On December 4th, Brooklyn Tech’s Visual & Performing Arts Department opened the curtain on this year’s school play, Harvey — a comedic smash.
Harvey takes place in the Dowd Mansion, where Elwood Dowd (Brandon Slewett ‘25), humiliates his sister Veta Louise Simmons (Anna Bodzin ‘25), and her daughter Myrtle Mae Simmons (Adelaide Oppenheimer ‘26), when he insists on introducing them to his best friend, Harvey, an imaginary six-and-half-foot-tall rabbit. Increasingly concerned by Elwood’s unstable behavior, Veta commits him to Dr. Chumley’s (Oliver Lin ‘25) sanitarium, and a series of humorous conflicts arise within the family.
The play, filled with twists and turns, delivers a meaningful lesson about empathy and friendship, with a healthy dose of comedy.
Director and Tech alum, Ms. Christina Massie, described this year’s performance as “a different breath of fresh air.”
“Over the last years I’ve done film force comedy and [plays] like Yonkers which was more serious,” she said. “[Harvey] is in the middle. It’s not too heavy, but it’s not a ha-ha piece.”
Aerospace major Brandon Slewett (‘25), playing the lead role of Elwood P. Dowd as an innocent yet optimistic lunatic, was a highlight of the performance.
“[Elwood is] eccentric, oblivious to the world, but just really nice and polite to everyone,” Slewett shared.
However, as an actor interacting with an oversized, imaginary critter, the role was no easy feat.
“I have acted before, but this was definitely the most difficult part I’ve played,” Slewett added. “You have to imagine so much. There is a certain way [Dowd] spoke that I had to discover.”
Ms. Massie, who sat for an interview during rehearsals, was aware that other actors faced struggles finding their own characters, but knew Slewlett’s performance had become particularly impressive as opening night approached.
“He has to deal with the bunny, the imaginary bunny, [and] he’s doing a phenomenal job,” Massie noted. “Seeing him do that is just really great acting. It’s nice to see [him] shine through.”
However, Slewett was not the only star of the play.
Law and Society major Anna Bodzin’s (’25) turn as the sister, Veta Simmons, who constantly attempts to correct Elwood’s strange behavior for fear it may bring shame on the family, established the humorous twists and tensions throughout the play.
Beneath the layers of laughter, Veta teaches the audience an important lesson about loyalty in relationships, as she processes the tragic loss of her mother and comes to realize that she is Elwood’s only support.
“[Veta is] really frantic,” Bodzin shared. “She cares a lot about her appearance in the society, but at the same time, she’s trying to have empathy for her brother so it’s hard [for Veta to] find a balance between the two.”
“There’s just a lot of cool messages from the show about imaginary friends and whether being weird and eccentric is actually a bad thing,” Slewett added.
The production would not have been complete without the dozens of crew members–including the prop team, set building team, stage works, and student media–who helped put the show together.
Throughout the show, there were multiple set and costume changes that crew members pulled off seamlessly.
Led by Set Design Director, Mr. Michael Fisher, and the Production Manager and Stage Works Advisor, Mr. Sidney Izakson, the backdrop featured two interchanging background sets: the Dowd Mansion and Dr. Chumley’s office.
The Dowd Mansion, featuring a crystal chandelier, filled the stage with a rich and elegant ambiance. Filled with small additions like floral patterned couches, rotary telephones, and burnished wooden pieces, the show truly felt like an immersive late 1940s set.
Dr. Chumley’s office featured a blue and white color palette, polished with details like name tags, landline telephones, and a back entry staircase for flawless cast entrances and exits.
The office environment was perfectly complemented by Ruth Kelly R.N. (Ava Beswick ‘28), Dr. Lyman Sanderson (Mark Garcia ‘27), and Dr. William Chumley who were fitted in hospital attire, complete with white coats.
The real highlight of the sets were the two hand-painted portraits designed by Portrait Design Lead, Jayden Huang (‘27).
The first painting showcases a meticulously rendered portrait of the family’s late mother, hanging above the mansion’s mantlepiece. Dressed in a blue fur coat and topped with a striking red flower, the portrait brought Elwood and Veta’s mother, who is not featured in the play, to life.
Presented during another of Elwood’s episodes, he reveals a second painting when he intentionally removes his mother’s portrait, and a humorous depiction of Elwood appears, seated on a couch, embraced by Harvey, the imaginary six-foot rabbit previously only a mystery to all.
“The stage crew has been working hard,” Massie explained in rehearsals. “We have kids who are helping with hair and makeup [and] someone [who] designed the posters and paintings that are on the set; there’s a whole slew of kids.”
With opening night fast approaching, Ms. Massie was eager to see Harvey’s hardworking cast and crew give the audience a good show.
“I just hope everyone has a good time and [that] they appreciate the play,” she shared. “[I hope] they’ll give [Harvey] a shot, and they see [the work] behind the scenes, [how] the actors are working together, and what it takes to put on a production.”
