HFC Theatre presents “Dear Harvey”
The HFC Theatre program will present its first major production of the 2024-25 academic year with Dear Harvey. There will be six public performances November 15-23 in the Black Box Studio Theatre (Room F-161) in the MacKenzie Fine Arts Center (Building F on the main campus).
The six performance dates and times will be:
- Friday, November 15, at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, November 16, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, November 22, at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, November 23, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
NOTE: The November 23 evening performance will be followed by an after-show event. All ticket holders to that evening's performance are welcome.
“As a college that strongly believes in the power of theatre to provide a voice for the community, we're committed to showcasing works that speak to our student population's needs and identities," said HFC Director of Theatre Dr. John Michael Sefel, who is directing Dear Harvey. "We are still getting very positive feedback on last year's The Detroit Wall Project, in which we focused on the lasting impacts of housing discrimination on the Metro Detroit area. Next year, we plan to bring together the stories of hijab-wearing students to examine their experiences on and off campus. This year, Dear Harvey speaks to so many of our students regarding activism, historical legacies, and facing down prejudice."
A giant in the LBGTQ+ community
Written by Patricia Loughrey, Dear Harvey is based on the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California in 1977. Milk was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. His political campaigns were ostentatious, which elicited media attention and votes. He and his allies engaged in fierce, public opposition to anti-gay initiatives.
"Harvey Milk is primarily remembered for his activism against housing and employment discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, but, as this play shows, he did much more than that,” explained Sefel. “He was committed to humane and fair conditions and laws on immigration, rallied for labor and women's rights, fought on behalf of the San Francisco Latin-American community, and generally was seen as the politician who cared about 'the little guy.’ The fact that he was well-known as the one city politician who took public transportation to work every day gives a sense of how connected he was to his community."
On November 27, 1978, Dan White assassinated both Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone in their offices. Despite his short career in politics, Milk became an icon in San Francisco and the LGBTQ+ community. There have been many tributes in his memory. Actor Sean Penn earned his second Oscar for his portrayal of Milk in the 2008 film Milk. In 2009, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Bringing additional awareness and collaboration to other areas of HFC
This production of Dear Harvey features students from across the College, including 11 actors and nine technical and support staff members. Additionally, students, faculty, and staff from several HFC programs are providing support or associated events in collaboration with HFC Theatre, including:
- The HFC Writing Center's Dr. Chelsea Lonsdale, who is serving as a faculty dramaturg and consultant.
- Director of the HFC Chorus Amy Saari, who is working on a choral piece with her students in collaboration with Dear Harvey.
- The Sisson Art Gallery will host an exhibit directly tied to Dear Harvey, featuring a section of the NAMES Project: AIDS Memorial Quilt.
- The SAFE@HFC and Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) Club both play important roles in welcoming HFC's LGBTQ+ and allied communities.
“Among other things, we are using our Dear Harvey production to bring additional awareness to SAFE@HFC and the SAGA Club. I am thrilled to say that other people and places on campus are also getting involved. We are getting amazing support!” said Sefel.
Saari is looking forward to collaborating with Sefel.
“The modern gay rights movement has been intertwined with choral music from the beginning,” said Saari. “When Milk was assassinated, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus was in rehearsals for its very first season, and so their first public performance was Felix Mendelssohn's motet ‘Thou, Lord, Our Refuge’ at Milk's memorial. The HFC Chorus is set to record the SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) version of this piece to play during our theatre program's production of Dear Harvey.”
She continued: “It's a chance not only to give our music students the experience of recording choral music in our state-of-the-art studio, but also to demonstrate that the history of a piece of music doesn't begin and end with the circumstances around its creation. The Mendelssohn piece, more than a century after its creation, has become part of a social justice movement that is going on today.”
Seating is limited, purchase tickets ASAP
Ticket prices are:
- $10 for general admission
- $5 for HFC students and HFC employees with a valid photo ID
- $5 for senior citizens and non-HFC students who are under the age of 18
Seats are extremely limited, so we encourage you to purchase your tickets ahead of time. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 4.
Due to mature language and content, audience discretion is advised. For questions or information about Dear Harvey, contact Sefel at jsefel@hfcc.edu.