Little did we know when longtime theatre stalwart Eve Davidson was cast as Veta Louise in Starlight’s Harvey, that she wouldn’t be alive on opening night.
After experiencing some disorientation symptoms a couple weeks into rehearsals, Eve was replaced by me (the original Mrs. Chumley; A.D. Sue Chmurynsky took over my role.) Not long after, Eve was diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal brain tumor. She was at Sparrow waiting for a hospice bed to open up, under her “no feeding tube; no breathing tube” advance directive, when she experienced a “choking episode and her heart stopped” early Saturday morning.
There is no service planned at this time, but both Riverwalk and Starlight, where Eve performed often, would welcome donations in Eve's memory, that would be printed in their programs. www.starlightdinnertheatre.com , http://www.riverwalktheatre.com
So the cast/crew is carrying on, coping with our loss as well as the usual tech week chaos and coping with the new Grand Ledge High School stage.
So cross your fingers and say a prayer for our departed star, Eve — and hope to see you at Harvey, this weekend and next — details below:
Starlight Dinner Theatre brings ‘Harvey’, the Pulitzer Prize winning play about an invisible rabbit and his impact on human sanity, to the stage at Grand Ledge High School (April 29-30 and May 1 & 6-7).
The story centers on amiable but often quirky Elwood P. Dowd (Chris Klaver) who is driving his sister and niece crazy by introducing everyone he meets to his pal, ‘Harvey’, a six-foot rabbit that can be seen only by Elwood. His sister, Veta (Jane Zussman), decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter Myrtle May (Laura Croff) and friends from further embarrassment. Problems arise, however, when she explains to the doctors that years of living with Elwood’s hallucination have caused her to see ‘Harvey’ as well. That's when the real comedy begins.
‘Harvey’ premiered on Broadway November 1, 1944, and closed on January 15, 1949, after 1,775 performances, making it the fifth longest-running Broadway show at that point. The following year, ‘Harvey’ became a highly successful and Oscar-nominated Hollywood film that starred James Stewart. 'Harvey' is a production that Starlight Dinner Theatre founder, Linda Granger, has long-wanted to bring to the stage.
"I've wanted to include this show in one of our seasons but was never able to make it happen until now. It's a classic comedy that's as funny today as it was 70 years ago -- that tells you about the universal appeal it still has on audiences”, said Granger -- who is also the show's producer.
Director David Oswald has put together a talented cast of performers that also includes Bob Robinson, Mark Polzin, Stephanie Spagnuolo, Greg Pratt, Mark Zussman, Susan Chmurynsky Leonore Helder, and Gary Mitchell.
Dates: April 29-30, May 1 and May 6-7, 2022
Times: Fridays and Saturdays (doors open at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., and show at 7:30 p.m.) Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on May 1 ONLY -
Show & dinner prices: $37 regular price, $34 for seniors (62+) & students (age 13-22).
Show & dessert prices: $22 adults/seniors/students 13+ ; $13 children 12 and under - Sunday, May 1 only.
Show only: $15 regular price, $14 for seniors & students, $10 for children.
Location: new temporary location: Grand Ledge High School – 820 Spring Street, Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Drive west on Saginaw to Grand Ledge; turn right/north on Jenne St.; turn left at the first school driveway, pass the stadium bleachers and tennis courts, turn right to get to the parking lot behind the central, rear entrance to the school. Front entrance blocked by construction.
*For additional information on Starlight Dinner Theatre shows, including reservations, starting times and ticket prices, call (517) 599-2779 or visit the website at www.starlightdinnertheatre.com
After experiencing some disorientation symptoms a couple weeks into rehearsals, Eve was replaced by me (the original Mrs. Chumley; A.D. Sue Chmurynsky took over my role.) Not long after, Eve was diagnosed with an aggressive, terminal brain tumor. She was at Sparrow waiting for a hospice bed to open up, under her “no feeding tube; no breathing tube” advance directive, when she experienced a “choking episode and her heart stopped” early Saturday morning.
There is no service planned at this time, but both Riverwalk and Starlight, where Eve performed often, would welcome donations in Eve's memory, that would be printed in their programs. www.starlightdinnertheatre.com , http://www.riverwalktheatre.com
So the cast/crew is carrying on, coping with our loss as well as the usual tech week chaos and coping with the new Grand Ledge High School stage.
So cross your fingers and say a prayer for our departed star, Eve — and hope to see you at Harvey, this weekend and next — details below:
Starlight Dinner Theatre brings ‘Harvey’, the Pulitzer Prize winning play about an invisible rabbit and his impact on human sanity, to the stage at Grand Ledge High School (April 29-30 and May 1 & 6-7).
The story centers on amiable but often quirky Elwood P. Dowd (Chris Klaver) who is driving his sister and niece crazy by introducing everyone he meets to his pal, ‘Harvey’, a six-foot rabbit that can be seen only by Elwood. His sister, Veta (Jane Zussman), decides to have him committed to a sanitarium to spare her daughter Myrtle May (Laura Croff) and friends from further embarrassment. Problems arise, however, when she explains to the doctors that years of living with Elwood’s hallucination have caused her to see ‘Harvey’ as well. That's when the real comedy begins.
‘Harvey’ premiered on Broadway November 1, 1944, and closed on January 15, 1949, after 1,775 performances, making it the fifth longest-running Broadway show at that point. The following year, ‘Harvey’ became a highly successful and Oscar-nominated Hollywood film that starred James Stewart. 'Harvey' is a production that Starlight Dinner Theatre founder, Linda Granger, has long-wanted to bring to the stage.
"I've wanted to include this show in one of our seasons but was never able to make it happen until now. It's a classic comedy that's as funny today as it was 70 years ago -- that tells you about the universal appeal it still has on audiences”, said Granger -- who is also the show's producer.
Director David Oswald has put together a talented cast of performers that also includes Bob Robinson, Mark Polzin, Stephanie Spagnuolo, Greg Pratt, Mark Zussman, Susan Chmurynsky Leonore Helder, and Gary Mitchell.
Dates: April 29-30, May 1 and May 6-7, 2022
Times: Fridays and Saturdays (doors open at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m., and show at 7:30 p.m.) Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on May 1 ONLY -
Show & dinner prices: $37 regular price, $34 for seniors (62+) & students (age 13-22).
Show & dessert prices: $22 adults/seniors/students 13+ ; $13 children 12 and under - Sunday, May 1 only.
Show only: $15 regular price, $14 for seniors & students, $10 for children.
Location: new temporary location: Grand Ledge High School – 820 Spring Street, Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Drive west on Saginaw to Grand Ledge; turn right/north on Jenne St.; turn left at the first school driveway, pass the stadium bleachers and tennis courts, turn right to get to the parking lot behind the central, rear entrance to the school. Front entrance blocked by construction.
*For additional information on Starlight Dinner Theatre shows, including reservations, starting times and ticket prices, call (517) 599-2779 or visit the website at www.starlightdinnertheatre.com
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