Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
I really am a theater person. That means you put something out there, and you let it go. Tomorrow night is a new performance.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the fleeting nature of performance art and the importance of letting go of past efforts to embrace new opportunities.
Harvey Fierstein's quote reflects the essence of theater as an art form that is both transient and transformative. Each performance is unique, and once it's over, it becomes a part of the past, allowing artists to move on and create anew. This perspective encourages artists to embrace every moment with passion, knowing that tomorrow's performance will bring different experiences and opportunities for expression.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about embracing creativity, one could use this quote to illustrate the need to move forward and innovate.
More from Harvey Fierstein
All quotes βAccept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
CBS really wants me on TV. That's their aim. My aim is to have an all-gay sitcom someday, with heterosexuals as token guest stars. Let them be the next-door neighbors for a change.
Theater is my temple and my religion and my act of faith. Strangers sit in a room together and believe together.
Theater has to resonate in your heart in a way that movies don't.
How often are the perpetrators of hate-crimes discovered to be self-loathing? Valued individuals do not strike out against strangers.
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To be of mixed blood is a great gift for a writer. I have one foot on tribal lands and one foot in middle-class life.
I'm totally crazy, I know that. I don't say that to be a smartass, but I know that that's the very essence of what makes my work good. And I know my work is good. Not everybody likes it, that's fine. I don't do it for everybody. Or anybody. I do it because I can't not do it.