Beetle Bailey and Harvey

-"Beetle Bailey"  Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's amazing how and where Harvey will pop up. I love that pooka rabbit.

Last Weekend For HARVEY

This weekend is your final chance to see Hard Road Theatre's production of Harvey. It's a great show. They really don't right comedies like this anymore. Not only that, but you can see my (Tom Varner) award-winning-deserving performance as Elwood P. Dowd.

Performances are this Friday, October 8th and this Saturday, October 9th at 7:30pm at the Elementary Auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Ave., Highland, IL.

You can buy tickets at the door or reserve them by calling 618-654-7748. Ticket prices are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $6 for children.

Come on out and see the show. It's a night you will enjoy and a performance you won't regret seeing.

HARVEY

Classic Rabbit Tale in Highland

Hard Road Theatre Productions, in association with the Highland Arts Council and sponsored by First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust, is presenting “Harvey” at the Highland Elementary auditorium, 1800 Lindenthal Street, October 1, 2, 8 and 9 at 7:30pm and October 3 at 2pm. Mary Chase’s fanciful tale of a delightfully eccentric man and his tall white rabbit friend was first produced on Broadway in 1943 but is best remembered as a Jimmy Stewart movie in 1950. The story revolves around Veta Simmons’ effort to have her brother, Elwood P. Dowd, committed to the Chumley Rest Home and hopefully rid the family of the shame he and the “imaginary” rabbit Harvey have brought. Comic complications arise when the rest home staff attempts to determine who should be committed. The distinguished Dr. William R. Chumley soon finds himself under Harvey’s spell.

The cast includes Tom Varner (Sorento) as Elwood P. Dowd; Sheila Riggs (Highland) as Veta Simmons; Hank Crider (Highland) as Dr. Chumley; Mitch England (Highland) as Dr. Sanderson; Gentry Herlitz (Staunton) as Nurse Kelly; Tinah Edwards (Collinsville) as Myrtle Simmons; Tim Albaugh (Collinsville) as Judge Gaffney; John Taylor (Highland) as Wilson; Linda Collman (Greenville) as Mrs. Chumley; Mary Knebel (Pierron) as Mrs. Chauvenet; Hugh Gallagher (Edwardsville) as Lofgren; and Myra Juenger (Collinsville) as Miss Johnson. John Goldsmith of Greenville is the director.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $6 for children and can be reserved in advanced by calling (618) 654-7748. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

Hard Road Theatre Productions is a non-profit theatre organization committed to providing the larger Highland area with high-quality, affordable, live productions. For more information about Harvey , Hard Road Theatre, or further ticket information, visit the Hard Road website at www.hardroad.org.

Spielberg to Remake HARVEY

I just found out that Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct the remake to Harvey. The movie is supposed to be a "modern" retelling of the beloved classic. Supposedly Tom Hanks is slotted for the role of Elwood P. Dowd. I love the original movie and am a big fan of the play it is based upon. I'm also a fan of Spielberg and Hanks. However, this is one movie that doesn't need to me remade. There are some films that are just better off left alone and Harvey is one of them.