Torch Song Sings Back into New York

Back in 1982, a show hit Broadway that turned its lead actor/playwright into a star. He became the household name for the lovable, sassy, gay man that middle America could be comfortable with long before Modern Family. The man was Harvey Fierstein. The play was Torch Song Trilogy. Second Stage Theater has mounted a revival of the play, cut it down from 4 hours to 2.45, removed an intermission, dropped the word "trilogy" and Moisés Kaufman has directed a wonderful interpretation of the piece. Before I say anything more...a huge shout-out to the designers of this show: scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by David Lander, sound design by Fitz Patton, hair design by Charles G. LaPointe, and makeup design by Joe Dulude II.
Finding a lead actor for a role that is so identified with Fierstein...who everyone knows from that gravelly voice - was a challenge in it's own. Michael Urie (who was born the year before the show originally appeared) met that challenge head on. Second Stage has already extended the run twice and can't extend again as Mr. Urie is scheduled to play Hamlet in Washington - yes..you read that correctly. The same man playing a drag queen who is a hopeless romantic will show his versatility and tackle Shakespeare next.
I never saw the original play (as I moved to NYC in '87), but did see the film. I had no idea it was three separate one-acts each told in a very different way. A set of monologues, a farcical foursome scene where characters constantly switch locations and who they are talking to, and then a "standard" living room comedy. 
Arnold Beckoff is a neurotic, lovable, Jewish man who is a drag queen and torch song singer in NYC in the 70s. The play takes us from 1971-1980 at different points of his life. He longs for love, monogamy, a family - everything his parents had. The play is his quest. Only we learn that family is what we make it to be. A bisexual man who marries a woman, but stays in Arnold's life those ten years; a gay teen in the foster care system in need of a parent; a 20 year old hustler who falls in love with Arnold; and a mother. A mother who doesn't understand her son's gay life, tries to be a caring mom, but ends up saying everything she believes is wrong with that son and the "homosexual lifestyle." The gay story written in the early 80s isn't that much different from 2017 and this play holds up that mirror to the world quite beautifully with wonderful actors, an incredible set, and lots of laughs...one-liners that Fierstein has written in many shows ever since.
Michael Urie is giving an exceptional performance in a role that he knew people would make comparisons to his predecessor. I love the acting choices he makes. He's charming, adorable, loving and very neurotic. Fierstein was in his late 20s doing the show and Urie is in his late 30s which instantly makes the character his own simply from those ten years, My one complaint is his voice. No, he's not copying Harvey. But he is doing an odd Brooklyn accent that comes off sounding like a mix of Ed Norton an Yogi Bear. I only wish he had been told to just use his own voice. Some of the lines are left in from the original that Arnold is an unattractive man and this simply isn't true. Even cute skinny men can have a tough time finding love - if the show moves to Broadway, perhaps they can alter those lines for this actor and a new audience who never saw the original.
Mercedes Ruehl is a knock-out as the mother. She's doting, she doesn't hold back, her delivery is brilliant yet there is so much going on underneath. She has created a very layered character that is the center of Act 2. The two of them are great sparring partners and have taken on aspects of each other that we see the son is exactly like the mother. 
Ward Horton as the bisexual Ed looks like he walked right out of the 70s and is convincing as the man torn between Arnold and his girlfriend played comically by Roxanna Hope Radja. Michael Rosen rounds out that foursome during the second part of Act I as the young lover that Arnold takes to visit his ex and girlfriend. Rosen is very believable as the young man Arnold decides to settle down with. Jack DiFalco rounds out the cast as the 15 year old that Arnold takes in to raise. I loved his take on a teenager that was very different from the ways most are portrayed on stage. My biggest issue was he simply looked too old (as I'm sure the actor is) which added an odd and somewhat uncomfortable layer to this production since we already saw Arnold with a younger man. 
If you can get a ticket - go see this show. I applaud Second Stage for bringing this back to New York. I can't help but notice in the current climate we're in where the LGBT is under scrutiny by the current administration, the arts in New York are answering by bringing back stories of our past to show we've struggled before and we'll continue to fight. Coming soon: Angels in America and Boys in the Band.