• Leading Lady

  • A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy
  • By: Charles Busch
  • Narrated by: Charles Busch
  • Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (16 ratings)

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Leading Lady  By  cover art

Leading Lady

By: Charles Busch
Narrated by: Charles Busch
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Publisher's summary

The Tony Award-nominated writer of The Tale of the Allergist's Wife and the long-running hit Off-Broadway play Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, and a Sundance Festival award winner Charles Busch has created a unique place in the entertainment world as a playwright, LGBT icon, drag actor, director, and cabaret performer, with his extraordinary gift for both connecting with and channeling the leading ladies of show business.

Charles writes how ever since his mother's death when he was seven, he has sought out surrogate mothers in his life. In his teens, Charles moved to Manhattan to live with his Auntie Mame-like Aunt Lil, who encouraged Charles's talents and dreams, and eventually he discovered his gifts for writing plays and performing as a male actress.

Busch also shares his colorful and sometimes outlandish interactions with film and theatrical luminaries, including Joan Rivers, Angela Lansbury, Rosie O'Donnell, Claudette Colbert, Valerie Harper, Kim Novak, and many others.

Full of both humor and heart, Leading Lady is for fans of entertainment books as well as anyone who enjoys real-life stories of artists who break the mold, ditch the boundaries, and find their own unique way to sparkle.

©2023 Charles Busch (P)2023 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This joyful, upbeat, and witty memoir will likely capture the hearts of theater and movie buffs." —Kevin Howell, Library Journal

What listeners say about Leading Lady

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A delight from start to finish

If you’re a fan of Charles Busch, this memoir, read beautifully by Busch himself, does not disappoint.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A life filled with performances on and off the stage!

A well written memoir from a very talented performer. Filled with honesty,warmth and humour, which is exactly what one expects from Charles Busch! 👍🥂🌞

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Remarkable!

Truly a theatrical delight! Don’t miss your chance to find out more of the remarkable life of Charles Busch.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Leading Lady was indeed, a memoir of a most unusual boy

My plan to only read (listen) to one or two chapters a day to stretch out the pleasure of Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy, didn't last. The book is so delicious that I found that I couldn't put it down (so to speak) and I have now finished it. What was particularly enjoyable for me is that so many questions that I had about you, your life, Margaret, Aunt Lil, your friends in the theatre, some of whom I had met and worked with over the years myself as it related to travel, or from meeting at your Christmas parties, (Joan Rivers for one,) were all put into context and my questions were answered.

Thank you Charles, and thank you for putting the book on Audible.com. Not only did I get to "read" the book, but I experienced it as a performance by Charles Busch and that added to it immeasurably. Bravo, Bravo

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Delightful!

A wonderful walk through the life of Charles Busch. He is an amusing and witty companion, with a talent for telling stories that entertain. I highly recommend it!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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READY FOR PART 2

Hearing Charles Busch recite his own amazing story is entertaining and intimate…you dont want it to end!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Heartfelt and Hilarious

What a gem! Busch's life reads like a Hollywood classic, especially with his narration. Truly worthy of a Leading Lady!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Good but not great!

I like Charles Bush work and this is a fun books but he did not read it well at all. Way to many pauses and he must have had a cold and a-lot of nose sniffing that after a while can get on ones nerves.

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