Galaxy Theater Company is pleased to announce open auditions for a spring production of Harvey by Mary Chase, directed by Carla Alcorn.

This is not about Weinstein, nor the 2017 hurricane. Harvey is a gentle, imaginative, whimsical play that premiered on Broadway in 1944, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1945. The film version was released in 1950, starring James Stewart in the role of Elwood P. Dowd. Elwood is an affable, unpretentious man who greets everyone he meets with a smile. Elwood seems mostly normal, except that he claims his best friend is a 6 ½ foot tall white rabbit named Harvey. His friendship with Harvey is complicated by the fact that no one except Elwood can see or hear his unusual companion. Elwood's family and friends begin to doubt whether he is "all there," and decide that the best thing to do would be to commit him to the local mental institution. Assumptions are made, which cause mistakes and mishaps, and everyone is caught up in the whirlwind, through which Elwood seems to walk calmly; the eye of this classically comedic storm.

Characters/Roles to be cast:
-Elwood P. Dowd. 30s-50s. Independently wealthy due to having inherited his mother's estate, Elwood is gentle, pleasant, and generous. He greets everyone he meets with a warm smile and more often than not invites them home to dinner or out for a drink so they can pass the time getting to know one another. He is eager to introduce everyone to his best friend, Harvey, but that's complicated because no one can see or hear Harvey except Elwood. Those close to him believe he's eccentric at best, certifiable at worst, but strangers think he's just a nice, sweet man.

-Veta Dowd Simmons. Elwood's older sister; she and her daughter Myrtle live with Elwood in their family estate. Veta is focused on introducing her daughter into society so she can meet a suitable man to marry. Elwood embarrasses Veta in front of others by talking to and about Harvey, and she worries not only about him, but what other people will think about the family.

-Myrtle Mae Simmons. Veta's daughter and Elwood's niece; 20-ish. Thinks her Uncle Elwood is cuckoo and is completely embarrassed by him, and that he will inadvertently ruin her reputation because she'll be known as "that girl with the crazy uncle." Myrtle is eager to have her mother get rid of Elwood by having him committed. That would solve the "Harvey" problem, and also Veta would then control the family estate.

-Judge Omar Gaffney. An old Dowd family friend, Judge Gaffney is also the attorney for the family estate. The judge is Veta's age; they were probably in elementary and/or high school together before he went off to law school. He is concerned about Elwood's behavior but reminds Veta that their mother left the entire estate to her brother and so she shouldn't act rashly or hastily about him.

-Dr. William Chumley, M.D. 40s-60s; Dr. Chumley is an eminent, nationally recognized psychiatrist, and founder and director of Chumley's Rest, a sanitarium for the mentally unbalanced.

-Mrs. William (Betty) Chumley, his wife, a pleasant socialite. She finds Elwood charming.

-Dr. Lyman Sanderson, M.D. 30-ish, also a psychiatrist, and Dr. Chumley's young new associate at Chumley's Rest. He is attracted to Nurse Kelly but won't admit it, since it's frowned upon for doctors to fraternize with staff.

-Miss Ruth Kelly, R.N. 20s-30s, head nurse at Chumley's Rest. Very competent, Nurse Kelly is usually found at the admittance desk. She is gentle and soothing with patients and their families, and proud to work for a person of such renown as Dr. Chumley. She is attracted to Dr. Sanderson, but won't admit it, since it's frowned upon for doctors to fraternize with staff.

-Duane Wilson, 20s-30s; head orderly at Chumley's Rest. Duane is sort of a bully; considers himself a tough guy who's smooth around the ladies. He speaks casually with lots of slang, and more often than not he refers to patients as "kooks" or "nutcases." Nevertheless he likes and respects Dr. Chumley and is protective of him.

-Ethel Chauvenet, 40s-60s; wealthy socialite friend of Veta and Elwood; Elwood calls her "Aunt Ethel." Veta is eager to have Myrtle make a good impression upon Mrs. Chauvenet so that she can help introduce Myrtle into society.

-E.J. Lofgren, a cab driver. Any age. There are no small parts; Mr. Lofgren may not have many scenes, but his is a very important, pivotal role.