Play Guide H A RV EY / /
February 6 – 23, 2020
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TA B L E O F
P L AY G U I D E A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S :
CONTRIBUTERS:
E D I T E D BY:
Hannah Fisher Emily-Kate Ivey
Elizabeth Kensek SPECIAL THANKS TO:
D E S I G N E D BY:
Sarah Close
Emily Holt emilyfightscrime.com F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N V I S I T WAT E RT OW E RT H E AT R E .O RG O R C A L L 9 72 . 4 5 0. 62 32
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T H E P L AY D I R E C TO R ’ S N OT E
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S Y N O P S I S : A C T S O N E TO T H R E E
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BEHIND THE SHOW P R O D U C T I O N H I S TO R Y
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W H AT WA S H A P P E N I N G
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OUR PRODUCTION D E S I G N E R S P OT L I G H T ST U D E N T G U I D E
FU N FACT: The original Broadway Production of “Harvey” by Mary Chase opened on November 1, 1944 at the 48th Street Theatre, ran for 1775 performances and won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama in 1945.
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Director’s Note By Dick Monday It’s really wonderful when people’s ears perk up at the mention of Harvey. The name itself is a funny name, even for a person. But Harvey is not a person. Harvey is a rabbit who stands six foot one - and a half inch. He’s invisible to most people, except for Elwood who’s his best friend. Elwood P. Dowd is an unusual man who finds joy in the most usual ways, meeting a new person or visiting a grain elevator. He also likes to drink, partly for social reasons, but mostly because of his fondness for bars with floorshows. And he never drinks alone because he’s always with Harvey. Don’t you ever wonder why someone writes a story or where an idea came from? I know that I’ve been wondering a lot about what inspired Mary Chase to craft such a farfetched heartfelt story about a large invisible rabbit. I know her background was in journalism and that she grew up listening to Irish Folk tales told to her by her uncles. But this quote from Mary Chase caught my eye and helped me understand why someone would write such a story as Harvey. “It’s only when I’m writing that I really feel complete. When I’m in one of my writing trances, I am cushioned against the sadness and grief of the world.” Elwood P. Dowd had great sadness and loneliness in his world but he had Harvey as his “cushion”. By writing, she comforted herself and made millions of people laugh for over eighty years and counting.
I feel very fortunate to be directing this brilliant and moving comedy. The responsibility to create a live show that will be the focus of a group of theatergoers for over two hours is an exhilarating experience. That’s why theater is collaboration. No one would be crazy enough to try and do this alone. And as a tribute to Harvey, I know I can’t do this alone. Luckily there is a team of actors and designers who work together to create something greater than anything you could create by yourself. That’s why I love being a part of the theater and I hope Mary Chase would see our version of Harvey and feel happy. Sometimes I think that we have forgotten that bringing simple pleasures to people is an essential quality of humanity and rabbitdom. I made that word up. I can’t wait for you to meet Harvey.
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Act One
The Wednesday Forum, a women’s club, gathers at the Dowd family mansion at the invitation of Veta Louise Simmons and her daughter Myrtle Mae. The Simmons ladies are nervous about the possible appearance of Veta’s brother and owner of the hoe, the eccentric Elwood P. Dowd. As the women exit the library and reenter the party, Elwood enters and seems to be interacting with someone whom no one else can see. As the entrances and exits continue, Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet is introduced to Elwood’s invisible, large, white rabbit friend, Harvey. Elwood circulates through the guests, and Veta decides that, for Myrtle Mae’s future in society circles, something must be done about Elwood and his invisible friend. The second scene opens with Veta at Chumley’s Rest, a sanitarium, where she speaks with Nurse Ruth Kelly about committing her dear brother. After some confusion with the young Dr. Sanderson, Veta is mistakenly admitted in Elwood’s place after she tells the doctor about Harvey. Elwood comes in and is told that his sister needs to be committed. His genial nature throws of Sanderson and Kelly, and only when Elwood chats with Mrs. Chumley about his rabbit friend do the senior Dr. Chumley and his staff realize who was really supposed to be admitted. Dr. Chumley leaves to retrieve Elwood, who has headed down to the neighborhood pub, Charlie’s Place. Back in the Dowd Family library, Myrtle Mae and Judge Gaffney, the family lawyer, are
discussing the situation with Elwood, when a bedraggled Veta arrives. Veta recounts her ordeal at Chumley’s Rest, and the Judge and Myrtle Mae are outraged and incredulous. Mr. Wilson, an orderly, and Dr. Chumley arrive, looking for Elwood so that they can return him to the sanitarium. Chumley and Gaffney head upstairs to talk to Veta, while Wilson and Myrtle Mae retire to the kitchen, just a moment before Elwood arrives home. Elwood proceeds to unwrap a portrait of Harvey and him and places it above the mantel before exiting. When Chumley and Veta return to the library, Veta receives a phone call from Elwood, and she tries to lure him back home so Chumley can observe him. Later that day at Chumley’s Rest, Dr. Sanderson packs his office as Dr. Chumley has vowed to fire him for the mix-up with Veta and Elwood. Sanderson and Kelly are bantering when Elwood enters with flowers in hand for Nurse Kelly. When Mr. Wilson comes in, Elwood relays his tale of meeting Dr. Chumley at Charlie’s Place earlier in the evening and the events that ensued after Dr. Chumley had a few drinks and finally met Harvey. As the discussion winds down and Wilson suggests that Elwood be admitted, an agitated Dr. Chumley arrives, and suggests that he is being followed… and perhaps he is.
Act Two & Three
Synopsis
A few minutes later, a terrified Dr. Chumley meets with Judge Gaffney and Myrtle Mae who share that Veta has declared, under oath, that she has seen Harvey. Veta arrives and Dr. Sanderson suggests that they inject Elwood with formula 977 so he will stop seeing Harvey. Dr. Chumley has everyone leave so he can speak with Elwood alone. Elwood agrees to take the injection if Veta wishes it, but after a visit from a wise cabbie, Veta reconsiders and realizes she loves Elwood just the way he is… Harvey and all
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Production History: Harvey premiered on Broadway on November 1, 1944, at the 48th Street Theatre and closed on January 15, 1949, after 1,775 performances, making it the fifth longest-running Broadway show up to that point.
The play also had a production in 1949 at London’s Prince of Wales Theatre starring Sid Field and Athene Seyler then, after Field’s death, Leslie Henson.
Dooley Wilson starred as Elwood in the 1951 Negro Drama Guild production, which also featured Butterfly McQueen as Myrtle Mae.
A Broadway revival at the ANTA Theatre ran from February 24, 1970, to May 2, 1970, and starred James Stewart and Helen Hayes. In 1975 Stewart appeared in a West End revival at the Prince of Wales Theatre, with Mona Washbourne in the role of Veta.
According to theatre historian Jordan Schildcrout, the reputation of the play, which had become a staple of amateur theatre groups, improved in the late 1980s because of critically esteemed professional revivals at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C., in 1987 and the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis in 1989. Other major productions at regional theatres followed at the Steppenwolf Theatre (1990), Cleveland Playhouse (1991), Seattle Rep (1993), and La Jolla Playhouse (1994).
A further West End revival played at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1995 starring Gorden Kaye and Rue McClanahan.
The Roundabout Theatre Company production of the most recent Broadway revival opened in previews on May 18, 2012 (officially on June 14), at Studio 54. Directed by Scott Ellis, Jim Parsons starred as Elwood, with a cast that featured Jessica Hecht, Charles Kimbrough, Larry Bryggman, Morgan Spector, and Carol Kane.
FU N FACT : Before starring in the film, James Stewart played Elwood P. ( P L AY B I L L . C O M A R C H I V E S )
Dowd on stage during the role’s originator, Frank Fay’s, vacation.
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What Was Happening when Harvey was written?
WO R L D WA R I I : The United States joined the Allies in World War II following the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. 16 million Americans comprised the U.S. armed forces, and those who stayed home used methods of conservation of natural resources and produced war materials to support the war efforts overseas.
P SYC H I AT R I C M E T H O D S : Sigmund Freud became well known to Americans in the 1920s, later becoming known as the father of modern psychiatry. Psychiatric care was a relatively new practice as patients displaying mental disorders were previously sent to asylums without any treatment or therapeutic options. Science leaned towards seeking solutions rather than looking for the reasons behind mental illness. Controversial treatments such as “shock therapy” were used and developed as the concept of psychiatric medicine began to develop.
AMERICAN LIFE: As the U.S. entered World War II, a greater need emerged for manufactured goods to support war efforts. More and more of the American population began to leave their small towns and into the big cities in search of jobs and wealth. The large migrations from small towns lead to an impersonal attitude about large cities and many becoming nostalgic of the slower paced lifestyle they once had.
FUN FACT : T H R E E D I F F E R E N T U S T E L E V I S I O N A D A P TAT I O N S O F H A R V E Y H AV E B E E N P R O D U C E D :
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The first, in 1958, starred Art Carney, Marion Lorne, Elizabeth Montgomery, Larry Blyden, Fred Gwynne, Charlotte Rae, and Jack Weston. In the second, James Stewart reprised his screen role in 1972 along with Fred Gwynne, Richard Mulligan and Madeline Kahn. The last, in 1998, starred Harry Anderson, Swoosie Kurtz, Jessica Hecht (who appears in the 2012 revival), Leslie Nielsen, and William Schallert.
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designer
Becca Janney
COSTUME DESIGNER This is Becca’s third show with WaterTower Theatre. Previous costume design credits with WaterTower include Godspell and Everything is Wonderful. Other credits: Ada and the Engine (StageWest), Rhinoceros, Peter and the Starcatcher, Godspell, Dancing at Lughnasa (Baylor Theatre), The Crucible (October Theatre Company). W E B S I T E : beccajanney.com I N S TA G R A M : @nordic_goddess
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Scenic Design by Clare Floyd DeVries
what is a
A pooka comes from Irish Folklore. In Celtic mythology, a pooka is a mischievous fairy spirit that can take the form of anything but is most commonly seen as a dog, goat, goblin, and of course, a rabbit.
F U N FACT : Harvey incidentally made it’s Broadway Debut on Pooka day, November 1, 1944.
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student
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR BEFORE THE SHOW Have you been to a live play before? What is the difference between a play and a musical? Have you ever seen the movie Harvey? Did you have an imaginary friend as a young kid? What do you remember about them? Could you imagine still having an imaginary friend as an adult? How do you think others would respond to you in this situation?
BASIC THEATER TERMINOLOGY P L AY W R I G H T The playwright writes the script. DIRECTOR
The director is in charge of orchestrating the entirety of the production. They lead the actors, designers, and production crew to put the show on its feet. COSTUME
LIGHTS
Stage lights illuminate the actors so that they look their best. The colors used, focus of the light, and amount of lighting can really set the mood and environment of a scene. SOUND Everything that you hear during a performance that does not come from the actors.
What the actors wear during the show. AC TO R S SCENERY
Everything on stage (except props) used to represent the place at which action is occurring.
The actors are the people that perform the show onstage. AU D I E N C E
PROPS
All physical items on stage with the exception of the scenery. This includes lamps, chairs, pens, paper, books, and more!
The lucky people that get to watch the show.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR AFTER THE SHOW How is the experience of live performance different from a movie or television show? Who was your favorite character? Why? If you have previously seen the movie Harvey, what are the differences you notice in Harvey portrayed onstage and on screen? Why do you think some of the characters, particularly Elwood, can see Harvey and others can’t? Do you think Veta made the right decision in not allowing her brother to receive the medicine? Why or why not? Do you think Harvey is imaginary? Why or why not? Can you find examples of the theater devices used by playwright Mary Chase throughout the production?
H I G H C O M E D Y: Comedy dealing with
DESIGNER:
polite society, characterized by sophisticated, witty dialogue and an intricate plot.
The designers are the creative professionals that decide how the costumes, scenery (or set), props, lights and sound that you see on stage should look.
F O R E S H A D O W I N G : Hints of what is to come in the action of a play or story D R A M AT I C I R O N Y: When the words
and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. This is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves C O M E D Y O F E R R O R S : A comedy
of errors is dramatic work (often a play) that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone, in which the action usually features a series of comic instances of mistaken identity, and which typically culminates in a happy resolution of the thematic conflict S Y M B O L I S M : Characters, usually ghosts, that are only seen by select characters almost always symbolize something in literature, such as suppressed guilt or fear, or longing
S TA G E M A N A G E R :
The person who runs the show from start to finish & is in charge of everything on the stage.
Bibliography https://www.scribd.com/read/385752415/ A-Study-Guide-for-Mary-Chase-s-Harvey https://www.walnutstreettheatre.org/season/ pdf/Harvey_study_guide.v3.pdf https://www.shawfest.com/assets/10PDF/ Shaw_Festival_Study_Guide_Harvey.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_(play)
F U N FACT : The play was adapted into a less successful musical: Say Hello to Harvey, with music by Leslie Bricusse, opening on September 14, 1981 in Toronto
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