BWW Reviews: HARVEY Always a Hit at Boise Little Theater

HARVEY. Good ol' Ha-Ha-Har-HARVEY. Harvey may be one of the most beloved movies starring Jimmy Stewart. That movie was based on this play by Mary Chase. Wendy Koeppl directed this production at Boise Little Theater and it was a very sweet production.

I thought that Ken Bass was a charming Elwood P. Dowd. His mannerisms were just enough of a nod to honor the part made famous by Jimmy Stewart, without it being a characature of his character. It was also enough of Ken so that it was a new Elwood that audiences saw and enjoyed. The rest of the cast did a wonderful job capturing the innocence that Harvey represents. Patti O'Hara as the over-wraught sister, Veta Louise Simmons, Lynne Beautrow as Ruth Kelley the nurse in love with the new doctor who Elwood unassumingly flirts with, and David Lamar Wheeler as Lyman Sanderson the mistaken physiatrist who causes much of the havoc that surrounds the Dowd family.

I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the costume designer, this was Shirley Blauer's first show and not a single costume pulled focus (distracted from the time period). They all went well together. I know that I would like to steal the hat off of Mrs. Betty Chumley, and her dress was a great match.

There were a few issues with the running of the sound, but I heard there was a family emergency -but it should smooth out with more performances under the sound board ops belt.

All in all, this was a fun show and the audience fully enjoyed the performance. It would make for a great date night.