From left: Ben Beatty (Hally) and John Kani (Sam) in "'Master Harold'...and the Boys" at Geffen Playhouse (Photo by Jeff Lorch) South African playwright Athol Fugard’s “’Master Harold’…and the Boys” was first staged in 1982, before apartheid ended in 1990, but set in 1950, two years after that racially segregationist policy was implemented. The play features two Black South African men and the younger white “Master Harold” (or Hally) who is buddies with them — to a point. The

This review was originally published in the Long Beach Post ,  a nonprofit news organization, on April 17, 2026. Scene from "Harvey" at Long Beach Playhouse. Photo by Mike Hardy. Long Beach Playhouse executive director Madison Mooney recently said that “Harvey” is just the sort of play we need right now. And she’s right. If you are among those trading your smartphone for a flip phone, resisting ChatGPT and wondering where common decency went, “Harvey” is all that rolled up i

This article was originally published in the Long Beach Post,  a nonprofit news organization, on April 16, 2026. Ensemble cast of Musical Theatre West's current production of "In the Heights." Photo courtesy of the theater. Before his hugely successful musical “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote “In the Heights” — about a vibrant, close-knit New York immigrant community filled with songs and dreams, but also secrets.  Musical Theatre West is currently staging the Tony Award-