Some of you children may not know or remember that before Harvey Fierstein was writing musical books for the likes of Kinky Boots and Newsies, before he was starring in Hairspray on Broadway, even before he was in Mrs. Doubtfire, he was known as the playwright of Torch Song Trilogy. And now, 35 years later, the play is set to return to New York.
Torch Song Trilogy tells the story of a gay Jewish man, Arnold Beckoff, who’s a drag performer navigating love, loss, homophobia, violence, family, throughout the years. Like a gay, Jewish Lin-Manuel Miranda, Fierstein starred in his own play when it opened on Broadway, back in 1982 (the cast also included Jewish actor Estelle Getty, aka Sophia on Golden Girls, as Arnold’s mother). Unlike Lin-Manuel (sorry, Lin), Fierstein won the Tony for Best Actor, in addition to one for Best Play. There was also a film adaptation in 1988, with Fierstein and a baby Matthew Broderick as his lover, just two years after Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Starring in this production will be Michael Urie, and directing is Jewish-Venezuelan dramatist Moisés Kaufman.
The production will begin performances September 26 for a late October opening at the Tony Kiser Theatre, an off-Broadway house. So get out there and educate thyself. It’s like four hours, but it’s worth it.
Photo from Torch Song Trilogy.