Michael Paul Hirsch

by Michael Paul Hirsch, Executive Director and Walter M. Mayes, Artistic Director At South Bay Musical Theatre, every costume stitch, scenic brushstroke, musical note, and marketing image tells a human story. These are crafted by artists, technicians, and volunteers who pour their time and talent into creating something authentic and memorable. Our goal is to ensure that theatre remains a hands-on, inclusive, local, and ethically grounded cultural institution where every contribution is personal, intentional, and human-made. That’s why we’ve adopted a clear new AI policy on use of artificial intelligence (AI) in our creative process about ensuring that our work [...]

“I am not a robot” by Michael Paul Hirsch, Executive Director Why do we gather in a darkened room to watch people sing, dance and step into someone else’s shoes? Because theatre reminds us who we actually are and inspires us to be who we can become. In a world that urges us to be faster, more efficient, more robotic—where productivity often takes priority over people—theatre reminds us of what it costs to forget our humanity. Community theatre is more than entertainment. It’s a shared act of creativity, empathy, and connection. It’s messy. It’s raw. It’s real. And above all, [...]