David Bedella to Star in Harvey Fierstein's TORCH SONG TRILOGY

The Daily Mail UK reports that David Bedella will star as drag queen Arnold Beckoffin in Harvey Fierstein's new production of his three-act play Torch Song Trilogy at the Menier Chocolate Factory in Southwark, London, beginning May 30. Douglas Hodge will direct. Sara Kestelman will play Arnold's mother.

Bedella played Satan in West End's Jerry Springer - The Opera. Other stage credits include Broadway's Smokey Joe's Cafe and the West End production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

As much a reflection of the importance of family and love, Torch Song Trilogy is hailed as a classic comedy in gay theater. The play was one of the first Broadway shows to have a major gay theme in its plot. The 1988 movie version with Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Broderick, and Anne Bancroft was also one of the first mainstream movies to feature homosexuality as its main theme. But the universal themes of finding self-respect, love, and the importance of family is what has made this story a classic with both gay and straight audiences.

Fierstein, who starred in the original U.S. production of Torch Song Trilogy, is an award-winning playwright, actor, and Gay Rights activist. He is the only person in the history of the American theater who has won Tony Awards as an actor and as a writer in both the dramatic and musical categories. Fierstein's Broadway writing credits include Safe Sex, Legs Diamond and A Catered Affair (12 Drama Desk nominations and the Drama League Award for Best Musical). His La Cage Aux Folles is the only show to ever win Best Musical and 2 Best Revival Tony Awards. Other plays include Spookhouse, Forget Him and Flatbush Tosca. His teleplays include Tidy Endings for HBO (ACE Award), and On Common Ground for Showtime. His children's HBO special, The Sissy Duckling, won the Humanitas Prize and the book version is in its fifth printing. Other honors include the Drama League Award for Outstanding Performer of the Year, a special OBIE award, NY Magazine Award, and nominations for The Olivier Award and an Emmy. His political writings have been seen on PBS' series In The Life and published in The NY Times, Huffington Post and Hartford Courant. He was inducted into The Theater Hall of Fame in 2008 and is currently collaborating on the musical Kinky Boots with Cyndi Lauper. Harvey has authored Torch Song Trilogy (Tony, Drama Desk, and Obie Awards), La Cage aux Folles (Tony and Drama Desk Awards), The Sissy Duckling (Humanitas Award), A Catered Affair (12 Drama Desk nominations), Safe Sex (Ace Award), Legs Diamond, Spookhouse, Flatbush Tosca, Common Ground, and more for stage and screen. His political editorials have been published in The New York Times, TV Guide, The Huffington Post, and broadcast on PBS's In the Life. His children's book, The Sissy Duckling, is now in its fourth printing. As an actor Mr. Fierstein is known worldwide for his performances in films like Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day; for his stage work in Hairspray (Tony Award), Fiddler on the Roof, La Cage aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy (Tony Award); and television shows such as How I Met Your Mother, American Family, Cheers (Emmy nomination), The Simpsons, and Nurse Jackie.

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