Harvey Fierstein

ABOUT Harvey Fierstein

Acclaimed originally for his groundbreaking writing and performance in his 1981 Torch Song Trilogy, Harvey Fierstein has refined and redefined the persona of the drag queen in the theater. Two years later, Fierstein brought that insight and humor into his book for the musical adaptation of  La Cage aux Folles. As Frank Rich wrote in the New York Times, this "is the first Broadway musical ever to give center stage to a homosexual love affair – but don't go expecting an earthquake. The show at the Palace is the schmaltziest, most old-fashioned major musical Broadway has seen since 'Annie,' and it's likely to be just as popular with children of all ages."

Fierstein subsequently wrote the book for Legs Diamond (1988) with music and lyrics by Peter Allen, who also starred in the show. He did not return to Broadway until 2002, when he took on the role of Edna Turnblad in the musical adaptation of Hairspray (book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan; music by Marc Shaiman; lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman). According to Ben Brantley, Fierstein's performance as Edna "is not just a cross-dressing sight gag. She's every forgotten housewife, recreated in monumental proportions and waiting for something to tap her hidden magnificence."

After playing Tevye in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof, Harvey Fierstein wrote the book and starred in the 2008 musical, A Catered Affair. As a writer and actor, Fierstein has won three Drama Desk Awards and four Tonys^®, most recently for his portrayal of Edna in Hairspray.