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Fluorescent lights and 10 chairs filled Syracuse Stage’s Archbold Theatre for a reading of “Harvey.” The stage, lined with small figurines resembling doll houses and a tiki hut, transformed the scene into the town of Cranberry, New York. Audience members chuckled as the cast and crew read through the 1944 comedy.

The one-night reading of playwright Mary Chase’s “Harvey” Sunday evening brought together theatre lovers. The reading served as the main inspiration for the play “Primary Trust,” which plays from Jan. 22 to Feb. 9 at Syracuse Stage. “Primary Trust” is about 38-year-old Kenneth, whose best friend, Bert, is imaginary.

Similarly, “Harvey” tells the story of Elwood P. Dowd and his imaginary friend, Harvey, who happens to be a six-foot-tall rabbit.

“It reminds us to appreciate each other and the magic within each of us and I think that that’s pretty rare,” Melissa Crespo, director and associate artistic director of Syracuse Stage, said.

Crespo decided to put on the show at Syracuse Stage after doing research for “Primary Trust” and finding overlaps between the two plays.

“I remembered it from high school but vaguely,” Crespo said. “When I reread it, I had so much fun reading it and thought, ‘This would be a great reading to do in companion to ‘Primary Trust.’”

The reading featured no costumes or any elaborate set changes. Actors read the play from their scripts at a line of music stands. The actors only had two rehearsals before they performed in front of a nearly full house, which is normal for play readings, Crespo said.

Without any props, actors used their hands to pantomime things like a telephone or doorway. But the lack of props and short rehearsal timeframe didn’t worry Alexis Martin, who plays Myrtle Simmons.

“I feel like if it were with any other people, I would be more stressed,” Martin said. “But because it’s with Syracuse Stage and Melissa and this incredible cast, I feel like it all kind of melted together so perfectly.”

As the entire cast is from Syracuse, the show highlighted local performers, Crespo said. She described the casting and rehearsal process as a “labor of love.”

Tanner Efinger, who plays Elwood P. Dowd, said the short rehearsal schedule encouraged him to better trust his instincts and remember things quickly. He also credits the help and reliance of cast members who aided in executing the show.

During Act 1, Dowd’s sister, Veta Simmons, decides to take him to a mental health rehabilitation center after feeling embarrassed by his interactions with Harvey. Upon arriving at the center and describing Dowd’s condition, doctors assume Simmons is mentally ill and admit her. The series of events that follow jab at sexism and how women are treated within the medical field, said Blake Segal, who plays Duane Wilson and E.J. Lofgren.

The play touches upon how women were treated in the 1940s through satirical language. The men in the play are taken seriously while female characters are often dismissed and disregarded, Segal said.

“I think this play wants you to realize how women are spoken over, and not to or with, and how women’s completely rational responses to reality are often treated as hysteria,” Segal said.

“Harvey” also touches on the U.S’s poor handling of mental health conditions through satirization, Segal said. He believes that as a country, the U.S. is quick to medicate, as reflected throughout the play.

Krystal Osborne, who plays Miss Johnson and Nurse Ruth Kelly, hoped audience members would fall in love with a new story through watching “Harvey.” She said she wants the audience to allow themselves to experience and be inspired by new things.

The play focuses on the importance of connection and kindness, Osborne said, which in today’s world are especially important. “Harvey” also encourages viewers to step forward and act with understanding for others.

Derek Powell, who plays Dr. Sanderson, believes “Harvey” has the ability to connect to each audience member and remind them of someone in their own life, he said. His goal is to spark laughter and reflection from audience members.

Crespo hopes audience members are encouraged to see “Primary Trust” following the performance of “Harvey.” She also encourages viewers to realize how much plays from the 1940s have in common with plays today.

Throughout the reading, Martin focused on taking away feelings of camaraderie and pure joy, she said. The play recognizes the innocence that must be held on to, especially in the modern world.

“I feel like that is what Elwood represents, both the childhood that we cling to and even in adulthood and the innocence of man,” Martin said. “And I feel like that this play encapsulates that so well that doing even just a reading of it provides a moment for everyone, a full room to share in that.”

Published on January 27, 2025 at 11:21 pm

Contact Sydney: sabrocki@syr.edu