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 to 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. This musical — with its soaring score and deeply-felt, surprisingly funny lyrics — 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.

What it’s about: Set in San Francisco in 1986, the musical centers around Harry (Adam Heller), an amiable but lonely retired kosher butcher, who enrolls in a writing class taught by Barbara (Julia Knitel), a young lesbian writing teacher, at the senior center. 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 to 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. Why you should see it: In the current political climate, a musical like A Letter to Harvey Milk can remind each of us of the importance of tolerance and understanding. Barbara and Harry both help each other deal with love and loss and in the process, they can help members of the audience bridge the ideological and political differences that exist between us for the larger good. A feel good musical, A Letter to Harvey Milk is successful due to a range of musical numbers that run the gamut of funny to moving. Whether it be the zany “Shando” or the heartbreaking “Love is a Woman,” the music by Laura I. Kramer and the lyri …Read more