Lyon College Theatre to Present ‘Harvey’ by Mary Chase
BATESVILLE, Arkansas — The Lyon College Theatre Department has announced its fall production of “Harvey” by Mary Chase, a Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy that has charmed audiences since 1944. Performances are set for Oct. 24-26 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. at the Holloway Theatre on the Lyon College campus, 2300 Highland Road, Batesville.
This timeless play follows the whimsical story of Elwood P. Dowd, a gentle and easygoing man whose best friend is an invisible six-foot-tall rabbit named Harvey. As those around him attempt to commit Elwood to a mental institution, they find themselves entangled in a series of humorous and heartfelt situations.
The play will be directed by Dr. Fonzie Geary, professor and director of theatre at Lyon College. Earlier this year, Dr. Geary received recognition from Region 6 of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for Excellence in Direction for Lyon College’s spring performance of “Bus Stop.”
Cast members include Weston Derden, Elwood; Eden Bodeker, Veta; Alex Band, Myrtle; Liam Selhorst, Dr. Chumley; Tra’jon Thomas, Judge Gaffney; Kyle Denison, Dr. Sanderson; Luke Bridges, Wilson; Kenzi Tosh, Miss Kelly; Ithyca Bacon, Mrs. Chauvenet/Mrs. Chumley; and Sam Jones, E.F. Lofgren.
“We are excited to bring this crowd-pleaser to the Lyon College community,” said Dr. Geary. “The cast and crew have worked tirelessly to make this production a success, and we can’t wait to share this beloved comedy with our audience.”
General admission is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and non-Lyon College students. Admission is free for Lyon College students, faculty and staff with a valid ID.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.