The Off-Broadway musical, A Letter to Harvey Milk, presented at Theatre Row in 2018, will be presented as a benefit online beginning April 22-25, 2021, featuring members of the original cast’s 6-month run.
San Francisco. 1986. What could Harry, an amiable but lonely retired kosher butcher, have in common with Barbara, his young lesbian writing teacher at the senior center? Is it enough to bridge the divide? When Harry fulfills a writing assignment to compose a letter to someone from his past who’s dead, he writes not to his late wife Frannie but Harvey Milk, the first openly gay political leader in California. Barbara is stunned. Harry’s letter evokes life-changing revelations that neither could have foreseen. With its soaring score and deeply-felt, surprisingly funny lyrics, this musical deals with issues of friendship and loss, the grip of the past, and the hard-won acceptance set in motion by the most unexpected people.
Based on the short story “A Letter to Harvey Milk” by Lesléa Newman, the music is by Laura I. Kramer, lyrics by Ellen M. Schwartz, with additional lyrics by Cheryl Stern, book by Jerry James, Laura I. Kramer, Ellen M. Schwartz, and Cheryl Stern and directed by Evan Pappas with music direction by Jeffrey Lodin, orchestrations by Ned Ginsburg, casting by Stephanie Klapper. Set design/ virtual background by David Arsenault, the stage manager is Will Chaloner, the technical producer, is Ruby Locknar, and video editor is Seth Walters.
The show stars Adam Heller (It Shoulda Been You, Elf, Caroline or Change), Julia Knitel (Carole King in Beautiful), Cheryl Stern (La Cage) along with Michael Bartoli, Jeremy Greenbaum, Aury Krebs, and Ravi Roth.
production photo by Russ Rowland
A Letter to Harvey Milk
beginning April 22 through April 25, 2021
for tickets ($10 – $50), visit Stellar Tickets
money raised will benefit the Actors Fund and HIAS