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United States Harvey Fierstein is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter recognized for his distinctive voice and extensive contributions to stage and screen.
Harvey Fierstein is featured on the official Masterworks Broadway site as a playwright for current smash hits like 'Newsies' and 'Torch Song Trilogy,' highlighting his significant contributions to musical theatre.
Harvey Fierstein is listed as a keynote speaker, known for his work as a Tony Award-winning actor, playwright, and voice actor in productions like 'Hairspray' and 'Mulan'.
OMDKC represents Harvey Fierstein, showcasing him as a Tony-winning actor, playwright, and book writer, also noting his public persona as a "perennial firebrand and the unofficial mayor of West 45th Street."
Performs Harvey Fierstein's professional acting debut at La Mama ETC in 1971 in Andy Warhol's only play, Pork. He followed that with appearances in more than 60 productions.
Harvey Fierstein was born on June 6, 1952, in Brooklyn, New York City. His career in theater began as a founding member of The Gallery Players of Park Slope, followed by a professional acting debut in Andy Warhol’s play “Pork” in 1971 at La Mama ETC. During the 1970s, Fierstein’s one-act pieces evolved into “Torch Song Trilogy,” which he wrote and starred in. This work moved from off-Broadway to Broadway and earned him significant recognition. He also performed his own drag routines in Greenwich Village, including impersonating Ethel Merman.
“Torch Song Trilogy” brought Fierstein two Tony Awards in 1983 for Best Play and Best Actor in a Play, along with two Drama Desk Awards and a Theatre World Award. He became the first openly gay actor to win a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. The following year, he wrote the book for the musical “La Cage aux Folles,” securing another Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. Fierstein narrated the documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk” in 1984, which earned him a News & Documentary Emmy Award. His acting credits broadened to include mainstream films like “Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993), “Independence Day” (1996), and voice acting for Disney’s animated feature “Mulan” (1998).
Fierstein continued to achieve success in the 2000s and 2010s, notably starring as Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray” (2002), for which he won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He later played Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” (2004) and Albin/Zaza in the Broadway revival of “La Cage aux Folles” (2011). As a writer, he penned the books for the musicals “Newsies” (2012) and the Tony Award-winning “Kinky Boots” (2013). His play “Casa Valentina” premiered on Broadway in 2014. He also wrote the teleplays for “The Wiz Live!” (2015) and “Hairspray Live!” (2016), in which he also starred. In 2022, he released his memoir, “I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir,” which became a New York Times Bestseller.
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