IHCC Theatre to present Harvey

A millionaire, a psychiatrist, and a 6-foot-tall invisible rabbit walk into a bar…? This sounds like the beginning of a joke, and the joke is on us, as Indian Hills Community College Theatre presents Harvey on Thursday, Dec. 4, Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, December 6 at 7 p.m. in St. John Auditorium. Performances are free but patrons are encouraged to reserve their seats by visiting https://ihcc.edu/harvey.

Director Dr. Jennifer Boyenga says, “Students are having loads of fun bringing to life this classic comedy that has an endearing message, asking us not to judge those around us too quickly.”

A charming comedy about a man and his invisible friend, Harvey was written by Mary Chase and premiered on Broadway in 1944, with a subsequent London production in 1949. It was revived on Broadway in 1970 and 2012, and Chase won the Pulitzer Prize for this play in 1945. In 1950, it was made into a film starring James Stewart, who was nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe for his performance. His co-star, Josephine Hull won both awards as Best Supporting Actress.

The story centers on Elwood P. Dowd, an eccentric millionaire, played by Adrian O’Leary of Chariton, whose best friend is a 6 foot, 1 ½ inch tall invisible rabbit named Harvey. Is Harvey real, or does Elwood belong in a sanitarium? His sister Veta Louise Simmons, played by Jaclyn Blackwell of Ottumwa, and her daughter Myrtle May Simmons, played by Bella Earnest of Hedrick, want to see him locked away to avoid the embarrassment of him introducing Harvey to everyone he meets.

Confusion arises at the Chumley’s Rest Sanitarium when Veta arrives to have her brother committed. Dr. Lyman Sanderson, played by Payton Thomas of Oskaloosa, Nurse Ruth Kelly, played by Janie Antoine of Osceola, and thuggish orderly Duane Wilson, played by Kass Hicke of Burlington, aren’t sure who should be locked up — Elwood or Veta. Head of the institution Dr. William R. Chumley, played by Elaina Johnson of Fremont, even begins to wonder if maybe Harvey is real. The cast is rounded out by Ashlynn Hamilton of Centerville as Judge Gaffney, who is enlisted by Veta to help institutionalize Elwood, Veta and Elwood’s doddering old aunt Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet, played by Faith Warner of Gallatin, Missouri, Mrs. Chumley and taxi driver E.J. Lofgren, played by Cassidy Thompson of Albia, and the warbling Miss Tewksbury, played by Lizzie Hootman of Fairfield.

The crew for the show, under the guidance of Technical Director Dr. Ray Slavens, includes assistant director Trenton Patton of Burlington, stage manager Callie Wollinger of Waupun, Wisconsin, assistant stage manager River Hibma of Pleasantville, sound board operator Markus Gruber of Albia, light board operator Elexis Perry of Bloomfield, and tech crew Dawson Brown of Ottumwa, Marc Danas of Stockport, Aden Drummond of Memphis, Missouri, Hara Espinosa of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Andi Marshall of Muscatine, and Josie Sturtz of Albia.