CAST & CREW
Properties
Sharon Murphy
Head Carpenter
Michael Gilbert
Lighting Operator
Dayley Katz
Sound Operator
Matt Nickles
Stage Crew
Eileen O'Driscoll, Paul Porowski,
Laura Samuelson, Richard Siegel
Headshots
Vince Minkler
Program
Mark Kalet
Marc Suznovich as Elwood P. Dowd
Jennifer Moffett as Veta Louise Simmons
Elizabeth Colagrande as Myrtle Mae Simmons
Jacqueline Master as Mrs. Chauvenet
Michael Gencarelli as Dr. Sanderson
Alison Bender as Nurse Kelly
Ed Faver as Dr. Chumley
Greg Koblentz as Duane Wilson
Gloria Schnure as Betty Chumley
Howard Smith as Judge Gaffney
Rupert Ravens as E.J. Lofgren
SETTING
The action of the play takes place in a city in the Far West in the
library of the old Dowd family mansion and the reception room of
Chumley’s Rest.
ACT I
Scene 1: The library, late afternoon.
Scene 2: Chumley’s Rest, an hour later.
ACT II
Scene 1: The library, an hour later.
Scene 2: Chumley’s Rest, four hours later.
ACT III
Chumley’s Rest, a few minutes later.
There will be two intermissions. The first intermission will be
ten minutes. The second intermission will be five minutes.
Executive Producer
Adam Neary
Producer
Pete Matseur
Director
Jeff Seesselberg
Stage Manager
Andrea Polselli
Scenic Designer and Painter
Dorothy Bitetto
Costume Designer
Annmarie Matseur
Lighting Designer
Edgar Pearson
Sound Designers
Monica Alia, Joe Maisano, Matt Nickles
CAST (Alphabetical Order)
ALISON BENDER (Nurse Kelly) is thrilled to make her Playhouse 22 debut. She was most recently seen in Twelve Angry Jurors as Juror #3 and Boy Gets Girl as Det. Beck with Spotlight Players. A local high school Drama teacher, Alison has spent the last twenty years directing and instructing actors. She now enjoys performing as one again. Special thanks to the production team and cast for this amazing experience. Love goes out to her friends and family for their support, especially her wonderful husband, Ryan, and beloved sons, Lucas and Gavin.
ELIZABETH COLAGRANDE (Myrtle Mae Simmons) is thrilled to be making her Playhouse 22 debut! Recent credits include Sylvia at Circle Players (NJACT Perry Award nominee for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play) and Hand to God (Villagers Theatre). TV/Film credits include Machiavellian (web series),Who Killed Jane Doe? (Discovery ID), and The Holes Beneath the Trees. Elizabeth holds a BA in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Acting, and minor in Dance from FDU. She would like to thank Jeff, Kelly, and the cast and crew for this wonderful experience. Special thanks to Mom, Dad, Emily, Megan, and Zoey for their undying love and support.
ED FAVER (Dr. Chumley) has performed and directed shows in New Jersey and New York for over 30 years. His credits, as an actor, include The Tempest (Prospero), Prelude to a Kiss (the Old Man), Macbeth (Duncan), Much Ado About Nothing (Leonato), Hamlet (the Ghost/Player King/1st Clown), and The Drawer Boy (Angus), for which he received the Perry Award as Outstanding Lead Actor. Directing credits include Sylvia, Rabbit Hole, Heisenberg, The Normal Heart, Bill W. and Dr. Bob, Body Awareness, and Children of a Lesser God. Thanks to our audiences for your support. There’s nothing like live theatre!
MICHAEL GENCARELLI (Dr. Sanderson) has obtained his Associate’s degree in Drama from the County College of Morris. He also attended Montclair State University and received his Bachelor’s in History. Michael is excited to perform at Playhouse 22 once again alongside a talented and devoted cast and crew. Some of Michael’s favorite roles include, Seymour Krelbourn in Little Shop of Horrors, Glenn Cooper in Rumors, Louis Ironson in Angels in America, David Frost in Frost/Nixon, Androcles in Androcles and the Lion, Sam Nash in Plaza Suite, Vittorio Vidal in Sweet Charity, Cliff Bradshaw in Cabaret, and Benny in the New Jersey premiere of Rent. Michael would like to wish everyone a happy and successful run. Love the Arts.
GREGORY KOBLENTZ (Duane Wilson) is very happy to be appearing at Playhouse 22 for the second time as well as working with Jeff Seeseelberg again. Harvey is a fun show and the assembled cast has made it even more so. He owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Terri, and kids Maya, Ryan, Taylor, Tabi, and Tahlia for their generous support particularly in light of my diva-esque behavior and scheduling changes. Love them all.
JACQUELINE MASTER (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet) is happy to be back on stage at Playhouse 22. In addition to her annual role as The Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol, she was last seen as Mrs. Boyle in The Mousetrap. Other roles include Aunt Gert in Lost in Yonkers, Mrs. Gardner in Pride & Prejudice, Mrs. Webb in Our Town, The Narrator in Bits of Twine & Tweed, Marge Macdougall in Promises, Promises, and Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank. She thanks Jeff for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful group of actors and production people. Thanks, as always, to Emily for her love and support.
JENNIFER MOFFETT (Veta Louise Simmons) spent her childhood days with an imaginary chipmunk friend, so she feels incredibly blessed and equally qualified to portray the sister of the pooka-befriending Elwood P. Dowd. Jenn usually designs lights or stage manages for the playhouse, but every now and then she gets to be in front of the lights, instead of behind them. Her specialty happens to crazy women with long names! Her favorite roles include "Poppy Norton-Taylor" in Noises Off and "Leslie Margaret Catherine Casewell" in The Mousetrap. She hopes the cast knows how much she adores them, and she feels honored to share the stage with them. To the crew, nothing we do can be possible without you and all you do. To Kelly, thank you for all the support, line notes and for being the best maid a woman could ask for. To Sam and James, momma loves you for now and always! Jeff, thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to go a little crazy.
RUPERT RAVENS (E. J. Lofgren/Cab Driver) You may have seen Rupert recently here at the Playhouse as Martini in Cuckoo’s Nest or The Narrator for A Christmas Carol. Rupert has been nominated thrice for an NJACT-Perry once for a comedic role (Odd Couple) and twice for a serious role (Amadeus & Death of a Salesman). Rupert studied with Bill Esper and mastered the Meisner Technique (one degree of separation from Sanford Meisner) earning him one the first BFA’s bestowed by Mason-Gross School of the Arts/Rutgers. He wishes to thank the cast and the crew and producers for all their dedication and hard work as well as Jeff for his context and cajolery. This performance is dedicated to Eric Tavarus.
GLORIA SCHNURE (Mrs. Betty Chumley) is excited to be back performing at Playhouse 22. Gloria was last seen in Little Shop of Horrors, where she was part of the ensemble. Gloria also was in A Christmas Carol at McCarter Theater, as well as Jack of Diamonds at SVP. TV credits are; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Mr. Robot. IMDB Credits; Epidemic 2018. Gloria is also part of
a senior dance troupe, The NY Pacemakers. Gloria would like to thank Jeff, along with the crew and cast for all their guidance and talent. A big thank you to all family and friends for your support.
HOWARD SMITH (Judge Omar Gaffney) has played Heir Shultz in Cabaret, several roles in A Christmas Carol and most recently as the Padre in Man of LaMancha and Dr. Spivey in Cuckoo’s Nest. Howard has stayed busy in retirement, having performed in over 30 productions in NY and NJ over the last 7 years. Howard would like to thank his fellow cast members, K & L, and crew, friends, wife and family for their love and support.
MARC SUZNOVICH (Elwood P. Dowd) is excited to return to Playhouse 22. Last seen here as Giles Ralston in The Mousetrap. Other recent roles were Reverend Sprague in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Marvin in Four Weddings and an Elvis, Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, and Tinman in The Wizard of Oz. Lots of love and thanks to my wife Leigh for putting up with a great white rabbit for the last few months! These performances are dedicated to Marc’s father who will now be watching from above. Marc was fortunate to have shared the stage with his dad several times. Much love to the cast, crew, and production team bringing Harvey to life!
STAFF
JEFF SEESSELBERG (Director) is ecstatic to be working with such a talented group on his Fourth Directing adventure at Playhouse 22! Previous Directing credits include Frost/Nixon, The Mousetrap, and Little Shop of Horrors. Recent onstage credits include Hal in Proof (Playhouse 22) and Timothy in Hand to God (Villagers). He would like to thank the cast and crew for their tremendous work, Jenn and family for their support, and especially Dad and the Woodhouse Players in Leytonstone for introducing him to Harvey in 2014, who followed him for six years before showing up on this stage...somewhere. For Mom, who always has the best seat in the house. Enjoy the show!
PETE MATSEUR (Producer) is the President of the East Brunswick Community Players. Others jobs at the theater are concessions manager, Box office staff, and anything else that is needed around the theater. Thanks to a great cast and crew, especially Annmarie for the costumes.
ANDREA POLSELLI (Stage Manager) is a veteran crew person of many productions in the past couple decades in NJ. She’s ecstatic to be part of this long-delayed production with this hardworking and dedicated cast and crew.
DOROTHY BITETTO (Scenic Designer) is continuing her enjoyment of designing at Playhouse 22. Her last five shows were The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Man of La Mancha, Into the Woods, Proof and Smokey Joe's Cafe. After college Dorothy attended the Lester Polakov Studio & Forum of Stage Design in NYC. Her career in theater has included over 200 productions. In 2017 she retired from her career as Producer in television post production at Viacom. Dorothy continues her associations with SW Artists, a talent agency, and 10 Hairy Legs, an all-male modern dance company.
EDGAR PEARSON (Lighting Designer) is thrilled to be back at Playhouse 22 working with Jeff for the first time. Previous shows at Playhouse 22 include “Gypsy”, “Sunday in the Park with George”, “Man of LaMancha”, and “One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest”. Ed’s lighting designs have been seen at numerous Central New Jersey theaters including Alliance Repertory Theater Company, Circle Playhouse and Villagers Theater. Ed is excited to be studying Lighting Design at Mason Gross School of the Arts as part of the Rutgers University Senior Citizen’s Audit Program. Love Always to Hil who puts the light in my life!
SHARON MURPHY (Properties) is so excited to finally be back in the theater. She has been involved in theater since she was a teenager. By day, she is a high school English teacher who by night writes and plays video games (which makes her cool with her students). Sharon would like to thank the cast and crew, Mom for her patience, kindness, and love, her friends, especially Monica. Sharon would like to dedicate her work on this show to the memory of her father, Ed Murphy, who was Harvey’s first “audience” before he passed away last year.
MICHAEL GILBERT (Head Carpenter) was the technical director for AMAS Repertory Theatre in NYC and Shawnee Playhouse in the Poconos, the assistant technical director for the New London Barn Players in NH, and worked as a scenic carpenter and rigger at Playwrights Horizons, the Negro Ensemble Company, and most recently at Princeton Summer Theatre. As a theatre teacher in New York City for 33 years, he designed and built over 100 plays and musicals. Also an actor, Michael recently played The Ghost of Christmas Present in Playhouse 22’s annual production of A Christmas Carol.