CHAD YARISH as Elwood P. Dowd in the Napa Valley Playhouse production of “Harvey,” showing through Sunday.
Bryan Gray photo

Theater review by Elizabeth Warnimont
Special to The Herald

Napa Valley Playhouse, formerly Dreamweavers Theatre, is currently staging Mary Coyle Chase’s zany comedy, “Harvey,” the story of a special guy who makes a lasting impact as he frequents the neighborhood’s numerous pubs with his imaginary, white-“hared” companion.

“Harvey” is a first-time endeavor for director Jenn Ruygt, who brings extensive experience as technical director and stage manager to the task and does a capable job here. Chad Yarish is charming as the eccentric Elwood P. Dowd, whose sister (Lauren Haugan as Veta) comes to live with him after the death of their mother. Katherine McFadden also stands out as Veta’s young adult daughter Myrtle May, conveying a terrific sense of urgency whenever her oddball uncle appears and threatens to shake her ordered world.

Veta tolerates her brother’s quirkiness and seems to have a genuine affection for her strange but happy sibling and his long-eared companion, but after he arrives home unexpectedly one day and disrupts a party she has thrown in hopes of introducing Myrtle May to some eligible young men, she finally bows to her daughter’s urgings and sets out to have him committed to the local sanatorium.

Veta doesn’t quite know where to begin as she attempts to explain to the admitting nurse (Sarah Kristen Kramer as Kelly) the reasons for committing her brother, and the attending physician (Bodie Paden as Dr. Sanderson) initially mistakes Veta for the intended patient. Just when things seem to be getting straightened out, however, they only get worse as explanations are further misconstrued.

Pretty soon, it isn’t so clear just who is most in need of psychiatric help.

The pace is quickened when Dr. Chumley (Richard Pallaziol) takes an interest in the case. Chumley is the yang to Sanderson’s yin, excitable and intense as he determines to find Mr. Dowd and singlehandedly wrangle him back to the hospital. Pallaziol is a delight to watch, as is Patt Quinn as Mrs. Chumley, a highly refined yet compassionate woman who lends a calm and benevolent realism to the chaotic circumstances.

The play does falter in the romantic aspect. There is a suggestion of attraction at many points in the dialogue, but it gets consistently tamped down, making it unclear which direction the players’ passions are flowing. Where the dialogue leads in one direction, the players’ responses seem to head off in another. Myrtle May, for example, is obviously attracted to Wilson when he comes to the house looking for her uncle. His verbal response is suggestive of mutual feelings, but his delivery says “not interested.” Nurse Kelly also plainly demonstrates attraction for Dr. Sanderson, but again, though his words indicate interest, his actions suggest only disdain.

“Harvey” is a fun play, and the Playhouse does it justice, bringing some exceptional acting and a generous dose of charm to the stage. Romantic lapses aside, the Playhouse succeeds in bringing Chase’s lighthearted humor to life. The livelier characters are set apart nicely by the duller personalities, and the action flows smoothly. A low-key beginning brightens as the plot takes shape, and the result is a laugh-filled production moderated with a pleasant dose of tenderness.

If You Go
“Harvey” continues at the Napa Valley Playhouse, 1637 Imola Ave., Napa, through Sunday. Tickets are $10 to $22 and are available by calling 707-255-5483 or online at
napavalleyplayhouse.org.

Elizabeth Warnimont is a freelance writer specializing in the performing arts. She is also a substitute teacher for the Benicia Unified School District.

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