“Master Harold”…and the Boys, written by six-time Tony Award nominee and recipient of the 2011
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, Athol Fugard (The Island, A Lesson from
Aloes) opens April 17 at Geffen Playhouse and runs through May 10. The production is co-directed by Tony Award–nominated director and playwright Emily Mann (Anna in the Tropics, A Streetcar Named Desire), alongside Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney.
The fantastic cast includes Ben Beatty (Hail, Caesar!, UFO) as Hally; Nyasha Hatendi (King Charles III, The Seven
Dials Mystery) as Willie; and John Kani (Black Panther, The Lion King) as Sam. John Kani previously
appeared in the 1984 filmed adaptation of “Master Harold”…and the Boys in the role of Willie, alongside
Matthew Broderick and Zakes Mokae.
Regarding Kani’s return to the Geffen Playhouse production of “Master Harold”…and the Boys after
more than four decades, now in the role of Sam, director Emily Mann said, “John Kani and I share a long
relationship with each other and Athol Fugard. The idea of John’s lived wisdom and age coming to bear
on the role of Sam seemed so right to me. When I wrote to John to ask him to play Sam, he immediately
answered yes. He, like I, was looking for a way to honor Athol the year of his passing, and “Master
Harold”… and the Boys at the Geffen under Tarell’s artistic leadership seemed the perfect opportunity
to honor him together.”
Step into the charged atmosphere of a 1950s South African tea shop in Athol Fugard’s “Master
Harold”…and the Boys, a gripping, deeply personal drama that unflinchingly confronts the realities of
race, power, and betrayal. On a rainy afternoon, Hally, a white teenager, passes the time with Sam and
Willie, two Black waiters who have helped raise him by filling the gaps of a broken home with warmth,
wisdom, and laughter. But as the day unfolds, playful memories give way to painful truths, and a single
moment threatens to shatter the fragile bond between them forever.
This is a stellar production with a pitch-perfect cast telling a powerful story that should not be missed!
Geffen Playhouse is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the
Department of Arts and Culture.
“MASTER HAROLD” …AND THE BOYS
Written by Athol Fugard
Directed by Emily Mann & Tarell Alvin McCraney
Previews: April 8, 2026 – April 15, 2026
Opening Night: April 16, 2026
Closing Night: May 10, 2026
CAST
Ben Beatty as Hally
Nyasha Hatendi as Willie
John Kani as Sam
PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Designer Beowulf Boritt
Costume Designer Susan Hilferty
Lighting Designers Adam Honoré & Spencer Doughtie
Sound Design by UptownWorks–Noel Nichols, Bailey Trierweiler & Daniela Hart
Associate Director Rodney Gardiner
Dialect Coach Jane Guyer Fujita
Dramaturg Amy Levinson
Production Stage Manager Sam Allen
Assistant Stage Manager Colleen Danaher
Casting Director Phyllis Schuringa, CSA
Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse located at 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets currently priced at $36.00 – $139.00. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at
www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.
All Geffen Playhouse productions are intended for an adult audience; children under 10 years of age will
not be admitted.
Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before
showtime at the box office. $40.00 General/$20.00 Student.
COLLEGE AUDIENCES
Through a variety of events and other opportunities, Geffen Playhouse welcomes college students to
experience the live storytelling presented on our stages. We are proud of our association with UCLA’s
School of Theater, Film, and Television, and open our doors to all college students throughout Los
Angeles. More information is available at www.geffenplayhouse.org/college.
