Harvey Fierstein to "complications from a recent hip surgery"; Christopher Sieber quickly replaced Tambor. The show closed on May 1, 2011 due to low box office; it played 433 performances and 15 previews. Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1954) is an American actor, playwright, and voice actor. Fierstein has won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his own play "Torch Song Trilogy" (about a gay drag-performer and his quest for true love and family) and the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for playing Edna Turnblad in "Hairspray". He also wrote
Hairspray (musical) spent two years preparing with voice and dance lessons. Tracy's mother had been portrayed by Divine in the original film, and Shaiman liked the idea of maintaining the tradition of casting a male as Edna Turnblad. Harvey Fierstein auditioned for the role with a "half hour vocal audition". He thought they were "pacifying" him, but he was told "they don't want anyone but you". According to Shaiman, one song, "I Know Where I've Been," became controversial during the genesis of the score: The civil rights story line is a very important aspect of the musical. This story line and the