Hedwig and the Angry Inch's John Cameron Mitchell to Receive 2015's Special Tony Award

The Tony Awards Administration Committee has announced that John Cameron Mitchell will receive the 2015 Special Tony Award. Mitchell has been selected for the award after returning to the lead role in Broadway's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which he cowrote with Stephen Trask and first performed off-Broadway in 1998.

"John’s return to Hedwig and the Angry Inch is one for the history books," said Heather Hitchens, president of the American Theatre Wing, and Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the Broadway League, in a statement. "He not only wrote and co-created the role with Stephen Trask – before directing and starring in the film – but returned to Broadway to star as Hedwig this season after a series of rave performances by Neil Patrick Harris, Andrew Rannells and Michael C. Hall. This is a remarkable undertaking, and we are honored to recognize his outstanding success with this honor."

John Cameron Mitchell has also appeared on Broadway in Big River, and the original casts of The Secret Garden and Six Degrees of Separation. He also directed the film adaptation Hedwig (2001) as well as Shortbus (2006) and Rabbit Hole (2011), adapted from David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows the titular transgender rock performer as she recounts her life during a concert at Broadway's Belasco Theatre, where the musical runs. Michael Mayer directs the revival, which also stars Rebecca Naomi Jones as Hedwig's husband, Yitzhak. Glee star Darren Criss takes over the role of Hedwig beginning April 29.

The 2015 Tony Awards will be broadcast on CBS live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 7 at 8pm ET.

For tickets to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, click here.