Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Casting Ally Sheedy as Hedwig, a two-bit rock singer who had a botched sex-change operation before he/she left East Berlin for America, was risky at best. The demanding role — originated by Hedwig and the Angry Inch's author, John Cameron Mitchell — has previously been played only by men (and Donovan Leitch still fills in on Wednesdays and at late shows on Fridays). Unfortunately, the risk hasn't paid off, which is partly due to Sheedy's unconvincing German accent. On the plus side, Stephen Trask's songs still rock, and Sheedy tirelessly throws herself into hard-edged tunes like ''Angry Inch.'' But she fares less well when required to carry a tune. If Hedwig continues its deservedly long run, the producers should consider yet another sex change and cast a man in the role again.