When Torch Song Trilogy opened on Broadway in 1982, Harvey Fierstein became the first and, at the time, only out gay leading man on Broadway. He made further history by winning the Tony Award for Best Play and Best Actor in a Play for Torch Song Trilogy. One year later he won a third Tony Award for La Cage aux Folles and 20 years after that he won a fourth for playing Edna Turnblad Hairspray.

Harvey joins us to talk about his unexpected life in theatre, his lifelong "gender issues", and his new memoir, I Was Better Last Night.

This is part of our new LGBTQ+ Elders Project. You can listen to our interview with the 87-year-old, Barbara Satin. You can also listen to recent interviews with ACT UP's Peter Staley and Dr. Charles Silverstein. 

A condensed transcript of each week's interview is posted on The Advocate's website in the afternoon (or earlier if I get enough coffee). Come find us on Instagram (@lgbtqpod) to see the photos that Harvey shared with us, including one with his friend, Marsha P. Johnson.  

LGBTQ&A is hosted by Jeffrey Masters and produced by The Advocate magazine, in partnership with GLAAD. Follow us on Twitter: @lgbtqpod