Harvey Fierstein Talks NURSE JACKIE Role, Career & Politics

The NY Post spoke with Tony Award-winning actor Harvey Fierstein about his upcoming guest role on "Nurse Jackie." In the interview, Fierstein addresses perception of his unique voice, personal loses and politics.

When asked if his trademark voice is an advantage to his career, the actor replied, "Our business is about being a little bit different than anybody else because there are many thousands of people for every role. Anything that gives you a little bit of an edge, that makes you different, is probably going to help. But anything that makes you memorable is going to help you. Obviously there are people that don't like the sound of my voice, and there are people that absolutely love it. So it's one of those things - it's part of me. I'm never gonna be skinny or a mezzo soprano. It's just who I am."

A year ago, Fierstein wrote an open letter to President Obama, in which he encouraged the President to be a "hero" to the gay community. Fierstein states, "I did that letter, and sent it to him. I got was a form letter saying, "Thank you so much, please send me a check." And then I got a much more personal letter, saying, "Thank you so much, please send us a check to be in the inner circle" Fierstein adds, "When it comes to Obama, I mean, he's just not brave. He's not brave"

To read Fierstein's entire NY Post interview, click here.

"Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as...as a FIDDLER ON THE ROOF," announces Tevye, a humble milkman from the Russian village of Anatevka. And so begins a tale of love and laughter, devotion and defiance, and changing traditions.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, the Tony Award® winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal, embarks on its North American Tour. In what is a huge theatrical feat, audiences will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Jerome Robbins' original Broadway direction and choreography, complete with the star of the record breaking Broadway production, Harvey Fierstein.

Audiences now have the rare opportunity to see the TONY award winner embrace one of his favorite roles in this Jerome Robbins inspired production. Taking a revolutionary look at the doting father, Mr. Fierstein appeals to a whole new generation with his reinvention of the character. Having won four TONY awards including Best Book of a Play and Best Actor in a Play for Torch Song Trilogy, Mr. Fierstein recreated the role in the film adaptation thus winning him an Independent Spirit Award nomination as Best Male Lead. His most recent win was the 2003 TONY for Best Actor in a Musical for the Broadway production of Hairspray. In addition to his stage appearances, Mr. Fierstein can be seen on the upcoming seasons of Nurse Jackie and How I Met Your Mother.

A perennial hit since it first opened in 1964, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has enjoyed critical acclaim for bringing to the stage a poignant story about the enduring bonds of the family. Now, the national touring production of this timeless musical brings the wit and wisdom of Tevye and his family to audiences throughout the United States with the reproduction of Jerome Robbins' famous masterpiece.

In 1965 Jerome Robbins won matching Tony Award®s for his direction and choreography of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. In this National Tour, both are recreated by Director Sammy Dallas Bayes, choreographer of the Broadway Revival.

Tevye's wrestling with the new customs of a younger generation is punctuated by an unforgettable score that weaves the haunting strains of "Sunrise, Sunset" and the rousing "If I Were A Rich Man" with the exuberant "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and triumphant "Tradition." When his daughters choose suitors who defy his idea of a proper match, Tevye comes to realize, through a series of incidents that are at once comic and bittersweet, that his children will begin traditions of their own. At the story's close, the villagers of Anatevka are forced to leave their homes and even the sturdy mores that have guided everyday life begin to crumble. Paradoxically, it is the enforced loss of the rigid traditions and home life that Tevye has tried so tenaciously to preserve that leads the family to reconcile and draw closer still.

Broadway Across America (Producer) is owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman). Broadway Across America presents first-class touring musicals and plays across 40 North American cities. Under the supervision of Beth Williams (COO & Head of Production), Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse theatre. Current Broadway productions include Promises, Promises; Million Dollar Quartet; A View From The Bridge; Lend Me a Tenor; La Cage aux Folles; Hair and West Side Story. Touring productions include Dreamgirls and Nickelodeon's Storytime Live. Please visit BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com.