How did Harvey Fierstein win Lead Actor in 2003?

[broadway guy]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 7:52pm

How could anyone classify his role as Lead? Edna is important and Harvey definitely should have won for this role but his role seems more supporting. Does anyone consider this category Freud?

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 7:53pm

Does anyone consider this category Freud?

It was a dude playing a woman, total Freud!

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 7:53pm

It sure felt like a leading role when I saw him play it.

[broadway guy]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 7:55pm

There is no doubt that he didn't command the stage but character wise i don't see how he is lead

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:02pm

In comparison to Latessa, Morrison, and Thorell, Harvey was definitely a lead.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:03pm

It's not Freud to me. If anything, I always thought he was too Jung for it.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:04pm

I believe he won it because a committee of people voted for him to win said award. Maybe you should reach out to those people personally and get their reasoning.

I think you are a total Freud based on this line of questioning though.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:11pm

The award is for the actor, not the role. That's how Dorothy Loudon won for Leading in Annie. And Christine Ebersole won for Leading in 42nd Street. And Daisy Eagan won for Featured in Secret Garden. Nothing different or unusual happened in 2003.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:13pm

I know, right? I like felt you know the same way when Henry Fonda won for Mr. Roberts in 1949. I mean the play is called Mr. Roberts OK but it's like more of an ensemble piece, right. And he won over Basil Rathbone...WTF! I mean like who do we talk to about this anyway?????

[DAME]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:16pm

He was nothing short of fabulous. A very well deserved win.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:42pm

Unlike many tony winning roles, this one felt like it was in the right category. And frankly, category fraud is usually the other way around - nominating a lead as featured, not, to your point (although I disagree that it applied here) a featured performance as a lead.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:51pm

And bless his heart, Harvey was still able to bring Edna back to amazing life years later at the Hollywood Bowl Hairspray a couple of summers ago. We were absolutely agog at how much nuance and heart he could convey in that cartoon of a role with the c0ck of a hip or growl of a lyric. AND he could make it all carry to the back row of that vast amphitheater. The girl's still got timing when the role is right. He made the night a total winner for us.

Updated On: 4/23/13 at 08:51 PM

[Wynbish]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:54pm

with the c0ck of a hip

Freud appreciates that

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 8:55pm

^ Process of elimination with that spelling since the board kept turning it into ****!

[broadway guy]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 9:41pm

Oh Clyde..you make me laugh.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 9:56pm

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 9:57pm

Updated On: 4/23/13 at 09:57 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 9:58pm

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 10:04pm

I would say the role of Edna and Corny Collins were the lead "male" roles in the show. As for Fierstein, his best perormance ever was in "Torch Song Trilogy" IMO.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 10:09pm

Corny over Link?

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 10:16pm

Wynbish - I would say Corny over Link because the story line centers around the Corny Collins show and Corny is "in love" with Tracy.

[justoldbill]

Posted: 4/23/13 at 10:37pm

I doubt if Divine, in the same role, considered himself ANYONE'S supporting player.

[egghumor]

Posted: 4/24/13 at 12:52am

...and this year's American Theater Wing Tony Award for Best Thread in a Contentious Role goes to...

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/24/13 at 12:55am

On a side note, I was once the victim of Credit Card Freud. I had terrible purchase envy.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 4/24/13 at 12:59am