Rabbit Run starts season with wonderfully weird ‘Harvey’

Local faves, newcomers in cast help show Pulitzer winner has aged well

Every family tree has a few nuts.

But not every family tree has a six-and-a-half-foot-tall bunny rabbit.

“Harvey” is an offbeat story with both intrigue and heartwarming family values.

Rabbit Run Theater steps up to the challenge of producing the 1944 Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy and does so with a formula that fosters eerie magic and mystery.

Putting together a show where one of the main characters is invisible is nothing short of intimidating. To pull it off, Rabbit Run cast the perfect kooky character for the job.

Brendan Sandham plays Elwood P. Dowd, the 40-something-year-old man whose best friend is not only not human, but not seen by the ordinary eye.

Sandham captures the spirit of Elwood by portraying him with every bit of eccentricity and innocence the character calls for. Loveable, goofy and constantly speaking to a tall rabbit no one can see but him, Sandham’s Elwood quickly makes his way into your heart and stays there.

Sandham’s performance remains strong during the entire production. By far, the best scenes of the show are those he leads by aimlessly wandering around and offering his genuine, warm regards to every stranger he meets.

His unusual brand of kindness leads to many comedic hijinks, most of which are unwelcome by his aspiring socialite sister, Veta Louise Simmons, played by local comedy-goto Sandy Kosovich Peck.

Veta’s mortified about her off-beat brother and continually fears the damage he’ll do to her reputation in high society. Peck nails the panic, drama and outrage that rapidly spews out of her character. Peck’s hilarious, highenergy drama-queen skills produce a great majority of the production’s laughs.

Ironically, Veta’s frustrations from what she perceives as her brother’s lack of sanity costs her a bit of her own.

Supporting roles are another source of laughter in this show. Relatively new to the stage but not showing it, Benjamin Burke plays young and proud Dr. Sanderson. Burke’s performance is equal parts believable and humorous.

Janna Klein plays Nurse Kelly, who is trapped in a love/hate relationship with Dr. Sanderson. Nurse Kelly is either wide-eyed-in-love or huffing and puffing with the frustration that comes from being the only one with a clue. Klein radiates youth, but she also exudes grace and maturity. She navigates her character’s fervent emotions with great precision.

Also, as performed by these actors, the romantic chemistry between these characters is palpable, adding an extra sweet side storyline to the endearing narrative.

The crew responsible for the set runs like a welloiled machine, as the stage frequently shifts from formal living space to a sterile sanatorium.

The quick-change scenery isn’t the only piece of magic the behind-thescenes folks pull off. Without revealing spoilers for those who are new to “Harvey,” the set has a few surprises in store for the audience.

If you could point to any blemish on opening night, it was a minor sound issue. However, a telephone ringing a couple extra times after it’s been answered isn’t the end of the world.

Some stories don’t hold up to the test of time, but this nearly 75-year-old play depicts gentle themes of kindness and acceptance that endure as important reminders today as much as they did back in 1944, if not even more so.

So if you’re thinking about waiting to hit up the barn theater run by Rabbit Run Community Arts Association when a flashier performance hits the stage, reconsider. “Harvey” is extremely entertaining and offers a sentiment that many bloated Broadway productions leave out.

The crew responsible for the set runs like a well-oiled machine, as the stage frequently shifts from formal living space to a sterile sanatorium.

KATHY SANDHAM Ingrid Balstad, left, Brendan Sandham, Caroline Turner and Sandy Kosovich Peck as Veta Louis Simmons perform a scene in the Rabbit Run Theater production of “Harvey.”