Harvey - a Lyons Community Theater Presentation

Hooray for Harvey for the Holidays! 

By Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Mary Chase, Harvey, written in 1944, is a tale for the ages about an affable fellow, Elwood P. Dowd, & his invisible companion, a pooka dubbed Harvey. It brilliantly swirls together eccentricity, social climbing & sanitarium forays into a hysterical calamity of errors - all pointing to the timely importance of human kindness & acceptance - no matter the challenges.

Lyons Community Theater has once again assembled a local hardworking cast of volunteer actors who are eager to deliver delightful diversions for the folks of Lyons, Colorado...

Performance times (all held at Planet Bluegrass' Wildflower Pavilion in Lyons, Colorado):

• Evening performances start at 7 p.m. on both Friday 12/13 & Saturday 12/14 (6:30 doors open)
• There is a matinee performance starting at 2 p.m. on Sunday 12/15 (1:30 doors open)

Ticketing info:

• Tickets can be purchased here in advance or at the door
• Ticket pricing is $20 for adults, $5 for children 14 & under, or $15 for seniors

Cast:

• Myrtle Mae Simmons - Kim Mitchell
• Veta Louise Simmons – Cherrie Ramsdell-Speich
• Elwood P. Dowd – Gwydion Wiinkelmeyer
• Mrs. Chauvenet – Andrea Marshall
• Nurse Kelly – Lauren Morrissey
• Dr. Lyman S. Sanderson – Ryan Haase
• Duane Wilson – Randy Pollard
• Dr. William R. Chumley – Roy Marcus
• Mrs. Betty Chumley - Georgianna Pollard
• Judge Omar Gaffney – Gil Sparks
• E.J. Lofgren (cab driver) – Joseph Lekarczyk
• Singers - Edie Sherman & Rumi Hollingsead
• Welcome - Altyn Legg

Crew:

• Director - Barney Dreistadt
• Assistant Director / Stage Manager - David Perry
• Tech Lead & Sound - Edward Kean
• Tech - Steve Lang
• Stage Hands - Chuck Esterly, Randy Pollard, Joseph Lekarczyk,  Kenyon Waugh, Scott Holthus
• Graphics - Chrystal DeCoster
• Costume / Makeup Collaboration - Andrea Marshall, Roy Marcus, Steve Epstein, Gail Kenney, Joan Hemm, Gloria Makarevich, Sarah Cole McCarthy, Sally Gibson, Western Stars Gallery, Shop Circular, Madison Tull, & cast (it takes a village!)
• Singers - Edie Sherman & Rumi Hollingsead 
• Welcome by - Altyn Legg

Available Biographies:

Welcome to Lyons Community Theater (LCT) and our current production of HARVEY. Every production is brought to life by the passion, dedication, and diverse talents of individuals who work tirelessly both on and off the stage. From seasoned performers to first-time participants, each member contributes a unique piece to the LCT’S creative puzzle. These provided short biographies offer a glimpse into their backgrounds, inspirations, and contributions to this production. Whether actors, directors, crew members, or volunteers, their stories reflect the heart and soul of community theater: a shared love for storytelling and a commitment to fostering local arts. As you read through these biographies, we hope you feel the same sense of connection and appreciation that we do for these incredible individuals. Thank you for supporting community theater — where dreams take center stage!

KIM MITCHELL (Myrtle Mae Simmons) Kim truly enjoyed being a part of this production. Her limited run with local theatre was in elementary school. She has also participated in two different Colorado chorale productions of Handel's Messiah. Kim says the best part of being in this production and part of the LCT was the warm embrace that the cast and crew gave. She greatly appreciates all the laughter, learning and effort that came together from this fun, dedicated and energetic local theatre group.

CHERRIE RAMSDELL-SPEICH (Veta Louise Simmons) Cherrie was bitten by the acting bug at an early age and never looked back. She has appeared in countless plays, musicals, an opera, and as an extra in the film, Our Souls at Night. Favorite roles include Conjur Woman in Dark of the Moon, Mrs. Pearce in Pygmalion, and Hold Me Touch Me in The Producers. This production marks her third appearance with LCT.

GWYDION WINKELMEYER (Elwood P. Dowd) Retired from a career in healthcare - but has fostered a life-long love of theatre and performing. Finds his muse and his heart’s work assisting the amazingly talented young people in Lyons and Estes Park to put on musicals. So proud to be a part of the LCT family.

ANDREA MARSHALL (Mrs. Chauvenet) Andrea is delighted to be in her fourth production with LCT, after roles in Canker Sores & Other Distractions, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Dragnet. Her life in the performing arts is varied, and includes multiple portrayals during a 20,000 mile, several months-long children's theater tour. Andrea was also a film/TV background actor in San Francisco before moving to Colorado over 30 years ago. She's been a Lyons resident for the past 16 years and loves living in this unique artistic community.

LAUREN MORRISSEY (Nurse Ruth Kelly) After nearly two decades away from the stage, Lauren is thrilled to be a part of this production.
Her first taste of community theater was during a middle school play called The Producer. She had a blast being a part of this cast and hopes you enjoy the show. Lauren spends her free time with her two dogs, exploring in nature and tending to her massage therapy and energetic healing practice in Lyons.

RYAN HAASE (Dr. Sanderson) Ryan is a former teacher who grew up in Oklahoma and came to Colorado by chance through connections at a yoga retreat. He has lived in Estes for the last 3 years working at a wedding venue. This is his first performance since childhood and enjoys the camaraderie that is thriving in the Lyons arts community.

RANDY POLLARD (Wilson) I got the acting bug when I was in high school. I played Luther Billis in South Pacific. I was in My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music as well. I continued acting when I moved to Greeley, CO where I was part of Agape Players and I played King Arthur in Camelot. I was later in community theater with Encore Theater where I played roles in Tom Sawyer, The Miracle Worker, 110 Deg In The Shade (The Rainmaker), Heidi, and The Perils of Priscilla in which I played the villain. I am now part of this wonderful group, LCT. I have been in The Pony Espresso, Cheating Death, It’s a Wonderful Life, and The Mammoth Springs, Arkansas Chamber of Commerce and Their Wives Discuss Great Works of Literature, High School Basketball, Sex and Other Things. I want to thank LCT for allowing me to continue my acting. It has been a pleasure playing Wilson. I hope you enjoy our play, Harvey!

ROY MARCUS (Dr. Chumley) Roy Marcus is proud to be appearing with the LCT once again, after playing the evil Mr. Potter in the 2023 production, It’s a Wonderful Life, and both directing and starring in plays that were a part of last spring’s bill of one-act comedies held at Oskar Blues. Vice-Chair of the LCT board, Roy loves that a Longmonster is allowed to “cross the border” to become a part of the beautiful world of Lyons. Huge gratitude to husband Steve Epstein, for invaluable advice only a veteran of over 30 years on Broadway creating costumes and dressing actors could offer. Roy offers thanks for the inspiration of the great character actors of the 1950s, especially Gale Gordon and Frank Nelson.

GEORGIANNA POLLARD (Mrs. Betty Chumley) I have always been in love with theater and music. My acting "career" really started in high school with lead roles in Oliver Twist, Daisy Mae and Lil' Abner, and Brigadoon. After 30 years as a choir/drama/speech teacher and longtime community theater member, the magic continues. I am excited to be a part of the Harvey production along with my husband, Randy. Thank-you LCT and the Harvey cast and crew for a fun adventure into the world of make-believe.

GIL SPARKS (Judge Gaffney) Gil and Kay moved to Lyons in 2020 to be with their son Chris, daughter in law, Jen Scott and their granddaughters. Gil is an active community volunteer (Lyons Community Foundation Board, Lyons Regional Library District Board, Community Foundation serving Boulder County Board, Historic Preservation Commission, and Longmont Twin Peaks Rotary Board). Gil started his theater career early in Prescott, AZ as Tully Bascom in The Mouse that Roared. He also performed in community theater in Butte, MT as Teddy Roosevelt in Arsenic and Old Lace. Since arriving in Lyons he has been in several local productions including, It’s A Wonderful Life, the Radio Plays - Burns and Allen and Dragnet, and most recently in the Rave to the Grave production of Ten Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. He spends much of his free time with his granddaughters, Juniper (6) and Marigold (20 months). During the summer he also volunteers to relocate rattlesnakes for local residents.

JOSEPH LEKARCZYK (Cab Driver) Joseph has acted in several LCT productions including Joseph the head angel in, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet Radio Play. He is grateful that Barney has finally allowed him to stretch his acting wings by playing a character not named Joe!

EDIE SHERMAN (Singer) Edie is a 10-year-old performer from Lyons who has been acting, singing, and performing since the age of 5. A proud member of the LCT, Edie has appeared in numerous productions, showcasing her wide range of talents. She has also been featured in national commercials for brands like Bass Pro Shop, Cabela's, Children's Hospital and more. In this production, Edie is excited to share her singing talent as she performs a song in the play. Represented by Wilhelmina Denver, she looks forward to continuing her journey in theater and beyond.

RUMI HOLLINGSEAD (Singer) A vibrant 10-year-old performer from Lyons has been captivating audiences with her acting and singing talents from an early age. She has showcased her skills through numerous performances with Mayama Dance Studio, the LCT, and as a lead in productions at the Boulder Actor’s Academy and various school events. A budding songwriter, Rumi has already written and recorded several songs and dreams of releasing her own studio album in the near future. Her creativity also extends to visual arts, reflecting her passion for self-expression. In this production, Rumi is thrilled to share her vocal talent with the audience through a featured song performance.

ALTYN LEGG (Announcer) I was born in Arizona and lived in a small town where my family had been for generations. A week before my third birthday, my family moved to Lyons where I have gone to school ever since. I am currently in 8th grade. I enjoy going to antique stores and learning about history. I have loved plays since forever. My earliest acting was playing with toys and trying to imagine what each different character would talk like. I was later in a few school plays, the first where I played a grandma in the play, The Emperor's New Clothes, and then in a Shakespearean play. I joined the LCT’s production of, It’s a Wonderful Life where I played the young George Bailey. I have not done many plays yet but I plan to do a lot more in the future!

BARNEY DREISTADT (Director) Since taking minor roles and being an assistant director in college, Barney has had experience with several community theater companies as an actor and director. Most recently he has worked with several Lyons area residents to help promote live theater in Lyons.

DAVID PERRY (Assistant Director, Stage Manager) David has been an enthusiastic and dedicated member of the LCT since joining two years ago. He has showcased his versatility on stage with memorable performances, including his portrayal of Dwayne in last year’s production of Mammoth Springs and as Sam and Martini in It’s a Wonderful Life. In addition to acting, David directed the fall production of 10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, in partnership with LEAF and Rave to the Grave, further demonstrating his passion for both the creative and organizational aspects of theater. When he's not on stage or behind the scenes, David works as a Hotel Training Manager, where he helps shape the experiences of both guests and staff. He enjoys spending his downtime with his wife, Paige, and their lively household of two dogs and three cats. David is grateful to be part of the vibrant LCT and looks forward to continuing to contribute to its success for years to come.

EDWARD KEAN (Tech Lead and Sound) With decades of live music production and volunteerism, Edward is thrilled to expand on both with LCT. Edward currently serves as a Lyons Sustainable Future Commissioner, Lyons’ Representative to Colorado Communities for Climate Action, and is a Certified Electrification Coach with ReWiringAmerica.org and GoElectricColorado.org when he's not riding his bike or hanging with Claudia, Eric, Ally, Ryan, Madison and Maeve.

STEVE LANG (Theater Tech) Steve has been a part of the tech team for the LCT since its inception, helping with set pieces, lights, music, and foley effects. His background includes electrical engineering, archaeology, and scientific/engineering software. His last 10 years before retiring this year involved data science work for the Call of Duty video games.

Acknowledgements and appreciation to:

• The Planet Bluegrass team, Craig Ferguson, Zach Tucker, Kyra Holt & Grace Barrett;
• Cemex Lyons for their generous support;
• The Lyons Community Foundation for their support of all the arts - all over town;
• The Lyons Arts and Humanities Commission for all they do for the arts & artists of Lyons;
• The Lyons Community Theater's growing cadre of local theater patrons for their critical support;
• The actors of all ages and experience levels who have so generously shared their time, talents & thespian interests with this group;
• All the dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to assist in a myriad of capacities;
• Various venues around town who have generously provided spaces for holding performances;
• Folks who have loaned props, costumes, materials, equipment, and/or expertise to help bring LCT productions to life;
• The Lyons Community Theater's volunteer Board of Directors: Barney Dreistadt, Wendy Dreistadt, Patricia McNichol, Roy Marcus, David Perry, Joseph Lekarczyk, & Chrystal DeCoster;
• The Dramatists Play Service, Inc.;
• Mary Chase, the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright of Harvey.
  

We look forward to seeing you (& Harvey in all his glory) at the Wildflower Pavilion & at future productions around Lyons!