The actress celebrates her artsy San Francisco upbringing in a musical memoir.
By Brandon Voss
Some childhoods were destined to become the subjects of cabarets. In The Villa Satori: Growing Up Haight Ashbury, which kicks off a limited run November 28 at Feinstein’s/54 Below, Lena Hall explores her unconventional upbringing in a San Francisco hippie family. “I think growing up in such an artistic household helped me stay open to all forms of expression,” she says. “It also helped me find my own unique voice.”
That voice has been put to good use. After appearing in Broadway musicals like Kinky Boots, Hall earned a Tony Award last year for playing Hedwig’s roadie husband in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. “Spending a year as a man certainly changed my views on gender and relationships,” says Hall, who also fronts a rock band called The Deafening. “And no longer am I stuck thinking that I can’t sing a song from a man’s perspective, because truly we are all human beings with similar experiences.”
Performing with a prosthetic penis opposite stars like Neil Patrick Harris also expanded Hall’s queer fan base. “I’ve always felt a strong connection to the LGBT community, so to be embraced by them feels like being embraced by family,” she says. “Inspiring someone to be themselves is what I most aspire to do.”
In Villa Satori, Hall hopes to inspire audiences with very personal stories about her formative years and the music that provided their soundtrack. “Every single song is pulled from a strong memory growing up,” she says. “I am showing my true self and laying it all on the table. You may love it, you may hate it, but all in all it will be a part of me that’s very open and honest.”
Next, November 2015.