It may seem strange given theatre’s reputation for sexual licence, but in the 20th century, gay men and lesbians on Broadway had to spend most of their careers in the closet. Even today, startlingly few American leading actors are out, a notable exception being David Hyde Pierce (Niles from Frasier). Don’t believe me? Make a list of the others. Hint: you won’t need both sides of the paper. Correction: you won’t need paper.
Gays on Broadway, the latest book – he has written more than 50 – by cultural critic and novelist Ethan Mordden, is a whistle-stop historical tour. It begins at the turn of the 20th century and culminates with Tesori and Lisa Kron’s musical Fun Home and the 2019 Broadway production of The Inheritance, Matthew Lopez’s six-and-a-half-hour gay revamp of Howards End (depending on your viewpoint, either deeply moving or Howards Endless).
