MSU Federal Credit Union Institute for Arts & Creativity at Wharton Center presents
A Wharton Theatre Production
MASTER HAROLD …and the boys
With the metallic clink of a coin in a jukebox and the scratch of a needle on a record, the character Willie utters the conclusive words to his friend, Sam, “Let’s dream.” And so they do. Caught up in a whirlwind of post-World War II traumas and the suffocating tensions of racism in 1950s apartheid South Africa, the three actors of this masterpiece by Athol Fugard bang and clash against their fluctuating society in this tale of hope, escapism, dark secrets, and the cruel power of language – creating one of the 20th century’s greatest plays.
Upon returning home, Hally, the son of a belligerent and bigoted father, finds his old friends Sam and Willie, black waiters in his mother’s restaurant, preparing for an upcoming dance competition. Talk of the past, of escaping through makeshift kites and dreaming of a world bearing no distinction of black and white, quickly gives way to a heated argument and hateful words that, once spoken, break the fabric of their relationship irreparably. With the impending threat of Hally’s father’s return, Hally crumbles beneath the pressures of a discriminatory society and unleashes upon his friends all of the hate and pain that has been building up inside of him, treating Sam and Willie, for the first time, as subservient. In a world that thrives on the “principle of perpetual disappointment,” Hally, Sam, and Willie will fight against the strain of their overbearing society and attempt to stay afloat in the prejudiced world that threatens to drown them.
The cast will feature veteran actors Shawn Hamilton (credits include Garden of Joy at Wharton Center, Guthrie Theatre, Yale Repertory and Dallas Theatre Center) and Gavin Lawrence (Off-Broadway, Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse and Arena Stage).
“A blistering fusion of the personal and the political.” -The New York Times
”An exhilarating play…It is a triumph of playmaking, and unforgettable.” -New York Post
Performance Run Time: 90 minutes with NO intermission
Age recommendation: 14 & up, for mature language and situations
There will be a 30-minute Q&A following the Friday 1/30 performance, and a 1-hour panel discussion following the Saturday performance 1/31. The Saturday panel will feature social and political activist and educator Prexy Nesbitt, and South African native Funeka M. Sihlali, who lived through apartheid.
MASTER HAROLD ...and the boys is generously sponsored by University Outreach and Engagement; Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
