Torch Song, Starring Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl, Set to Open on Broadway

Harvey Fierstein’s landmark play is directed by Moisés Kaufman.

Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl star in Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song under the direction of Moisés Kaufman.
Michael Urie and Mercedes Ruehl star in Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song under the direction of Moisés Kaufman.
(© Matthew Murphy)

The Broadway production of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song celebrates its opening night tonight, November 1, at the Helen Hayes Theatre.

Directed by Moisés Kaufman, the production stars Michael Urie, Mercedes Ruehl, Ward Horton, Roxanna Hope Radja, Michael Hsu Rosen, and Jack DiFalco, all of whom appeared in the revival's 2017 off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theater. The creative team includes David Zinn (scenic design), Clint Ramos (costume design), David Lander (lighting design), and John Gromada (sound design).

A collection of three plays, the play, originally titled Torch Song Trilogy, opened on Broadway at the Little Theatre (now the Hayes), where it enjoyed a groundbreaking run, earning Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Actor in a Play (Fierstein) and running for 1,222 performances. Torch Song "follows Arnold Beckoff's odyssey to find happiness in New York. All he wants is a husband, a child and a pair of bunny slippers that fit, but a visit from his overbearing mother reminds him that he needs one thing more: respect."