Harvey Fierstein is a certified Broadway legend. Fierstein has won four Tony Awards in four different categories. In his groundbreaking semi-autobiographical 1970s “Torch Song Trilogy,” he starred as a gay Jewish drag queen in pre-AIDS New York; he played XXL-sized housewife Edna Turnblad in the Broadway musical “Hairspray”; he wrote the libretto for the musical “La Cage aux Folles”; he wrote the book for the smash hit musical “Kinky Boots” and the played Tevye in the 2004 revival of “Fiddler on the Roof” on Broadway. Now the Ridgefield resident, playwright, gay rights activist and actor brings his new memoir “I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir” (out on March 1st) to The Ridgefield Playhouse stage on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 7:30pm. In an on-stage interview hosted by the ever witty and incredibly talented in her own right, New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast (also a Ridgefield resident), fans will hear the cultural icon’s life stories describing his astonishingly colorful and meaningful life. Chast will talk with Harvey about never-before-told stories of his personal struggles and conflict, of sex and romance, and of his fabled career. All ticket holders will receive a copy of the book upon entry. Following the interview, there will be an audience Q&A. This event is part of the Hearst Media Entertaining Conversation Series, sponsored by Canine Training and Behavioral Services with support from Tidy Nest and Books on the Common. Media sponsor for the event is WSHU Public Radio.
Harvey Fierstein’s legendary career has transported him from community theater in Brooklyn, to the lights of Broadway, to the absurd excesses of Hollywood and back. He’s received accolades and awards for acting in and/or writing an incredible string of hit plays, films, and TV shows: Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof, Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day, Cheers, La Cage Aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies, and Kinky Boots. While he has never shied away from the spotlight, Mr. Fierstein says that even those closest to him have never heard most of the tales revealed in these wildly entertaining pages. Don’t miss the opportunity to get up close and personal with this one-of-a-kind performer!
For more information or to purchase touchless print at home ticket ($59.50) go online at www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org or, you can visit or call the box office (203) 438-5795. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT and is committed to keeping the arts alive and available to all.
