Harvey Fierstein
Birth Place: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Billy Porter Praises Co-Star Wayne Brady Ahead of Encores! LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (Apr 22, 2026)
Raúl Esparza and Helen J Shen Will Announce 70th Annual Drama Desk Nominations Next Week (Apr 22, 2026)
Sutton Foster and More Named to Center Theatre Group Board of Directors (Apr 20, 2026)
BIO
At the 78th Annual Tony Awards, Harvey Fierstein took the stage to accept a special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. His other Tony Awards include two for Torch Song Trilogy (Best Play and Best Actor in a Play) as well as Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical for La Cage Aux Folles and Best Actor in a Musical for Hairspray.
Fierstein has also written the Tony-winning hit Kinky Boots along with Newsies, Casa Valentina, A Catered Affair, Safe Sex, Bella Bella!, Legs Diamond, Spookhouse, Flatbush Tosca, Common Ground and more. He revised the book for Funny Girl, which had a hit run on Broadway and a multi-city North American tour, following its London production. His children’s book, The Sissy Duckling (Humanitas Award), is now in its fifth printing, and his New York Times bestselling memoir I Was Better Last Night is available on Knopf.
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
.jpg?format=auto&width=600)
STAGE CREDITS
Productions
Writing
Playwright
Movies
[ 1984 ] Bernie Whitlock
[ 1988 ] Arnold Beckoff
[ 1993 ] Bob Lakin
[ 1993 ] Frank Hillard
[ 1994 ] Sid Loomis
[ 1995 ] Yves DuBois
[ 1996 ] Marty Gilbert
[ 1996 ] The Moyle
[ 1997 ] Art Hoarder
[ 1997 ] Juba
[ 1998 ] Leo
[ 1998 ] Yao
[ 1999 ] Dish Macense
[ 2000 ] Bennett
[ 2002 ] Merv Green
[ 2003 ] Kenneth
[ 2006 ] Sheila
[ 2012 ] Fat Cat Burglar
[ 2017 ] Esmerelda
[ 2017 ] writer
[ 2019 ] writer
[ 2022 ] Louis
TV Shows
Jerome
Buster Keaton, Tracy
Awards and Nominations
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song
winner
Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Fierstein, Casa Valentina
Harvey Fierstein, Kinky Boots
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Newsies
Harvey Fierstein, Newsies the Musical
Harvey Fierstein, A Catered Affair
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Hairspray
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Hairspray
Harvey Fierstein, Hairspray
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Hairspray
Harvey FiersteinTorch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein, La Cage aux Folles
winner
Harvey Fierstein, La Cage aux Folles
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
winner
Harvey Fierstein , Torch Song Trilogy
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
winner
Harvey Fierstein, Torch Song Trilogy
Videos
Video: Billy Porter Sings 'A Little More Mascara' In Rehearsals for Encores! LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
by Nicole Rosky - 2026-04-14 10:12:15
Video: Marc Kudisch Sings 'Just in Time' & 'I Met A Girl' from BELLS ARE RINGING at 54 Below
by Michael Major - 2026-02-13 11:15:25
Video: KINKY BOOTS Tour Stars Perform Acoustic 'Not My Father's Son'
by Michael Major - 2026-01-09 10:00:20
Video: Norm Lewis Performs 'Song on the Sand' from LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at The Muny
by A.A. Cristi - 2025-08-04 17:58:15
Video: Harvey Fierstein Responds to Special Tony for Lifetime Achievement
by Joey Mervis - 2025-06-08 21:56:51
Exclusive: Harvey Fierstein Looks Back on His Life in the Theatre
by Backstage Live with Richard Ridge - 2025-06-06 11:13:30
Video: Inside the New York Public Library's Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab
by Robert Diamond - 2024-12-23 17:27:50
Video: First Look at Alexis Michelle in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at Barrington Stage Company
by Joshua Wright - 2024-06-25 10:14:06
Video: More Rehearsal Footage from LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at Barrington Stage Company
by Joshua Wright - 2024-06-12 17:07:45
Video: In Rehearsals with LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at Barrington Stage Company
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-06-08 15:18:40
Video: FUNNY GIRL's Katerina McCrimmon Performs National Anthem for the San Francisco Giants
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-05-18 15:41:28
Video: Katerina McCrimmon & Melissa Manchester Talk FUNNY GIRL on ABC7 News Bay Area
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-05-04 16:58:12
Video: Stephen Mark Lukas Talks FUNNY GIRL Tour on CBS Los Angeles
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-04-13 13:08:38
Video: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, SHE LOVES ME Lyricist Sheldon Harnick Celebrated At Star-Studded Memorial
by A.A. Cristi - 2023-11-10 17:55:16
VIDEO: FUNNY GIRL Announces Broadway Closing; New Performance Montage
by Team BWW - 2023-03-02 08:59:20
News
by Josh Sharpe - Apr 22, 2026
Billy Porter will soon return to the stage as Albin in the upcoming Encores! production of La Cage aux Folles, starring opposite Wayne Brady as Georges. Watch Porter praise the talents of his co-star during a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s Bevelations.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 22, 2026
Raúl Esparza and Helen J Shen will announce the 70th Annual Drama Desk Awards nominations next week. Learn more about the upcoming event and the awards ceremony here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 20, 2026
Center Theatre Group has added ten new members to its Board of Directors: Stephen Cheung, Nancy Dennis, Sutton Foster, Jennifer Lewis, and more, bringing the number up to 56.
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 18, 2026
Broadway at The Buddy Holly Hall announced its upcoming season, featuring four Lubbock premieres: WAITRESS, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE BODYGUARD, and KINKY BOOTS. Season memberships are now available.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 15, 2026
San Francisco Playhouse will close its 2025-26 season with HAIRSPRAY, the eight-time Tony Award-winning musical directed by Artistic Director Bill English, featuring choreography by Phoenyx Rose.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 14, 2026
Emmy Award-winning comedic legend Jon Cryer will return to his theater roots and join the cast as Vice Principal Douglas Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 14, 2026
The complete cast has been revealed for Encores! La Cage Aux Folles. Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins joins the cast as Jacqueline, along with Peter Francis James as Edouard, and Rachel Webb as Anne.
by Nicole Rosky - Apr 14, 2026
Get a peek behind the scenes of Encores! La Cage Aux Folles with Billy Porter, Director Robert O’Hara, and Guest Music Director Joseph Joubert. Watch as Porter sings Albin’s first big number in the show, “A Little More Mascara,” and talks with Joubert and O’Hara about the process of approaching the music and the character.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 8, 2026
Single Tickets for KINKY BOOTS National Tour in Chicago will go on sale on Friday, April 10. KINKY BOOTS will play Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre for a limited two-week engagement, June 9 – 21.
by Stephi Wild - Apr 7, 2026
The 80th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony will take place on Tuesday afternoon, June 2, 2026 beginning at 2:00PM. Learn more about the upcoming awards ceremony here!
by - Apr 2, 2026
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is April 2, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
by Aliya Al-Hassan - Apr 1, 2026
Inspired by a true story and based on the Miramax motion picture written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, Kinky Boots features a warm and witty book by four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein and a richly diverse musical score from Grammy Award-winning rock icon Cyndi Lauper, in her stunning theatrical debut. The production is directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell , with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus. Starring Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe as Lola and X-Factor star Matt Cardle as Charlie, this revival is directed by Leicester Curve's artistic director Nicolai Foster, What did the critics think?
by Stephi Wild - Mar 31, 2026
All new photos have been released of Johannes Radebe, Matt Cardle, and the cast in the brand-new production of KINKY BOOTS The Musical. Check out the photos here!
by Stephi Wild - Mar 31, 2026
SPRINGBOARD TO DESIGN has announced its 2026 cohort, selected from a record 4,500 applications received from 70 countries. This initiative aims to support emerging designers in the industry.
by Joshua Wright - Mar 26, 2026
Get a first look at the new non-equity North American Tour of Kinky Boots. Leading the tour is Omari Collins as Lola, Noah Silverman as Charlie Price, Sophia Gunter as Lauren, Jason Daniel Chacon as Don, Emma Dean as Nicola, and John Anker Bow as George
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 24, 2026
Impact Arts has revealed its 22nd Season of Summer Stock Austin. The 2026 lineup includes family friendly theatre with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Disney’s Newsies: The Musical.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 23, 2026
The American Folk Art Museum will mark its 65th anniversary-along with the 250th anniversary of the United States-with a gala at the Mandarin Oriental New York.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 20, 2026
The producers of the North American tour of KINKY BOOTS, in partnership with Broadway in Victoria, have announced that single tickets go on sale March 27, 2026 at 10AM PDT.
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 18, 2026
TheatreSquared has announced its 2026–2027 Season 21 lineup, including FENCES, LITTLE WOMEN, EUREKA DAY, and THE 39 STEPS. The season also introduces a new Family Series with DISNEY’S NEWSIES JR. and A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 17, 2026
All new photos have been released of Strictly Come Dancing's Johannes Radebe and X-Factor winner Matt Cardle in the brand-new production of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning KINKY BOOTS The Musical.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Harvey Fierstein has appeared on Broadway in 8 shows.
Harvey Fierstein has not appeared in the West End.
Best Revival of a Play (Tony Awards) for Torch Song, Legend of Off-Broadway Honorees (), Best Play (Tony Awards) for Casa Valentina, Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Kinky Boots, Best Book of a Musical (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Newsies, Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for Newsies the Musical, Outstanding Book of a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for A Catered Affair, Outstanding Actor - Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Hairspray, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Hairspray, Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Hairspray , Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Hairspray, Play of the Year (Olivier Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Outstanding Book of a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for La Cage aux Folles, Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for La Cage aux Folles , Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Outstanding Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Performance (Theatre World Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Best Play (Tony Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy , Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Outstanding Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy, Best American Play (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy and Special Citations (Obie Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy.
Harvey Fierstein has received several prestigious awards throughout his career, including: - Legend of Off-Broadway Honorees - Best Book of a Musical (BroadwayWorld Awards) for Newsies - Outstanding Actor - Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Hairspray - Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Hairspray - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Hairspray - Best Book of a Musical (Tony Awards) for La Cage aux Folles - Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy - Outstanding Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy - Performance (Theatre World Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy - Best Play (Tony Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy - Special Citations (Obie Awards) for Torch Song Trilogy
Harvey Fierstein has written 13 shows including International Stud (Playwright), Torch Song Trilogy (Playwright), Torch Song Trilogy (Playwright), La Cage aux Folles (Bookwriter), Spookhouse (Playwright), Safe Sex (Playwright), Legs Diamond (Bookwriter), Safe Sex (Playwright), A Catered Affair (Bookwriter), Newsies (Bookwriter), Kinky Boots (Bookwriter), Casa Valentina (Playwright), Bella Bella (AUthor).
Videos