Luther and Hedwig return to Junction City, Kan. as husband and wife. On their first anniversary Luther leaves Hedwig for a man almost at the exact same time the Berlin wall is tumbling down.

To help recover from this separation, Hedwig forms a rock band with Tommy Speck who eventually walks off with Hedwig’s songs and materials to great success. Feeling betrayed again, Hedwig and her band are left playing coffee bars and strip malls.

“I put on some make-up and turn up the eight-track. I’m pulling the wig down from the shelf.  Suddenly I’m Miss Farrah Fawcett from TV until I wake up and turn back to myself.” Lyrics from “Wig In a Box” play in a scene where Hedwig is watching the Berlin wall come down and realizing that leaving Berlin for love and freedom was in vain now that Germany is undivided and has become one. “Tear Me Down,” “Hedwig’s Lament,” and “The Origin of Love” are just a few lyrical jams that Hedwig uses to go deep into her rock star soul and share her poetic conflict within.

In “The Origin of Love,” Hedwig captures the tale from Aristophanes’ speech in the Symposium that explains how homosexuals and heterosexuals were created. Two women, two men and a woman and man, each connected and then unruly detached by angry gods. These beings then spend their lives feeling voided and in search of their other halves. Hedwig seems to carry us with her in this experience, while using her love of music as her light that guides her back to wholeness.

Similar to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, “Hedheads” get to join in on this energetic show as if they were live in concert with Hedwig and her band. Patrons sing with the band, belting lyrics and sporting Hegwig gear to boot. Her large blonde locks of curls and candid personality keep fans coming back for more.

Last January, Cooley brought Hedwig to Baltimore with a sold out performance. Now back by popular demand, Creative Alliance will host a 2-day encore of the phenomenally fun musical.

Cooley has been passionately acting off-Broadway, on TV and in film for over 10 years. He’s traveled with Cindy Lauper’s True Colors tour, and when he is not gracing the stage he is a dedicated friend and nurse.

When asked what moved him toward choosing Hedwig as the object of his artistic desires Cooley responded: “I get to be a rock star… The character is also relatable as a gay man in my teenage years trying to get clear about who I am and how to accept myself. This musical is appealing to all races, genders and orientations desiring to join their other halves within.” n

DETAILS: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. October 22-23. 8pm. $15-20. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org.