The Program Note from the Dramaturgs

In 2008, when San Diego State Alum Patricia Loughrey began developing Dear Harvey with SDSU undergraduate Thomas Hodges, many people had never heard of Harvey Milk. Important gay and lesbian figures are rarely mentioned among the great leaders and civil rights activists children learn about in school. As the first openly gay man elected to public office in the United States, Harvey Milk gave hope to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer community that they could live their lives openly and with pride. By bringing together diverse community members, Harvey successfully fought discrimination and improved his city during his eleven months in office. Dear Harvey is a story of an American hero, told through the words of people whose lives he continues to inspire.

In the 1970s, gays and lesbians won important battles in the fight for equal rights; it seemed the movement was gaining momentum. Harvey Milk was sworn in as a city supervisor, gay rights ordinances were passed in several cities, including the ordinance signed in San Francisco by Mayor George Moscone, and Proposition 6, a proposal to terminate the employment of all gay and lesbian teachers in California, was defeated. The assassination of Harvey Milk and George Moscone on November 27, 1978, devastated the LGBTQ community. Not only had they lost two great leaders, but many felt that their deaths represented the symbolic death of the gay rights movement.

Over the last 30 years, due in no small part to the work of dedicated activists, the United States has become a better place to live for members of the LGBTQ community. However, there continue to be setbacks, such as the passage of Proposition 8 last November. Instead of feeling discouraged, Harvey Milk often saw the positive side of such situations. For example, he saw Proposition 6 as a catalyst to energize and motivate the gay community to fight for change. Harvey believed that progress would be made through dialogue – his televised debates with John Briggs likely changed many minds. He would have seen Proposition 8 as both a motivator for action and an opportunity for education.

If Harvey were here today, his message of hope would be the same. He would encourage all of us to come out, not only gays and lesbians to their families, friends, and coworkers, but everyone else as friends, family, and supporters of the LGBTQ community.

Dear Harvey is a celebration of the life of Harvey Milk, the contributions of LGBTQ leaders, and the continuation of the fight for equal rights for all. In the words of Patricia Loughrey, "Dear Harvey is not a story that was – it is a story that is."

By Lauren Beck, Tawnya Pataky, and Derek Smith

Patricia Loughrey and Thomas Hodges on KUSI

Last April when Dear Harvey premiered at Diversionary, playwright Patricia Loughrey and composer Thomas Hodges, both appeared on KUSI. Click here to watch the interview.

Dear Audience...

Now is the time to start thinking about when you would like to see Dear Harvey. With only 7 performances, time and space are limited. Here are some things to think about...

On opening night, Thursday 9/24, there will be a post show discussion panel entitled "Activism Then and Now: Where Do We Go From Here?" with long-time activist, Nicole Murray Ramirez (who is a character in the play), SDSU student activist Thomas Hodges (who wrote the music for Dear Harvey), and the playwright, Patricia Loughrey.

There will be another post show discussion with the entire cast, director, and dramaturg on the following Thursday, 10/1.

Immediately following the performances on Saturday 9/26, Sunday 9/27, and Wednesday 9/30
New Voices, an SDSU student theatre group, will present the comedy, Accidentally Phylla or 'Tis Pity She's a Man, written and directed by Derek Smith and Megan Stogner. Admission is free with the purchase of a ticket to Dear Harvey.
Dear Harvey will open in the Experimental Theatre at SDSU on Thursday September 24 at 8 p.m. and will close October 2 at 8 p.m. Evening performances are on September 24, 25, 26, 30 and October 1, 2 at 8 p.m. with a matinee performance on September 27 at 2 p.m. Tickets and information are online; you may wish to visit the Performing Arts Box Office Monday through Thursday between 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. or call the Box Office direct at (619) 594-6884. For group discounts call (619) 594-6365 or email OnStageSDSU@sdsu.edu.

A short article to kick off your summer reading list

Last week, in honor of Harvey Milk's birthday (also known as "Harvey Milk Day" in San Diego) the Gay and Lesbian Times ran a story about Harvey that includes interviews with Dear Harvey playwright Patty Loughrey and the real life people that appear in the play. (Actors, you may recognize some of your lines!) Read the article here!

Dear Harvey: The Beginning

In December 2007, Diversionary Theatre commissioned Patricia Loughrey to write a new play about Harvey Milk. She interviewed dozens of community leaders as well as Harvey’s friends and family including: Tom Ammiano, Toni Atkins, Jackie Grover, Cleve Jones, Christine Kehoe, Anne Kronenberg, John Laird, Stuart Milk, Nicole Murray-Ramirez, Daniel Nicoletta, Mary Stockton, Robin Tyler, Dottie Wine and others. The play, Dear Harvey, directed by Dan Kirsch, with original music composed by Thomas Hodges, premiered at Diversionary, April 18-25.

San Diego State University's School of Theatre, Television, and Film will present Dear Harvey, directed by Peter Cirino, September 24 – October 2, 2009.