The story depicted in the song "Origin of Love" is from Plato's "Symposium," in which Aristophanes gives a speech about love being a product of the need to reunite with one's other half after being split into two, as punishment for conspiring to usurp the gods of Olympus.
Before it was a film and a musical at the Jane Street Theater, John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask created the character Hedwig. Mitchell donned drag for the first time speaking in character and telling Hedwig's story between songs, written and played by Trask. This was the first "drag performance act" that had a story-line, live singing and a live band with original material.
Stephen Trask, who wrote the songs and score for the film, also provides the singing voice for Tommy.
The "car wash" gag in the "Sugar Daddy" number was a choreographic artifact from the original show. During the show's original run, there was a designated "car-wash" chair, and celebrity audience members would be placed there. At the 2014 Tony Awards, Neil Patrick Harris reenacted this scene with Orlando Bloom.
Yitzhak is seen wearing a "Rent" sweatshirt and later decides to audition for the role of Angel in a touring stage version. In real life, John Cameron Mitchell was originally offered the role of Angel but had to turn it down as he was working on this film.
John Cameron Mitchell: Keep your ears open when Tommy is being mobbed by reporters after his car accident. Mitchell is the voice of the reporter shouting, "Tommy, what's your relationship to Hedwig Robinson?"