Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
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Harvey

Friday, May 6, 2022 - Saturday, May 7, 2022

It is a spring afternoon at the Dowd family home, and a tea for the high-society ladies of the Wednesday Forum is in full swing. The hostess, Veta Louise Simmons, is hoping that the event will allow her daughter, Myrtle Mae, now in her twenties and still unmarried, to mingle with the mothers and grandmothers of some of the town’s remaining eligible bachelors. However, to Veta’s horror, her brother, Elwood P. Dowd, arrives home unexpectedly and in the company of his closest friend, HARVEY the pooka (spirit creature of celctic folklore), a six foot one-and-a-half inch tall white rabbit—a friend nobody else can see. Veta and Myrtle Mae are mortified as Elwood who, ever pleasant and polite, begins introducing his companion to the ladies of the Wednesday Forum. The embarrassing family secret is now exposed as guests flee the house.

In spite of the fact that they are living in Elwood’s house and supported by his money, Veta and Myrtle Mae determine that the only solution is to commit Elwood to a sanitarium. In the office, Veta meets with Dr. Sanderson, Nurse Kelly, and Wilson the enforser. In confusion & disillusion, Veta accidentally gets herself committed instead and it becomes clear that head Dr. Chumley must get involved. After this comedy of errors gets resolved, the hunt for Elwood (and Harvey) begins.
 
We meet several characters on the way through the play including Dr. Chumley’s delightful wife Betty, a cab driver full of wisdom, Judge Gaffney, and Aunt Ethel who fall prey to hijinks as everyone ponders who is “crazy” – is Elwood, is everyone, is no one – and what is “real”?
 
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Start:
Friday, May 6, 2022
End:
Saturday, May 7, 2022
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