Mason Park, a Point Park 2016 musical theater alumnus, has always found a connection to the story and themes in the show “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” In fact, it was through this show that Park was able to make the decision and be inspired to pursue theater on a professional level.

“There are roles like Hedwig that have so much meaning to them,” Park said. “That was the turning point when I realized that theater is what I want to do with my life – because of roles like this.”

Almost two weeks ago, Park was permitted to announce that he would be living his dream as an understudy in the national tour production of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” in the starring role of Hedwig.

“Hedwig” is a musical with a contemporary score by Stephen Trask that is based on a book by John Cameron Mitchell. The book was considered to have a very controversial storyline.

The rock and roll musical revolves around a woman who, in order to escape East Berlin, had to marry a man. So that the marriage could be legal and the escape plan fruitful, Hedwig undergoes a failed sex change that leaves her with one “angry inch” of her previous self. Following her arrival in America, Hedwig’s husband leaves her and, in the middle of her misery, she watches the Berlin Wall be torn down on national television.

The book and score both attracted Park from the time he entered high school.

“Through the music and through Hedwig’s journey, I realized that stories like hers were the stories I was interested in telling and the stories I was the most emotionally connected to,” Park said.

Park’s time in Pittsburgh as well as his pre-college career was noted to have been ambitious, and his success came as no surprise to his peers and mentors.

Kiesha Lalama, a Point Park associate dance professor, first met Park when he was in high school. While working with Park, Lalama said it was clear that through his determination and hard work, he was special.

“My story with Mason begins in New York City during the Jimmy awards. He was a participant in the national high school theater awards. He was so bright and so hungry and so curious,” Lalama said. “Every time we worked with him, he evolved. And in that moment onstage, instead of becoming distracted or overwhelmed, he became a professional with integrity.”

Park’s close friend Olson Scott Kelly, now artistic director of PARK Productions, Park’s original theatre company, said that his friend’s success immediately out of college did not shock him.

“I was there with him on the phone before the audition, before the callback, when he found out,” Kelly said. “I’m not surprised. This is what I expected from him.”

Out of all the excitement Park is experiencing, he said one of his favorite thrills is the way the show works.

“A lot of the show is tailored to the specific actor who’s doing it,” Park said. “To sit in rehearsal and get to borrow jokes from performers like John Cameron Mitchell and then adding my own specific quirks and jokes to my Hedwig, and realizing that two or three years from now, there may be a production where a new Hedwig is borrowing aspects of my Hedwig. It’s insane to think that I’m even a little bit of part of this.”

Park said while he considers some of success rare, he attributes his parents as playing a significant role in his success.

“They gave me everything I need, but they made me work for it,” Park said. “They believed in me but I was never taught that anything was handed to me. My mom and dad instilled in me a great work ethic at a really young age, and they supported me all the way through. They made me follow my dream.”

In addition to what his parents gave to him, Park offered a few words to young inspiring actors at Point Park.

“The most helpful advice I’ve ever received is that you can never stop learning and you can never stop creating,” Park said. “Something funny happened to me while I was in the callback process for the production. My agent got a hold of me and told me about another production that was also doing the show. I auditioned, felt pretty good about it, but they didn’t connect with my Hedwig. They had a different concept – everyone does. They got a fantastic actor to play the role. And it’s important to realize that that’s okay.”

On top of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” being Park’s favorite show, he described it as a great way to channel his purpose as an actor and as a person. He explained that people need to be inspired and that the world needs shows like this.

“Everyone has their trials, their tribulations, their hardships,” Park said. “To watch a character go through so much and still have some form of love, have some form of light within them, it’s inspiring. Hedwig does something amazing. She uses her hurt as a tool to guarantee that others don’t experience this type of pain. That’s beautiful. That’s inspiring.”