More Info
If You GoWhat: “Harvey.”Where: Chattanooga Theatre Center, 400 River St.When: 7 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday.Admission: $12.50-$25.Info: www.theatrecentre.com or 267-8534.
The Chattanooga Theatre Centre's Main Stage is illuminated with shades of reality and fantasy as eccentric behavior becomes the acceptable "norm" in "Harvey," the 1945 Pulitzer-Prize winning comedy of errors written by Mary Chase.
Greg Rambin makes his directorial debut with this lighthearted story of the pooka - a 6-foot 3 1/2-inch rabbit named Harvey who befriends the main character, Elwood P. Dowd.
The action of the play takes place in the library of the old Dowd family mansion and the lobby of Chumley's Rest, the local sanitarium, a.k.a. mental hospital. Designers Sarah Miecielica (sets), Bill Banks (lighting) and Vena Champion (costumes) use color and light to contrast the warmth of the home with the coldness of the sanitarium.
Rambin uses his cast of 12 to create a magical journey into the year 1946, with several noteworthy performances "hopping up" along the way. Jacob Callie Moore portrays the savant Elwood and his ability to remain in his character as well as "maintain" the necessary character of Harvey illustrates the profound focus in his delightful rendition. Setting the tone with such calmness, Moore gives credence to the notion that "the crazy person is the sanest one of the lot."
Sandra Jennings is exceptional as Dowd's sister, Veta, whose main goal in life is to find a suitable husband for daughter Myrtle Mae. The paranoia of the unseen Harvey possibly destroying the social life of her daughter gives Jennings' character a persistent, nagging theme throughout. Jennings offers real contrast in her characterization of the anxious sibling with monumental differences in action and attitude to that of brother Elwood.
Daughter Myrtle Mae Simmons is played by Hayley Graham, whose performance gives the youthful woman relevance in her search for a man. Spectacular facial expressions in her characterization of the "desperate hunter" highlight the many laughs she initiates in this comedic farce.
"Harvey" is an adventure for the lighthearted with a wonderful underlying message for all. At one point, quoting his late mother, Elwood says, "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh-so-smart or oh-so-pleasant. For years, I was smart. I recommend pleasant."
A wonderful message for us all.