Why Harvey Fierstein deserves his Tony for Lifetime Achievement

A huge honor for a true legend.

Actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein — a bona fide Broadway legend — is the official recipient of the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre — an honor he'll receive during the 78th Tony Awards ceremony on Sunday, June 8.

Fierstein, who was born and raised in New York City, became a fixture in the theater world after a lot of hard work over the years. And yet, his impact wasn't limited to the Great White Way.
"One of America's first few openly gay major celebrities, actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein didn't need to 'come out' after he became famous, and was never 'outed' against his will," Fierstein's description for the 2004 documentary Broadway: The American Musical reads. "A typical product of the post-Stonewall Off-Broadway and live performance art scene of New York in the 1970s, Fierstein combined a semi-experimental, in-your-face approach with the campy nostalgia, the heart-tugging showmanship, and the conventional formats of the tearjerker, the drag revue, and the sitcom."

Despite making recent headlines revealing that he's been banned from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. under this current administration from President Donald Trump, the work and legacy of this pop culture icon will not be erased or unacknowledged.

Fierstein, who's turning 73 this year, will be honored with a Special Tony Award for his life's work and legacy at the 2025 Tony Awards.

Scroll through for an overview of Harvey Fierstein's iconic career, which spans several decades, mediums, and roles.

Fierstein's breakout success with 'Torch Song Trilogy.'

Fierstein's first time standing out in the theater world was a result of his work as a playwright and actor in the 1982 play Torch Song Trilogy — a series of plays split into three parts: International Stud, Fugue in a Nursery, and Widows and Children First!.

At the center of this saga is a character named Arnold Beckoff (played by Fierstein), who is gay, a torch singer, and a drag queen. The critically acclaimed play swept every single major theater award at the time — from Tony Awards to Drama Desk Awards to Theatre World Awards.

Fierstein has also been a fierce advocate for civil rights since the very beginning of his career, and has maintained his status and respect as an icon for LGBTQ+ community over the course of many decades.

The journey to becoming a pop culture legend.

Since breaking out with Torch Song Trilogy, Fierstein has been involved in several hits as a performer (2002's Hairspray, 2004's Fiddler on the Roof) and as a writer (1983's La Cage aux Folles, 2011's Newsies, 2012's Kinky Boots, 2014's Casa Valentina, and 2015's Funny Girl, to name a few).

Besides becoming synonymous with the character of Edna Turnblad on Broadway's Hairspray, Fierstein also brought his talents to other mediums. Namely, he starred in films like 1993's Mrs. Doubtfire, 1994's Bullets Over Broadway, 1996's Independence Day, and even the 2022 gay rom-com Bros. He also voiced Yao, a supporting character and soldier, in Disney's Mulan animated feature.

Over the years, Fierstein appeared on TV shows like Murder, She Wrote, Ellen, How I Met Your Mother, Nurse Jackie, and The Good Wife, to name a few. The actor also starred in Cheers, and his performance was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Fierstein's history with accolades and awards.

Overall, Fierstein has been nominated for eight Tony Awards and won four of them. He first won two Tonys for Torch Song Trilogy (Best Play and Best Actor in a Play), then a third trophy for Best Book of a Musical for La Cage Aux Folles, and a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Hairspray.

Outside of the Tonys, Fierstein was nominated for five Drama Desk Awards (winning three of them), one Primetime Emmy Award (for his role on Cheers), one Film Independent Spirit Award (Torch Song Trilogy film), and was awarded the Visibility Award at the GLAAD Media Awards in 1994.

Being honored with a 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced on Thursday, April 24 that Harvey Fierstein will receive the 2025 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

Heather Hitchens (President & CEO of the American Theatre Wing) and Jason Laks (President of the Broadway League) wrote in a statement:

"Harvey Fierstein's contributions to the American theatre, both as an artist and activist, represent an extraordinary legacy. We are thrilled to honor him with this year's Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre Award, and can't wait to celebrate one of our icons at the Tony Awards on June 8th."

The 78th Tony Awards will once again take place at Radio City Musical Hall in New York City. The 2025 ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, June 8 — with Academy Award nominee and 2024 Out100 Icon of the Year Cynthia Erivo hosting the awards show.

Past winners of the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

The star-studded list of past winners of the Lifetime Achievement award at the Tonys include Joel Grey, Carol Channing, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Chita Rivera, Stephen Sondheim, Graciela Daniele, James Earl Jones, and Angela Lansbury, to name a few.

The 78th Tony Awards are scheduled to air Sunday, June 8 on CBS and Paramount+.