The first of his family to pursue being an artist

O. Harris was the first of his family to pursue being an artist, and as a result some of his earlier work was complicated for his family to understand. His play Daddy, which debuted in the UK last February was written for his family. Encapsulating parts of is sure to earn some nominations at this year’s Olivier awards.

An American actor, screenwriter and playwright Harvey Fierstein wrote the book Newsies, the run of which has been extended until July 2023 here in the UK. Growing up in New York a mum who was a school librarian and a andkerchief manufacturer, Fierstein received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Pratt Institute in 1973. He was cast in Andy Warhol’s only play Pork, and has since appeared in other productions.

You might recognise him from Mrs Doubtfire as the comedic and lovable brother to Robin Williams character, Daniel Hillard. Newsies premiered on Broadway in 2012 and was nominated for multiple Tony awards including Best Book to recognise Fierstein’s contribution to its creation. The well-loved family musical has also been recorded and is available to watch to Disney Plus account-holders. Now in the UK, it is hoping to be nominated visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk

So, now you know the brains behind the operation. Without these geniuses putting pen to paper (or now perhaps fingers to keyboard), we could be a storyless society. These artists deserved endless thanks for their conceptions and for sharing the contents of their imagination. Be sure to catch the Olivier awards on 2 April on ITV and raise a glass to these incredible writers!