Harvey Fierstein
HARVEY FIERSTEIN made his 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 off off Broadway productions including work with The Playhouse of the Ridiculous, Negro Ensemble Company, WPA, and Theater Genesis. In Boston he starred in The Haunted Host, Dirtiest Show In Town and Madness Of Lady Bright. Mr. Fierstein began his playwrighting career with early plays like Flatbush Tosca, Cobra Jewels, Freaky Pussy, International Stud, Fugue In A Nursery, and Widows and Children First. His underground hit, Torch Song Trilogy opened off off Broadway in 1980, transferred Off-Broadway in 1981, and then to Broadway in 1982, where it won the Best Play Tony Award as well as Drama Desk, Obie and Dramatist Guild awards. Fierstein also won Tony, Drama Desk, and Theater World acting awards for his portrayal of the lead. Harvey repeated his award winning performance in Los Angeles and London. Fierstein won his third Tony Award for the libretto of the musical La Cage aux Follesin 1984. His other plays include Safe Sex, Spookhouse, Forget Him, A Catered Affair, and Legs Diamond. His television work includes Nurse Jackie, How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, and The Simpsons. He was nomianted for an Emmy for his work on the TV classic, Cheers Films include Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day, Death to Smoochy, Bullets Over Broadway, and Showtime's Common Ground (which he also wrote). His children's book, The Sissy Duckling is published by Simon & Schuster and the HBO film version won him the Humanitas Prize. Fierstein's starring role as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray won him his fourth Tony Award as well as another Drama Desk Award, New York Magazine Award and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Performance ofthe Year. This made him the first person in history to win Tonys as an actor as well as a writer on both the dramatic and musical sides of the theaterworld. In 2005 Harvey spent a triumphant year on Broadway as Tevye in a critically acclaimed production of Fiddler on the Roof, and then reprised the role in 2009 and 2010 on tour across America. Fierstein was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2008. As a social andpolitical commentator, Harvey's opinion pieces and essays have been featured as "Outtakes" on the TV series In the Life, and on the Op-Ed page of The New York Times, among other publications. Bio as of March, 2011. American Theatre Wing programs, interviews and/or credits include: Working in the Theatre (video) Playwrights - October, 2004 - Watch now. Playwright, Director and Choreographer - September, 1988 - Watch now. Performance - September, 1982 - Watch now. Internet Broadway Database Listing (IBDB.com)