Editing Torch Song Trilogy (section)

==Summary==
Each act focuses on a different phase in Arnold's life. In the first, Arnold meets Ed Reiss, who is uncomfortable with his [[bisexuality]]. This becomes an increasing source of conflict between the two, causing Ed to eventually leave Arnold and settle down with a woman named Laurel. Arnold is heartbroken because he still loves Ed. In the second, one year later, Arnold meets Alan, and the two settle down into a blissful existence that includes plans to [[adoption|adopt]] a child. The couple visits Ed and Laurel in their country home, where the group deals with tensions resulting from Ed and Arnold’s previous relationship. The segment ends with Laurel telling Arnold she and Ed are [[Engagement|engaged]]. In the third, several years later, Arnold is a single father raising gay teenager David. It is revealed that just before receiving David from the state, Alan was the victim of a violent hate crime, resulting in his death and leaving Arnold to raise a child on his own. Ed is separated from Laurel, and stays at Arnold’s to help him. The play revolves around Arnold’s struggle to move on following Alan’s death as he is forced to deal with his mother's ("Ma") intolerance and disrespect when she visits from [[Florida]].

The first act derives its name (''International Stud'') from an actual [[gay bar]] of the same name at 117 Perry Street in Greenwich Village in the 1960s and 1970s. The bar had a [[Dark room (sexuality)|backroom]] where men engaged in anonymous sex.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huzbears.com/nychistory/gv.html |title=GREENWICH VILLAGE: A GAY HISTORY |publisher=Huzbears.com |access-date=October 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100926104437/http://www.huzbears.com/nychistory/gv.html |archive-date=September 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>  The backroom plays a central role in the act. The trilogy derives its title from the “[[Torch song|torch]]” musical style which are “popular sentimental song[s] of unrequited love.” <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torch+song|title=Definition of TORCH SONG|website=www.merriam-webster.com|language=en|access-date=2019-12-11|archive-date=August 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819124217/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torch%2Bsong|url-status=live}}</ref>

The award-winning and popular work broke new ground in the theatre: "At the height of the post-[[Stonewall riots|Stonewall]] clone era, Harvey challenged both [[gay]] and straight audiences to champion an effeminate gay man's longings for love and family."<ref>{{cite news | author=Charles Busch | title=Torch Song Trilogy June 1982 | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2002_Nov_12/ai_94598303 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041213003839/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2002_Nov_12/ai_94598303 | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 13, 2004 | work=The Advocate | date=November 12, 2002 | access-date=June 24, 2008}}</ref>