(NUTLEY, NJ) -- Nutley Little Theatre presents Harvey by Mary Chase weekends from February 13-28, 2026. The Pulitzer Prize-winning play is one of the longest-running comedies in Broadway and West End history, capturing the magic of amiable Elwood P. Dowd's friendship with his best friend, a tall white rabbit which only he can see.
When Elwood P. Dowd starts to introduce his imaginary friend, Harvey – a very tall rabbit – to guests at a society party, his sister Veta, can no longer tolerate his eccentricities. She decides to have Elwood committed to Chumley’s Rest, a sanitarium, to spare her family from future embarrassment.
Problems arise, however, when Veta herself is mistakenly assumed to be on the verge of lunacy when she explains to doctors that years of living with Elwood’s hallucination have caused her to see Harvey as well! Veta is committed instead of Elwood, but when the truth comes out, the search is on for Elwood and his invisible companion. When he shows up looking for his lost friend, it seems that the mild-mannered Elwood’s delusion has had a strange influence on more than one of the doctors. Only then does Veta realize that maybe Harvey isn’t so bad after all.
Directed by Mead Winters, the cast includes Kayla Torres (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Ann Katherine Grippo (Veta Louise Simmons), John Jesse Jeffords (Elwood Dowd), Jen Cooper (Miss Johnson), Vicky Chalk (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Jessa Blackthorne (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Jake Cerny (Duane Wilson), Aaron Drill (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.), Nick Pascarella (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Alexis Saarela (Betty Chumley), Mark Cunningham (Judge Omar Gaffney), and Packy Anderson (E.J. Lofgren).
Performances take place Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online. The theater is located at 47 Erie Place in Nutley, New Jersey. Please note, this show is not suitable for children.
The production team includes Director Mead Winters, Stage Manager Jen Cooper, Assistant Stage Manager Chrissy Rotondo, Set Design/Construction Jim Brown / Mead Winters, Lighting & Sound Operator Anne Kenny Simpson, and Stage Fight Coordinator Nina Di Norscio.
Harvey premiered on Broadway at the 48th Street Theatre, New York City, on November 1, 1944. It was produced by Brock Pemberton and directed by Antoinette Perry, with settings by John Root. The production ran for 1,775 performances. The role of Elwood Dowd was at points played by Joe. E Brown, Jimmy Stewart and Bert Wheeler.
For over 90 years, Nutley Little Theatre has been producing high quality theatrical entertainment for the enjoyment of Nutley residents and surrounding communities. Started in 1934, NLT prides itself on providing a range of live theatre: the all-volunteer organization presents six mainstage shows per year, showcasing a range of genres including musicals, comedies and drama. It also offers free Readers’ Theatre performances, special events, and creative workshops that bring together people from all walks of life from in and around Nutley.
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