By Billy Porter

From the incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner, a powerful and revealing autobiography about race, sexuality, art, and healing

It’s easy to be yourself when who and what you are is in vogue. But growing up Black and gay in America has never been easy. Before Billy Porter was slaying red carpets and giving an iconic Emmy-winning performance in the celebrated TV show Pose; before he was the groundbreaking Tony and Grammy Award-winning star of Broadway’s Kinky Boots; and before he was an acclaimed recording artist, actor, playwright, director, and all-around legend, Porter was a young boy in Pittsburgh who was seen as different, who didn’t fit in. At five years old, Porter was sent to therapy to “fix” his effeminacy. He was endlessly bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, and criticized at his church. Porter came of age in a world where simply being himself was a constant struggle.

Billy Porter’s Unprotected is the life story of a singular artist and survivor in his own words. It is the story of a boy whose talent and courage opened doors for him, but only a crack. It is the story of a teenager discovering himself, learning his voice and his craft amidst deep trauma. And it is the story of a young man whose unbreakable determination led him through countless hard times to where he is now; a proud icon who refuses to back down or hide. Porter is a multitalented, multifaceted treasure at the top of his game, and Unprotected is a resonant, inspirational story of trauma and healing, shot through with his singular voice.

Reviews:

“There is only one Billy Porter. He is blazing a trail where none existed. Whether you noticed the brilliant blaze early (for me, it was his brilliant 2005 live album, At the Corner of Broadway and Soul) or his transcendent portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots or the unforgettable Pray Tell on Pose, once you see the light, there’s no going back. And it turns out his voice rings just as true on the page as it does on the stage. How lucky we are to witness it in our time.” ― Lin-Manuel Miranda

“Angels show us the way through even the darkest tunnels. In this heartbreaking and hilarious tell-ALL, Billy lights a torch so bright he can save us all!” ― Renée Elise Goldsberry

“At once harrowing and triumphant, relevant and necessary, Unprotected takes us on a journey of using art to heal trauma. What a magical journey to behold, and one that cracks open the space for others to heal too.” ― Ryan Murphy

“I have had the honor of knowing Billy since I was eighteen and just arriving at our mutual alma mater, CMU, where he walked into our classroom and showed enough strength and charisma to fill ten Radio City Music Halls. Unprotected is an opportunity for everyone to feel the same inspiration, love, awe, and explosiveness that I felt.” ― Josh Gad

“Collaborating with Billy has been one of the greatest joys of my career. Billy embodies everything a true artist really is. His passion for being his authentic self is something most should aspire to. Just to experience his presence is an absolute honor. He is a real class act, and I’m lucky to be able to create for such an iconic and empowering person.” ― Christian Siriano

“Bold, hilarious, honest, and singular. Words once assigned to Billy as an entertainer will now be attributed to him as a writer. Unprotected is a record of survival, commitment to authenticity, and healing; a road map out of hell.” ― Leslie Odom, Jr.

“Haunting and inspirational, this is both a powerful indictment of the lasting harms of bigotry and an immensely moving account of moving forward.” ― Publishers Weekly 

Billy Porter. Abrams, $28 (288p) ISBN 9781419746192

By Harvey Fierstein

A poignant and hilarious memoir from the cultural icon, gay rights activist, and four-time Tony Award–winning actor and playwright, revealing never-before-told stories of his personal struggles and conflict, of sex and romance, and of his fabled career.

Harvey Fierstein’s legendary career has transported him from community theater in Brooklyn, to the lights of Broadway, to the absurd excesses of Hollywood and back. He’s received accolades and awards for acting in and/or writing an incredible string of hit plays, films, and TV shows: Hairspray,  Fiddler on the Roof, Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day, Cheers, La Cage Aux Folles, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies, and Kinky Boots. While he has never shied away from the spotlight, Mr. Fierstein says that even those closest to him have never heard most of the tales—of personal struggles and conflict, of sex and romance, of his fabled career—revealed in these wildly entertaining pages.

I Was Better Last Night bares the inner life of this eccentric nonconforming child from his roots in 1952 Brooklyn, to the experimental worlds of Andy Warhol and the Theatre of the Ridiculous, to the gay rights movements of the seventies and the tumultuous AIDS crisis of the eighties, through decades of addiction, despair, and ultimate triumph.

Mr. Fierstein’s candid recollections provide a rich window into downtown New York City life, gay culture, and the evolution of theater (of which he has been a defining figure), as well as a moving account of his family’s journey of acceptance. I Was Better Last Night is filled with wisdom gained, mistakes made, and stories that come together to describe an astonishingly colorful and meaningful life. Lucky for us all, his unique and recognizable voice is as engaging, outrageously funny, and vulnerable on the page.  

Reviews:

“Scrumptious . . . The Harvey Fierstein glimpsed here is tantalizingly, defiantly, irreducibly complex. It’s a pity Sondheim isn’t around to offer the contradictory protagonist of this memoir the musical he deserves.” ― Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times

“A raw, funny and fabulous memoir . . . Fierstein shares his life less in conventional chapters than in colorful patches: 59 of them, stitched together with photos and a plush index. The sum of this is warm and enveloping and indeed two-sided: One is a raw, cobwebby tale of anger, hurt, indignation and pain; flip it over and you get billowing ribbons of humor, gossip and fabulous, hot-pink success . . . With a dramaturg's expert timing, Fierstein saves the most difficult anecdote of his upbringing for near the end, like the classic 11 o’clock number in musical theater. A story about his mother’s reaction to his accidental coming-out, it’s a pin prick to the heart. Actually it makes the heart a pin cushion.” ― Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times

"I love this book. Harvey Fierstein turns a phrase into a novel and the personal into the universal. The day for this book has come." ― Gloria Steinem

“Harvey’s book is a perfect reflection of him; full of heart, chutzpah, great stories, and tons of belly laughs. And wigs.” ― Andy Cohen

"Harvey is the king and queen of Broadway. He can take you on a journey with his words and he is hysterical." ― Henry Winkler

“I am in awe of Harvey’s theatrical history. From being among the vanguard of New York’s Experimental Theatre, through Warhol, to Broadway musicals. Who can touch that? His memoir is extraordinary, and he is in a class by himself.” ― Patti LuPone

“This is a beautiful memoir - full of humor and heart - I read it in 2 days - smiling, laughing and wiping away tears - don’t miss this book - a great read from a wonderful man - I love Harvey Firestein.” ― Rosie O’Donnell

Harvey Fierstein. Knopf, $30 (400p) ISBN 978-0-593-32052-5

Video Journalists Waldo Cabrera and Jennifer Shepardson

Featured Interviews:

Jud Newborn, Curator of Special Programs, Cinema Arts Centre

Joel Grey, Actor & Author, Master of Ceremonies

Rick Caran, Centerport, NY

For more information: www.CinemaArtsCentre.org

Get DVD of this story - for Personal Use - at http://www.MyLITV.com/DVD

Video Journalists Waldo Cabrera and Rashiek Smart

 Alan Cumming talks about his book "You Gotta Get Bigger Dreams." Mr. Cumming is a Scottish actor, singer, performer, author, and activist who has appeared in film, television, and plays.

Featured Interviews:

Alan Cumming

Jud Newborn

Susan Cohen

Debbi Cutler

Claudia Copquin

Laurie Levenburg

Susan A. Berland

Julia Waswo

Get DVD of this story - for Personal Use - at http://www.MyLITV.com/DVD