By Aimie Pizano and Linda Horrell
IVCC's Theatre Department will present "Harvey" by Mary Chase on Oct. 26 - 29 in the Cultural Centre.
Michael Hylin will play Elwood P. Dowd, whose imaginary friend Harvey is a six-foot rabbit. Eddie Bauman will play Elwood's sister Veta and Erin Peters will play her daughter Myrtle Mae.
Other members of the cast are: Megan Stoudt as the maid, Megan Zomboracz as Mrs. Chauvenet, Sarah Heitmann as nurse Kelly, Jason Wertz is the orderly, John Atchley as Dr. Sanderson.
Also: George Ferroni as Dr. Chumley, Kaaren Holt as Betty Chumley, Aaron Dalzot as Judge Gaffney and Luke Scheickert as E.J. Lofgren.
The comedy, set in the mid-1940's, shows the problems that arise when Elwood's sister Veta tries to have Elwood committed to a sanitarium because of his eccentric behavior, but she is mistakenly committed.
To Dr. David Kuester, the director, "Harvey" is more than a timeless play about eccentric behavior. It's a study of how society has viewed mental illness in the past.
Drawing on the dissertation research he did on the way mental illness has been reflected in the American theatre, Kuester said, "'Harvey is a landmark play in that it is the first to question the medical model (of mental illness) and make us laugh at it's faults."
Explaining that the medical model views any abnormality as an illness, Kuester said: "Once we define something as an illness, the implication is that there is a cure. If we view behavior that is outside of our chosen norm as an illness, then society is off the hook. We do not have to be inclusive or understanding of these people. We just need to send them off to be fixed.
"The blame rests on the shoulders of the person who gets a label of mental illness stuck on them."
Members of the technical crew for the production include Jose Miranda, tech crew assistant director; Edward Vasquez, tech coordinator - lighting; Matt Harmon, sound; Jeramia Bolenger, set design and construction; Genetta Douglas, costume, makeup and props; Amber Mecum, publicity.
Kuester said he was very pleased with the turn out for the auditions; over 30 students tried out or signed up to help with technical support for the show.
The play will be presented at noon Oct. 26, 8 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 28 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 29. Tickets will be free to IVCC students, faculty and staff. General admission is $5.