HALLOWELL — Gaslight Theater will present “Harvey,” by Mary Chase.

When Elwood P. Dowd (Henry Quintal) starts to introduce his invisible friend, Harvey, a “pooka” in the form of a six foot, three and a half inch rabbit, to guests at a society party, including guests like Ethel Chauvenet (Jenny Benjamin-Rider), his sister, Veta Simmons (Kathleen Brainerd), has seen as much of his eccentric behavior as she can tolerate. She decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter, Myrtle Mae (Charmian Christopherson), and their family from future embarrassment. Supporting Veta is old friend and family lawyer Judge Omar Gaffney (Frank Omar).

Problems arise, however, when Veta herself is mistakenly assumed to be on the verge of lunacy! Doctor Sanderson (Galen Hall) commits Veta instead of Elwood the chagrin of Sanitarium Director Dr. Chumley (Bruce Hertz). When the truth comes out, the search is on for Elwood and his invisible companion, as Nurse Kelly (Abby Crocker) fumes over the inattention from the now disgraced Dr. Sanderson.

When he shows up at the sanitarium looking for his lost friend Harvey, it seems that the mild-mannered Elwood’s delusion has had a strange influence on Dr. Chumley among others. Only at the end does Veta realize that maybe Harvey isn’t so bad after all.

Rounding out the cast are John Rider as Duane Wilson, a rough and ready orderly, Karen LaPlante as Betty Chumley, the Director’s long-suffering wife, and Andy Tolman as E. J. Lofgren, a cynical cabbie.

Production dates: 7:30 p.m. June 19, 20, 26 and 27; 2 p.m. June 21 and 28.

All performances are at Hallowell City Hall Auditorium, 1 Winthrop St., Hallowell.

Tickets cost $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. For reservations, call 626-3698. For more information, visit www.Gaslighttheater.org.

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