Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy

by Charles Busch (Author/Narrator)

A poignant, deliciously anecdotal account of a talented artist's dramatic journey in the worlds of Off-Broadway, Broadway, and Hollywood.

Charles Busch dreamed of being on stage from the time he was a young boy, but it wasn’t until his college years that he finally found a way to let his full talent shine—as a Leading Lady.

Shocking his midwestern University theater department by playing a glamorous bawdy female role in his own play, he discovered that performing in drag for the first time he felt comfortable on stage. It would certainly not be the last.

Charles Busch, a Tony Award-nominated writer, has created a unique place in the entertainment world as playwright, LGBT icon, drag actor, director, and cabaret performer, with his extraordinary gift for connecting with and channeling the leading ladies of show business.

A born storyteller, Charles has a powerful journey to share. He was only seven years old when his mother died unexpectedly from a massive heart attack, and since then, Charles has been searching for loving, emotionally complex mother figures. In his teens, Charles moved to lower Park Avenue in Manhattan to live with his Aunt Lil, who was rather like a Jewish Auntie Mame. Lil encouraged Charles’ artistic talents and dreams and eventually he discovered his gifts for writing plays and performing as a “male actress.”

In short, pithy chapters, Charles writes of his close friendship with the brilliant Joan Rivers, who was his mother figure after Lil’s death, as well as his colorful interactions with such show business luminaries as Angela Lansbury (who observed her first Passover seder with Charles), Debbie Reynolds, Greta Garbo, Elaine Stritch, Linda Lavin, Carol Channing, Marian Seldes, Rosie O’Donnell, Claudette Colbert, Valerie Harper, Kim Novak, Bea Arthur, and many others.

Full of humor and heart, and including 16 pages of photographs, Leading Lady is perfect for theatre fans new and old, as well as anyone who knows the joy of finally finding the craft that makes their soul sing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, LGBT, Queer, Biography Memoir, Art

Audiobook

First published August 29, 2023

Reviews

[V. Briceland · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was coming of age in the very early 1980s, I weekly would pore over the pages of the Village Voice and dream of abandoning the backwater Southern college town in which I felt trapped, for the more glamorous night life of New York City. I'd light up over any mention of Charles Busch's troupe, Theater in Limbo, and the productions such as Vampire Lesbians of Sodom or Theodora, She-Bitch of Byzantium. Busch's affection for high camp and excess appealed to me, unwillingly incarcerated in my closet as I was at the time. I dreamed of one day being able to attend his plays in person.

It wasn't until a decade later, in the early nineties, that I finally saw Busch live—rather daringly cast as Older Belle in a production of the Coleman and Leigh musical, Little Me. I've caught him both on stage and in his cabaret act multiple times since, and of course have been a long-time fan of his appearances onscreen. Now I feel myself fortunate to have read his memoir, Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy.

Leading Lady is a mostly straightforward account of Busch's education and later career that alternates with a number of celebrity anecdotes focusing upon the peculiar nature of fame. It's perhaps the stories of his early life and eccentric, Auntie Mame-like upbringing that are the most compelling, though I found myself equally fascinated with the tales of stumbling into off-Broadway stardom and maintaining the multiple egos of his own theater company.

The account's not comprehensive, by any means. That production of Little Me (which also included in its chorus a then-unknown Kristin Chenoweth) is never mentioned, nor is Busch's rip-roaring novel, Whores of Lost Atlantis, nor are really any of his films beyond Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie Die! or plays after The Tale of the Allergist's Wife.

But none of that matters, faced with the abundant good humor with which Busch presents his material. Though the volume concludes in an elegiac tone, the memoir is a celebration of a talented dramatist and fascinating—yes—leading lady of the stage, and I'm grateful Busch took the time to pen it.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Busch, a prolific and award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and actor, has written an absolutely captivating memoir.

A born raconteur, Busch spins enthralling tales into short, buoyant chapters. Occasionally the chronological storytelling is interrupted with flash-forward chapters, which sweep readers off to dine with Claudette Colbert, interview Liza Minnelli, ghostwrite for Joan Rivers, or run into Kim Novak at an event. After the death of his mother, the author was taken under the wing of his Aunt Lil who moved him into her Manhattan apartment and enrolled him in an arts high school. Later, Busch found his artistic voice by writing his own plays and casting himself as the lead woman. His play "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" ran for five years and brought him acclaim; two other plays—"Psycho Beach Party" and "Die, Mommie, Die!"—were later adapted for the screen with Busch as their leading lady.

He writes with great fondness about his Tony-nominated hit, "The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife", and with honesty about his “miserable” experience working on the Broadway flop "Taboo", produced by Rosie O’Donnell and starring Boy George.

This joyful, upbeat, and witty memoir will likely capture the hearts of theater and movie buffs.

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great menoir by an entertaining figure, bopping around in time from his early days growing up, working on Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, looking up to and then doing theatre with Charles Ludlam, working with Joan Rivers on her one-woman show,, working on the book of the Broadway musical Taboo, doing cabaret at The Duplex and much much more.

I had previously read his Roman à Clef novel "Whores of Lost Atlantis", so a little of it felt like familiar territory (and of course I've read or seen or performed in a number of his plays), but in the end it's a different book with tons of interesting showbiz anecdotes. I found it quite engaging.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful memoir, full of laughter, tears, sex, joy, and, ultimately, a love of theater and camp (not the sleepaway kind, though). Highly recommended for lovers of theater, drag, B-movies, show-biz gossip, and the importance of family, both blood and chosen.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unfamiliar with Charles Busch going in, but I love theatre and memoirs. I found his career and personal life interesting, particularly his thoughts on drag. I really enjoyed hearing about the early years of his theatre company and his relationship with Joan Rivers as well. I'd like to check out some of his work.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun combination of moving memoir and backstage dish, which I read with my usual pattern of slowly starting to read just a little bit at a time, and then hitting a point at which I'm unable to put the book down until it's done. The author is a very remarkable person and a wonderful writer, so if you have any interest in theater, Hollywood, LGBT history, or New York in the 1980s and 1990s, this is for you!

The rhythm of alternating chronological biographical chapters with much later stories of brushes with celebrities (or should I say, 'other celebrities,' since the author is one?) seemed a bit strange at first, but as with anything, you get used to it. Towards the end, the two streams sort of come together. In any case, it worked for me.

I remember seeing the author in a solo show called "Charles Busch: Alone with a Cast of Thousands," in DC way back when (I think the book says that was 1980?), and it made a HUGE impression on me. Some years later, I saw "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom" in New York, which propelled him to stardom. Even though I've not had the pleasure of seeing most of his plays performed, I've always felt that he was an important touchstone for my queer life, and I always enjoy reading his books.

[BookTrib.com]

LEADING LADY: A MEMOIR OF A MOST UNUSUAL BOY by Charles Busch offers readers a historical perspective of the downtown theatre world and recounts his life as #playwright, actor and drag legend!

Read the full review on BookTrib.com

[Kevin Eggleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful delight, and a gift for those who have been inspired by his career.

[elissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, especially if you are a fan of Charles Busch and his brand of theatre in the 80s and 90s. It was a staple of my theatre going back in the day.
Interesting tidbits about the production of Tales of the Allergists Wife, for anyone who is a Linda Lavin fan.
Busch talks a lot about his formative years, especially after the death of his mother, father's remarriage, and moving in with an aunt, then his time in college.

If you are interested in Busch and this period of theatre, this is a very readable book. I listened to it, read by Busch, and really enjoyed his story.

[Adam Goldberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely lovely and poignant memoir from a person I admire so much.

[AnnieM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Busch is an amazing actor, writer and drag legend and I have enjoyed their performances in such cult classics as "Die, Mommie Die!" and more recently "The Sixth Reel." This book is a poignant memoir of his growing up gay as well as great dish on Hollywood and theater legends. I loved his stories of some of the great leading ladies (conversations with Liza Minelli, carol Channing, Joan Rivers, Kim Novak, Linda Lavin, Valerie Harper and quips from Elaine Stritch to name just a few). The book is not chronological but rather goes back and forth in time but was easy to follow nevertheless. I really enjoyed his segments about his Aunt, who supported him throughout his childhood, college and starting out in theater in NYC. I also enjoyed hearing about his friendship with Joan Rivers. I really enjoyed this book and appreciated the candor and humility throughout. A highly enjoyable read. I recommend this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for an ARC and I left this review voluntarily.

[John Kenrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent

One of the best theater memoirs ever - joyous, heartbreaking and frequently hilarious. Brought back so many happy memories. Highly recommended!

[Gene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leading Lady is an interesting memoir by Charles Busch. Although it is not told in chronological order, the time shifts were not at all distracting to me.
The author tells stories from his young childhood that are poignant and help to explain why he was able to achieve such success. He clearly chose to use the bad as well as the good to create his stage personas and the plays and screenplays that he wrote.
Mr Busch is honest in his writing although one may think that he has artfully embellished a few of the stories. Quite honestly, most everyone remembers what happened from a personal standpoint.

The book was a fascinating look into the life of a performer, creator, and artist. As I engaged with his successes and his failures, I had a hard time putting the book down. I read it over two days. At the end I was unable to stop. I read past my bedtime and enjoyed every minute of joy, pain and pathos.

Thank you, Charles Busch, Netgalley and BenBella books for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this fascinating book.

[Omm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leading Lady is less a memoir as such and more a collection of essays by Charles Busch. Told in no particular order, the chronology is occasionally difficult to decipher as well as following his overall growth as a person and performer. Despite this, it remains an engaging read and Busch is willing to own his failures as a person and performer alongside his accomplishments. Overall recommended, particularly for anyone interested in his performances or writing, or wanting an honest view of the theater life hustle.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charles Busch is an icon and every word in this book proves that even more! I laughed out loud many times reading this! His many works are hysterical and poignant, reflective and true. He can drop a name like no one else! The honesty that this book is written with is an eye into the true Mr. Busch. I loved every single word!

[Russell Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leading Lady: a Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy is almost a hybrid tale of the theater. Charles Busch—its writer and subject—is a famous drag queen, a term which he only later in life accepted. For, in his eyes, he was a man playing women’s roles. Early in his career, he accepted that he would never get noticed trying to be someone he wasn’t: a man playing men’s roles. He identified with women, not as a transgender person but as an emotional being. And thus his career began. And why is this a hybrid tale? Busch, early on, did wild satires that were part of “fringe” theater, that segment of off-Broadway plays that were low budget and definitely not mainstream. They were satires of old movies, a subject Busch is very much familiar with, and these productions began to attract audiences, not just among the crowd that would frequent such productions but celebrities kept popping up in his audiences. And so his fame began from a brand of theater that usually was confined to a specific and decidedly not mainstream audience, and that fame led to writing for Broadway (a very successful play,) films, appearances at events featuring old film stars, Joan Rivers, and others, and his writing the book (that’s the script) for a musical that was sabotaged, for the most part, by its demanding star. Telling all this, Busch maintains a sense of humor, getting off a few laugh-out-loud wisecracks, but also telling the heartfelt tale of a very conservative aunt who loved him deeply and supported him without question. This is a theater tale like no other, full of name-dropping, triumphs, failures, and a life lived unapologetically.

[Shoshana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Busch is one of my favorite theater artist, and I'm so glad I listened to him read the audiobook version, though I did miss out on all the photos. In general it was great in contextualizing his plays and collaborators, like when certain key players came into his life and how. And there are some really poignant sections, and of course chapters on his Broadway shows The Tale of the Allergist Wife and Taboo. I keep forgetting he wrote the book for Taboo. The Tale of the Allergist Wife was my introduction to him, and that play bowled me over when I saw it. I then got to work with him on his play Olive and the Bitter Herbs at Primary Stages in 2011 (not mentioned at all in the book). I wrote the copy for the marketing blurb, which he loved, and interviewed him in his home for our video interview series. It was a wonderful experience, and around that time I also read his book of published plays, and saw many of his other plays over the years. I love artist memoirs because I'm always fascinated by how artists become artists, and I'm so glad this memoir exists. He's had such a fascinating career.

[Thomas Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The man knows how to tell a story, and what stories he has to tell!

Early in the book, Busch tells the story of sitting in a dressing room next to Carol Channing as she puts on her makeup. I was so overwhelmed that I was tearing up even though it wasn't sad in the least. It was just beautiful that Busch had this moment with Ms. Channing.

Later he tells a tale about Bea Arthur that had me laughing out loud. The book provides an emotional workout but all of it exhilarating.

Busch talks about his life with a more or less chronological throughline, interspersing wonderful stories of encounters and friendships with some pretty amazing people. Some of the stories are so amazing--I'm thinking of his encounter with Garbo, among others--that I was tempted to ask, "Really?" But the stories were so perfect and in keeping with his character, that I chose to believe every word because if it wasn't true, it should be true.

[Rob Lesher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this audio as soon as it came out, but have been holding it for a good listening time. I recommend everyone become familiar with Charles Busch. This memoir is awesome. One of the few theater experiences I regret is that I never actually went to see Lesbian Vampires of Sodom while it was running. That does not mean I have not seen other Charles Busch plays. His influence is wide and deep. One of my favorite book experiences when a baby gay was reading his novel The Whores of Lost Atlantis! If you read the novel, he repeats the actual autobiographical parts of the novel, which is comforting to know that even amazing, talented people had to put in their dues to create something new and marvelous!

[Derek McCaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a somewhat unusual memoir, too. As a fan of Charles Busch's plays going back decades, this memoir both is and isn't what I'd hoped for. Alternating between the story of his life and anecdotes about meeting with old time movie stars, Busch doesn't get as introspective as he did in his roman a clef Whores of Atlantis. But then, that book is out there, and it's not hard to draw a line between the protagonist of the novel and Busch himself.

It's more focused than many celebrity memoirs, the anecdotes are fun as hell, and if anything, maybe this experience will lead Busch to a more personal performance piece. (I've heard his cabaret act may be such -- I haven't been lucky enough to catch it yet.)

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Charles Busch in the 1990s; what a character, yet so approachable, smart, professional, and as funny as hell. This memoir is all that and beautifully crafted. I couldn't put it down. (Turns out he's also very close to Eric Myers who wrote the biography of Patrick Dennis, Uncle Mame, I liked so much. Talent is attracted to talent, for sure--which I can also say for Robb Pearlman who bought this for Smart Pop Books.) To anyone driven to be a performing artist, this is a must-read: it doesn't sugar-coat the egos, the itinerant nature of the work, the struggles to pay the rent, the determination to be oneself regardless of the pull of the mass culture, the drive it takes... you gotta be prepared and Charles Busch is just the artist to give you the lesson.

[Rory Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartfelt Memoir

A heartfelt, humorous, and informative memoir of not only the life of one of the most unique careers of the American stage, but an indepth history of forty, years of the New York Off-Broadway world. It's poignant and very personal presentation of the loss and tragedy during the AIDS epidemic made the numbers and facts of that history the reader's own personal experience. Of course, the very heart and soul of the book is introducing the world to Aunt Lil, whose devotion, dedication, and undying faith for a young boy in great need will remain in every reader's mind what true love and care must look like.

[Frank Duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I debated buying this book from the date it first came out, but hesitated until last month, when I finally bit the bullet and bought it. I'm glad I did. It's an easy read -- and an entertaining one. I admit I hated the first part of the book, which bounced from memory to memory without concern for chronology. I realize that is how memory works, but I still hated that part of the book. Once the book settled into a more chronological perspective, I found myself thoroughly captivated. It is a good book.

[Gary Hilborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A page-turner with charming stories of a creative life well-lived. Mr. Busch's nonconformist approach to his art and career is to be admired. After traversing La Streisand's nearly 1,000-page feast of a biography, this goes down like a colorful chef-picked sorbet sampler designed to complete the "Divas Who Did it Their Way" themed meal at the hottest little showbiz haunt this side of Angus McIndoe.

[Debra McCormick · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me about 100 pages to get interested. Until then the book pops back and forth in time for no apparent reason; it’s not following a theme. It just skips around until about page 100. It is as if this story teller is having a series of chats as one would in a developing friendship m, “Oh and this about me….”

I often felt Busch was just name dropping when he described his encounters with stars. He Doesn’t talk often about why their encounters mattered to his life or career.

I also never had a feel for this guy’s emotional world until much later on I. The book. The only reason I kept reading was it’s a book in My book club.

All that being said, I may have found his memoir more Interesting had I ever seen any of his works, but I had not.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Mr Busch since he first came on the scene in the 1980s. This book is a wonderful guide to his life and accomplishments. He and his sisters were raised by their Aunt Lil after their mother away when Charles was 8 and this is an interesting story as she was very supportive of him but not comfortable with his work. There are hilarious show business tidbits within the book and a wonderful set of color photographs. Highly recommended for all his fans..

[Tim Pinckney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting. It is a slice of heaven. Deliciously detailed and, at times, deeply touching. I also did a full on spit take at one point. It's not surprising that Charles would write a book that will move you and keep you howling. Buy it and read it immediately.

It would make a wonderful film.

[Scott Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first encountered Charles Busch in Psycho Beach Party at TIFF in 2000. I fell in love and have followed the film side of his career ever since. I didn’t realize that theatre was his home and how much he’d done there. This is an entertaining read. It’s very stream of consciousness — jumping back and forth through time. I might have preferred something more chronological.

[Heykota · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t normally write reviews but for some reason, there’s this pull. Maybe I think Charles would read it. I don’t remember how I came across it, but it’s so much more entertaining to listen to memoirs from the writer. It’s like “oh, that’s what the writer intended for this scene.” Such a joy to read, and a character to listen to.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some will read for the dish but the strong suit of this marvelous memoir is Busch’s journey to becoming an artist. His relationship with his aunt, probably the central one of his life, is very moving. Highly recommended!!