Open Stage Announces Fourth Annual "The Good at Heart" Festival - March 24-29, 2026
Six-day festival features performances and presentations on social and racial justice
Harrisburg, PA (March 13, 2026) – Open Stage, a theatre company in downtown Harrisburg, will present its fourth annual The Good at Heart Festival from March 24-29. The six-day festival will feature performances and presentations centered on social and racial justice that ask thought-provoking questions and inspire meaningful community conversations.
The name of the festival is inspired by a famous quote from Anne Frank’s diary: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
“The Good at Heart Festival will once again celebrate important stories that need to be told,” said Open Stage Artistic Director Stuart Landon. “We believe deeply in the value of sharing these stories and the value of the conversations they will inspire. It is an honor to continue to host this annual event as we all come together to celebrate the ever-important goodness of humanity and work toward a brighter, more just future.”
ABOUT THE 2026 FESTIVAL
The 2026 Good At Heart Festival will include the following presentations: (a detailed schedule is included on the theatre’s website.)
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America: Midtown Cinema, Harrisburg. Released in 2021, this award-winning film interweaves lectures, personal anecdotes, interviews, and revelations as ACLU deputy legal director Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States.
Shirley Chisholm: Unbossed and Unbowed: Open Stage, Harrisburg. This one-person show brings to life the extraordinary story of the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress and the first Black candidate to seek the presidential nomination of a major political party.
Charlotte’s Web: Open Stage, Harrisburg. Adapted by Joseph Robinette from the novel by E. B. White, this heartwarming adaptation of the beloved classic brings the friendship of Wilbur and Charlotte to life through imaginative storytelling, inventive staging, and a small ensemble of professional actors. Tender, funny, and deeply moving, the story reminds us that even the smallest among us can make a difference.
Anne Frank; Stories From The Annex: Open Stage, Harrisburg. After traveling to schools across Central Pennsylvania this winter, Anne Frank: Stories from the Annex returns to Open Stage for a special one-day public performance.
This original three-actor production, inspired by the story of Anne Frank and the events of the Secret Annex, offers an intimate and deeply human portrait of life in hiding. Thoughtful and moving, the piece explores courage, memory, and hope in the face of extraordinary circumstances.
The festival will also incorporate the 16th Annual Capital 10-Miler and 10 K for the Arts, which begins and ends on City Island, Harrisburg.
For a full list of Open Stage’s Good at Heart schedule, visit the Open Stage website at the link below
