Pioneer Players present comedy-drama 'Harvey'
BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College student Tyler Pollock has the tall task of convincing audiences that he can see a 6-foot white rabbit starting April 26 in the Succop Theater on campus.
The communications major in his role as Elwood P. Dowd in the Pioneer Players' production performs opposite an imaginary 6-foot, 1½-inch tall, dapperly dressed white rabbit named “Harvey,” who is a pooka, a benign or mischievous spirit in animal form.
Elwood often brings Harvey home for his sister Veta's social gatherings, much to her dismay. In an effort to save the reputations of her daughter, Myrtle Mae, and the rest of the family, Veta commits Elwood to a sanitarium.
As Veta attempts to explain the difficulty of living with Elwood's eccentricities to the doctors, a comedy of errors ensues that results in Veta's own committal to the sanitarium.
Once the mistake is realized by Dr. Sanderson and Dr. Chumley, the search for Elwood and his invisible friend is afoot.
Other cast members include Meghan Hyatt as Veta; Lucas Franklin as Dr. Sanderson; Gabrielle Lisella as Myrtle Mae Simmons; Alyssa Martin as Ethel Chauvenet; Mackenzie Elmer as Nurse Kelly; Adam Seybert as Duane Wilson; Wolfgang Gaiser as Dr. Chumley; Victoria Allen as Betty Chumley; Jacob Hetrick as Judge Gaffney; Samantha Tanner as Ms. Johnson; and Shawn Covington as E.J. Lofgren.
Gabrielle Barton is the student director.
Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1944 play, one immortalized by Jimmy Stewart in the 1950 film of the same name, runs from April 26 to 28.
Show times for the comedy-drama are 7:30 p.m. April 26 and 27 and 2 p.m. April 28.
Tickets cost $5 for students and $8 for general admission, and are available by calling the Succop Theater box office at 724-284-8505 or by visiting www.bc3.edu/succop-theater.
