The three characters in My Children! My Africa!, set in 1984, all face life-changing moral choices with implications not just for themselves but also for their country, South Africa, then divided by apartheid. Mr. M, the teacher (played with fervor by James Brown-Orleans), dedicates himself to giving all his students a classical education based on literature. His star pupil, Thami (played by the gifted Yaegel Welch), eager for political change, meets the naïve and earnest Isabel (movingly portrayed by Veronica del Cerro), a white girl from an academically superior school with a hunger for knowledge and a competitive spirit, in a debate competition, and under Mr. M’s tutelage, the two join forces. In the politcially charged atmosphere of the time and place, both are fearless.

Athol Fugard’s play, his best by far, is a heart-breaking tragedy that ends with hope—due in large part to the writing, but also to Serge Seiden’s superb direction and a cast that is nothing short of brilliant. All three actors are testament to the high quality of theatrical training in the Washington region. James Brown-Orleans, currently on leave from the Broadway production of The Lion King, studied theater at University of Maryland–Baltimore County; Veronica del Cerro, so new to the scene she does not yet have her Equity card, graduated from the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory; and Yaegel T. Welch has an MFA from the Shakespeare Theatre Academy for Classical Acting.

It is rare that all elements of theater—a good script, flawless direction, and a uniformly strong cast—are in perfect sync, but that is certainly the case with Studio’s memorable production of My Children! My Africa!, which runs through November 4.

For tickets ($27 to $55) call 202-332-7267 or visit studiotheatre.org; some tickets are available at Ticketplace (407 7th St., NW; 202-TICKETS; cultural-alliance.org/tickets/today.html).

For our guide to where to dine when out seeing theater, click here.