Posts Tagged: Broadway Stars

Happy Hanukah – To The Biggest Jew, Ms. Barbara Streisand

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If there is one Broadway star and celebrity that I don’t ever actually need to do an introduction or biography for it has to be the one and the only Barbara Streisand.  Not only does she have fans in every age range and gender, but she has drag queens, middle aged women and everyone else in the world as fans.  Barbara Streisand is probably one of the only people in the world who could just show up on a set and automatically be cast.  Look at when she showed up on Saturday Night Live with Mike Meyer’s playing Linda Richmond.  She can do a tour and have it sell out in every city in minutes and she can sing a song and have it go platinum in even less time.  If there is a true Broadway celebrity that has become an American Icon it has to be Barbara Streisand.

Almost everyone recognizes her face and her voice.  Everyone recognizes her name and no matter what she does, even when she doesn’t actually do it like the episode of South Park where she destroyed the city, turns into gold.  Barbara Streisand has an amazing talent for making things succeed.  This girl from NYC who was singing in a lounge and eating leftover bar food like London Broil ended up becoming one of the most well known and most loved American Icons of all time. Barbara not only has success and fame but she also hasn’t lost touch with who she is.

She regularly participates in charity events or voices her opinions publicly.  She supports the causes she believes in and stands up for what she feels is right.  During her concert and tour in 2006 she even tried to play the piano.  When she ended up not being able to get the song right in DC, she not only admitted failure but she laughed it off and showed that she is human.  Not only does it take an amazing person to give it a shot and not let failing phase them, but to have it motivate them to do it better and to keep going takes a hell of a lot of strength and will power.  Barbara Streisand is an amazing person and woman so I wanted to do my first Hanukah post to one of my all time favorite icons and heroes, Ms. Barbara Streisand.  We Love You!  Happy Hanukah Barbara,,,,and to my family as well.

Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein – Diva or Dud

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Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein

So Harvey Fierstein.  One of the greatest talents acting has seen in years and possibly lifetimes.  Not only is his voice so unmistakable, but his skills, his smile and his overall performance and presence cannot be missed.  He just has that special glow in his smile that makes a crowd fall in love with him and the stage personality to match.  I had the very fortunate experience and unfortunate experience of meeting this Broadway Legend last night and let me tell you, I was blown away with him.

He was attending a fundraiser for Broadway’s charity which he actively promotes called Broadway Cares Equity for AIDS which was being put on by one of the Fiddler on the Roof Cast members at a nightclub in Washington DC called Town Danceboutique.  Now saying Harvey was attending is sort of a lie, Harvey was the host and MC in reality.  He completely stole the show and kept everyone going while we were waiting for the next performances.  (I’m not going to go into the performances since this is about Harvey and not the show).  Not only was he personable on the stage and everyone felt like they knew him, but he was funny, he was loveable and even though he wasn’t performing, he still stole the show.  You can easily tell why he made it on Broadway and became a Broadway Legend.  He has so much stage presence and such a welcoming smile that everyone in the crowd felt at home and everyone instantly liked him.  But who is Harvey Fierstein and how did he get so famous?

I’m going to start with my unofficial view of this and then source some things about Harvey Fiersteins career to give this post and review of one of Broadway’s most beloved Actors of all time.

Harvey Fierstein was just born with talent.  He was given a unique voice, a fun figure and instead of hiding from it he used it to get a head and get a few fabulous roles.  Being a gay man and growing up in the 1950′s had to have been hard, but to go into a Country that doesn’t always accept or didn’t accept gays during that time period and creating the off off broadway show, The Torch Song Trilogy.  After this extremely long but absolutely fabulous series of plays was over Harvey then took on another big gay musical that not only took off but also brought him to more of a main stream fame.  Harvey brought us his new drag queen diva show called La Cage Aux Follies.

This is the show that brought us the hit song I am what I am and gave the audiences a shock and made them do a double take when in the end scene the drag queens and real woman tap danced and then pulled off their wigs and Men and Women were shocked when they realized who were actual men and who were real women.  It was an amazing shock to audiences and a huge step forward for Gays and Drag Queens.

After La Cage Aux Follies, Harvey went on to film countless TV shows, voice overs and movies.  He has appeared everywhere from day time TV to cartoons to commercials and of course amazing broadway shows like HairSpray where he recreated the role of Edna Turnblad and recreated Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof.

Harvey has not only had an amazing career but he has countless fans and has raised a ton of money for his charity Broadway Cares.  Harvey not only loves his profession, or at least can easily convince us that he does by watching him watch his fellow Actors on stage, and his love, passion, talent and devotion to his trade makes him not only a memorable person in Broadway history, but a true star in every way possible.

Harvey Fierstein at Town

Harvey Fierstein at Town

Born in Brooklyn in 1952 (according to IMDB), Harvey probably got a ton of exposure to theatre and acting.  Overcoming a unique voice and making it his greatest talent as well as working his way to fame Harvey clearly earned his space in Broadway and Celebrity history for all of his hard work, amazing performances and overall pure talent.  Harvey Fierstein is one of the true Divas and talents and if you ever get the chance to see him in a show, he is definitely worth the price of a ticket.  Thank you for the wonderful show last night Harvey and for allowing me to take a picture for this blog.