Laurie Anderson and Harvey Fierstein Will Be Celebrated at La MaMa ETC's 62nd Season Gala

Laurie Anderson and Harvey Fierstein will be celebrated at La MaMa ETC’s 62nd season Gala on October 26, 2023 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E 4 St.) in NYC, it has been announced by Mia Yoo, La MaMa’s artistic director.  The Gala evening will recognize the recently-announced expansion of La MaMa’s Radical Access Initiative (RAI), designed to increase outreach to new artists and audiences both digitally and in-person at La MaMa’s three theatres and new Community Arts Space.

Attendees at the Gala will be able to mingle at the company’s newly-renovated, original landmarked theaters at 74A E. 4 St. prior to the Gala proper – cocktails, dinner, performances, awards presentation – at the Ellen Stewart Theatre. 

Laurie Anderson will be honored for her bold artistic explorations and pioneering  use of digital technologies.  Harvey Fierstein will be honored for  for his long-standing support of La MaMa and the  LGBTQ+ Community.

Mia Yoo states, “The pairing of Laurie and Harvey with our Radical Access Initiative is fitting as both have provided audiences worldwide with their own brand of music, theatre and digital arts that were considered ‘radical’ when they each arrived on the scene. La MaMa has always been a place for those outside the mainstream, and during this time of rapid technological and environmental change, and political disruption, recognizing the genius of these two seminal figures reminds us that art and theatre can bring people together in revolutionary ways.”

EVENING SCHEDULE AND LOCATIONS: 6:00pm (EST) Cocktails at 74A East 4th Street, and  7:00pm (EST) Dinner, Tributes, and Entertainment in the Ellen Stewart Theatre at 66 East 4th Street. This  will be a hybrid event with online participation opportunities. For tickets, on sale Sept. 12, visit www.lamama.org

Biographies

Laurie Anderson is a writer, director, composer, visual artist, musician and vocalist who has created groundbreaking works that span the worlds of art, theater, experimental music, and technology. Her recording career was launched by O Superman in 1981. Anderson's live shows range from simple spoken word to expansive multimedia stage performances such as the eight-hour United States (1982), Empty Places (1990), Songs and Stories from Moby Dick (1999), and Delusion (2010).  Anderson had created numerous audio-visual installations as well as films- the feature film Home of the Brave (1986), Carmen (1992), and Hidden Inside Mountains (2005).   Her film Heart of a Dog (2015) was chosen as an official selection of the 2015 Venice and Toronto Film Festivals. Anderson has published ten books and been nominated for five Grammys. She released Landfall, a collaboration with the Kronos Quartet, which received a Grammy award in 2018. As a composer, Anderson has contributed music to films by Wim Wenders and Jonathan Demme, dance pieces by Bill T. Jones, Trisha Brown, Molissa Fenley, and scores for theater productions including plays by Robert Lepage. Her visual work has been featured in many galleries and museums.

Her visual work is on long term display at MASS MoCA and a retrospective of her work opened at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Anderson lives in New York City.

Harvey Fierstein, who credits La MaMa with launching his career as a performer/writer, debuted his groundbreaking TORCH SONG TRILOGY at La MaMa in the 1980’s.  The TRILOGY continues with successful runs on Broadway and in the West End. Mr. Fierstein won his first Tony Award for his leading role in TORCH SONG TRILOGY.   As well, he made his acting debut at La MaMa in Andy Warhol’s only play, PORK, and later appeared in Robert Patrick’s THE HAUNTED HOST. The TRILOGY enjoyed successful runs on Broadway and in the West End.  He wrote the books of the musicals LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (Tony Award, Best Book of a Musical), A CATERED AFFAIR, NEWSIES, KINKY BOOTS, and won a Tony for his unforgettable performance as Edna Turnblad in HAIRSPRAY.  His autobiography I WAS BETTER LAST NIGHT published earlier this year became an instant New York Times Bestseller.  Harvey wrote the new book for the successful revival of FUNNY GIRL on Broadway.