Interview: 6 Questions & a Plug with Guthrie HARVEY's David Kelly

The Guthrie Theater is going old-school with the current production of HARVEY by Mary Chase. Taking place in 1944, this piece is a trip back to a more innocent time. Main character Elwood P. Dowd (David Kelly) is charming, lovable and kind. There's just one catch: his best friend is a 6-foot-tall invisible rabbit named Harvey. When Elwood's sister Veta (local favorite, the talented Sally Wingert) tries to have him committed to the sanatorium, but a whirlwind of confusion and chaos ensues as they try to catch a man and his invisible rabbit.

Broadwayworld.com Minneapolis got to learn a little more about David Kelly in his Guthrie and Minneapolis debut. Normally you'd get 6 Questions & a Plug but since a sharp-eyed reader would notice we're short a question so in the interest of full disclosure, I'm pointing it out. So, enjoy a more brief 5 Questions instead!

Tell our readers about HARVEY from Elwood P. Dowd's perspective -- what would he say the show is about?

I'd say that the play is about acceptance and inclusion. Elwood P. Dowd is an all-inclusive, nonjudgmental person, who wants to live in the moment with any and everybody he meets. He wants to know people's stories -their hopes and dreams, and he understands the importance of living in the moment.

From your perspective, is Harvey real or a figment of Elwood's imagination? How are you playing it?

From Mary Chase's perspective and mine, Harvey is undoubtedly a real entity. It is in the script that he affects everyone in the play directly or indirectly. He is actually seen by three characters in the play, and his joyful and mischievous spirit plays an important role on everyone's lives.

Is this production of HARVEY being done in the original period or is there anything unique being done with the show?

It is in the original period. I can't imagine it being updated, as there are too many old fashioned cultural icons that wouldn't work. For example, there are several minor but undeniable incidents of sexism in the play, that hopefully we forgive today looking back with a 1944 perspective. Plus, in today's viewpoint, Elwood would be considered an alcoholic. Libby Appel, the director chose to focus more on the love and acceptance in the play instead of alcoholism.

You've had a varied career with a mixture of classical and modern theatre pieces; what has been your favorite role so far?

The role I'm working on right now is my favorite. Seriously, I have many roles that I've loved, but Elwood is happening right now, and he is the favorite at the moment.

What was your first impression of the Guthrie, and what do you think of it now that you've been around several weeks?

This is an amazing organization. I have wanted to work here my entire career.

What's next for your career? Will we see you on Minneapolis stages again?

After a summer off with my family, I'll be at Berkeley Repertory Theater in Sinclair Lewis's, IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE, directed by Lisa Peterson. I hope to work at any of the wonderful theaters in Minneapolis again. It is a fantastic theater town.

David Kelly bio:

Kelly has been an actor with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for 25 seasons, performing in Guys and Dolls, The Cocoanuts, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, The Taming of the Shrew, All the Way, The Imaginary Invalid, The Pirates of Penzance, Henry IV, Part One,American Night, The Servant of Two Masters, Much Ado about Nothing, Richard II, Humble Boy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Baltimore Waltz, Death of a Salesman, Noises Off; The Three Musketeers and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, among others. Regionally, Kelly has worked at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse and The Kennedy Center.

More information:

Performance Dates: April 9 - May 15, 2016

Performance Times: Tuesdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Sundays at 7 p.m. - Matinees on selected Wednesdays, Saturdays

and Sundays at 1 p.m.

Location: Guthrie Theater - Wurtele Thrust Stage

818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415

Pricing: Single tickets start at $29 (Discounts for students & seniors

available)

Tickets: Tickets may be purchased online at www.guthrietheater.org

Guthrie Box Office: 612.377.2224 or 877.44.STAGE

Photo: David Kelly (Elwood P Dowd), courtesy of Guthrie Theater