Michael C. Hall was instantly drawn to Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The 43-year-old actor replaced Andrew Rannells as Hedwig on Thursday, and told CBS News he was attracted to the Broadway musical's themes of self-acceptance.
"Hedwig is an invitation to complete acceptance of the whole self," he related. "I think it invites audiences to do that."
Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows Hedwig, an East German transgender singer in a rock and roll band, as she follows rock star and love interest Tommy Gnosis around the country. The role requires elaborate makeup and costumes, and Hall said he was happy for the chance to explore his "feminine side."
"Rehearsing in the rehearsal hall with heels and fishnets and imagining the feel of the wigs or the look of the face is one thing, but leaving it to the creative powers that be to basically be the character for a time and give me my face and my hair, there's nothing like it," he shared.
Hall is best known for his role as Dexter Morgan on Showtime series Dexter, and made his Broadway debut as the emcee in Cabaret in 1999. The actor most recently appeared in a production of The Realistic Joneses, and starred in Jim Mickle film Cold in July earlier this year.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch with Hall will run through January 4, 2015.