AUDITIONS FOR SCCC MAINSTAGE SHOW, “HARVEY” by Mary Chase
Sussex County Community College will be holding auditions for the Main Stage Fall
production, “Harvey” by Mary Chase. Auditions will be held at the college’s Performing Arts
Center located at 1 College Hill Road, Newton, NJ in building A on:
Tuesday, September 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, September 10 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Callbacks: Wednesday, September 10, 7 to 8 p.m.
Auditions are open to all college students, alumni and the community.
FOR AUDITION:
• Please prepare a one-minute monologue, comedic or dramatic.
• Sides will also be provided at the audition.
• Auditioners will be asked to improvise several scenarios with Harvey.
ABOUT THE PLAY:
“Harvey,” the 1945 Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy by Mary Chase, is about a perfect gentleman,
Elwood P. Dowd, and his best friend, Harvey -- a pooka, who is a six-and-a-half-foot tall invisible
rabbit. When Elwood begins introducing Harvey around town, his embarrassed sister, Veta
Louise, and her daughter, Myrtle Mae, determine to commit Elwood to a sanitarium. A mistake
is made, and the doctors mistakenly commit Veta into the sanitarium rather than Elwood. What
ensues is a comedy of errors resulting in mistaken identities, misdiagnoses, and a search for the
elusive, invisible rabbit that reminds us to embrace the quirks that make us special.
Character Roles:
With the exception of Mrs. Johnson, all roles are open.
Veta Simmons (lead): Myrtle Mae’s mother and Elwood’s younger sister, Veta considered
herself a member of the “better society” of their small town and is a member of the
Wednesday Forum, a social club for the ladies of the town. She is, however, embarrassed
by her brother. She is intent on landing a suitable husband for her daughter Myrtle Mae.
She is very concerned about fitting into society and all the social proprieties that that
involves. She also loves her older brother Elwood very much. This is the dynamic that
drives the action of the play.
Elwood P. Dowd (lead): Veta’s older, mild-mannered and beloved brother. Elwood owns
the family home he lives in with Myrtle and Veta. He is pleasant, loveable, and friendly to
everyone. He enjoys his visits to the neighborhood bar and loves playing cards. He has an
old-school charm. His best friend is Harvey, an invisible six-and-a-half-foot-tall invisible
rabbit.
Myrtle Mae Simmons (supporting): The daughter of Veta Simmons, Myrtle Mae is in her
early twenties and still unmarried. Both Veta and Myrtle are about the business of finding
Myrtle a man to marry-a mission that is made impossible with Elwood constantly
introducing people to Harvey. Myrtle is extremely self-centered.
Ruth Kelly, R.N. (supporting): Ruth is an attractive and young head nurse at Chumley’s
Rest, a sanitarium for mental patients. She is a sympathetic character, who has a
love/hate relationship with Dr. Sanderson. She is sweet and kind and looks for the best in
people.
Dr. Lyman Sanderson (supporting): A young and highly qualified psychiatrist, handpicked
by Dr. Chumley, Dr. Sanderson’s talent is only surpassed by his vanity. He is as infatuated
with Nurse Kelly as she is with him, though he struggles not to let on
Duane Wilson (supporting): Duane is the sanitarium’s attendant and strong arm. He
admires Dr. Chumley, and is a devoted orderly responsible for handling the patients who
will not cooperate voluntarily. He sets his sites on Myrtle Mae Simmons soon after meeting
her.
Dr. William R. Chumley (supporting): Dr. Chumley is an esteemed psychiatrist with years
of experience and the head of Chumley’s Rest. He is a confident, difficult, sometimes
pompous, man, who will go to any length to protect the reputation of his sanitarium
Judge Omar Gaffney (supporting): Judge Gaffney is a family friend and represents the
estate of Veta and Elwood’s late mother. He is fiercely protective of the family and
surprisingly understanding of Elwood’s belief in Harvey.
Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet (featured): Ethel Chauvenet is an older, wealthy and elite member
of the Wednesday Forum, the town’s social circle. Mrs. Chauvenet is an old friend of the
family and has a marriageable grandson around Myrtle’s age. Veta desperately wants
Myrtle to break into this elite circle.
E.J. Lofgren (featured): An ultimately wise cab driver, whose monologue about sanitarium
passengers is crucial to the climax of the play.
Betty Chumley (featured): Dr. Chumley’s wife, Mrs. Chumley is a lovely woman, kind and
talkative.
*HARVEY is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)