, but kudos to the head honchos at Hedwig for casting a black man best known for seducing Angie Bassett -- and, really, all of us -- as an East German transgender rock star with a love of Farrah Fawcett and gummibaren.

"Taye is fantastic -- he has theater cred, he has pop culture cred, he can sing, he can act, he can dance, he's smart and he's sexy," the show's lead producer David Binder told The Times. "That's why we cast him."

Groovy.

Les Fabian Brathwaite -- I like gummibaren.