Palo Alto Players Present HARVEY, Now thru 11/23

Palo Alto Players follows up on its successful season premiere with the hare-raising comedy classic Harvey. Written by Mary Chase, this beloved play won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945 and has been charming audiences ever since! Harvey will play for 11 performances (tonight, November 7-23, 2014) at the Lucie Stern Theater located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Tickets are on sale now by ordering online at www.paplayers.org or by calling 650.329.0891.

Elwood P. Dowd is a kind and charming man, whose lovable character has one major flaw - his best friend is an invisible, six-foot-tall rabbit named Harvey. His society-conscious sister Veta decides to save herself future embarrassment by having Elwood committed to the local sanitarium. But when Veta is mistakenly committed in his place, a loony tornado of chaos, confusion, and laughter ensues, leaving everyone chasing after Elwood and his giant, cotton-tailed friend. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Harvey is a classic comedy about finding ourselves while losing our minds.

Artistic Director Patrick Klein says, "One of the things we wanted to focus on this season was finding shows that would unite families and introduce a new generation of eager minds to the theatre. And there's something so imminently relatable and timeless about the comedy in this play. It's been 70 years since Harvey first opened on Broadway, but there's something about that invisible rabbit that keeps charming audiences across America, decade after decade!"

Show director Jeanie K. Smith says, "Some people think it's a play about a giant invisible rabbit - but really it's about taking time to appreciate life's gifts - enjoying friendship, kindness, pleasantry, love, and even a good drink. Elwood Dowd says his mother advised him that we have to choose between being smart or being pleasant - and playwright Chase gives us a beautiful example of the latter in Elwood and his mischievous pooka friend. Today's audiences will enjoy the antics and comedy, and perhaps be reminded to stop and smell the roses along the way."

Harvey premiered on Broadway in 1944, where it opened to critical acclaim and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945. In fact, Harvey is so beloved that when the United States government was naming its Stealth aircraft project, it cleverly named the secret operation "Project Harvey" after the play's similarly "invisible" rabbit!

The role of Elwood P. Dowd has most famously been played by James Stewart, who has palled around with his invisible friend Harvey (the role of Harvey is always played by himself!) four different times in his career: first, during Harvey's initial Broadway run in 1944; next, in the major motion picture adaptation (which would net him an Academy Award Best Actor nomination); then, in the 1970 Broadway revival; and finally, in 1975's revival on London's West End. Harvey had another Broadway revival in 2012, where the torch was passed and another "James" picked up the role of Elwood - two-time Emmy winner and Golden Globe Award winner Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory"). Elwood's sister, Veta, is a critical part of Harvey's success, and this role has been graced by Helen Hayes ("the First Lady of American Theatre") and Josephine Hull, who originated the role and would go on to win an Academy Award for her performance in the major motion picture opposite Stewart.

Harvey is a show for the entire family, and Palo Alto Players recommends this show for ages 10 and up (younger children may be bored by the production's longer monologues).

The cast includes:

Elwood P. Dowd: Evan Michael Schumacher, Sunnyvale

Veta Louise Simmons: Mary Price Moore, Burlingame

Myrtle Mae Simmons: Ali Koch, Los Altos

Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet: Roberta Morris, Menlo Park

Ruth Kelly, R.N: Nicole Martin, San Mateo

Lyman Sanderson, M.D: Scott Solomon, Half Moon Bay

William R. Chumley, M.D: John Musgrave, Belmont

Betty Chumley: Celia Maurice, Atherton

Judge Omar Gaffney: Tom Farley, Redwood City

Duane Wilson: Drew Reitz, San Francisco

E. J. Lofgren: Scott Stanley, Los Altos

Harvey: Himself

This production will also feature scenic design by Ron Gasparinetti, lighting design by Selina Young, sound design by Gordon Smith, properties design by Pat Tyler, and hair and makeup design by Shiboune Thill.

Opening night for Harvey is Saturday, November 8 at 8pm, and the show runs until November 23, 2014; there is also a paid preview performance on Friday, November 7 at 8pm. The curtain lifts at 7pm on Thursdays, 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, and Sunday performances are a matinee at 2pm. Palo Alto Players will host two post-show Talk Back events on Thursdays, November 13 and November 20, led by Artistic Director Patrick Klein and featuring members of the cast. Talk Back events are complimentary with the purchase of a ticket for that night's performance. Ticket prices are priced according to seating chart, and range from $31 to $45. Discounted tickets are available to Seniors, Military, and Students for Thursday and Sunday performances only. Special discounts of 20-25% for groups of 10 or more are also available. For ticket services, please call 650.329.0891 or visit Palo Alto Players online at www.paplayers.org.

Palo Alto Players' 84th season "A Season of Mythic Proportions" will continue in 2015 with a beautifully haunting rendition of Eurydice (by Sarah Ruhl), and the spring musical, The Addams Family, is sure to delight and thrill (book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa). The 84th season will close in June 2015 with Chinglish, a new comedy about the misadventures of miscommunication (by David Henry Hwang). Seasons tickets are still available for as little as $124 for the remaining four shows in the season, including Harvey.

In cooperation with The City of Palo Alto, Harvey and the 84th season of Palo Alto Players are produced at the Lucie Stern Theater located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, CA. Use of this facility is made possible through support from The City of Palo Alto, Community Services Department, Division of Arts and Sciences, and from our patrons.

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