What would you do if your best friend were a 6-foot-tall invisible rabbit? For Elwood P. Dowd, the answer is simple: introduce him to everyone you meet.
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Aims Community Theater Brings an Invisible Rabbit and Big Laughs to the Stage in “Harvey”
November 03, 2026
Members of the cast and crew of "Harvey."
What would you do if your best friend were a 6-foot-tall invisible rabbit? For Elwood P. Dowd, the answer is simple: introduce him to everyone you meet.
This November, Aims Community Theater (ACT) invites audiences into a wonderfully unusual world with its fall production of “Harvey,” a classic comedy.
“Harvey” was written by Colorado native Mary Chase in 1944. It follows Elwood, a good-natured man whose closest companion is a mysterious creature known as a pooka, a Celtic spirit that takes the form of a giant rabbit. While he sees Harvey as a perfectly ordinary friend, those around him are less convinced. Their attempts to make sense of the unlikely friendship lead to a series of increasingly ridiculous misunderstandings.
“‘Harvey’ is one of those wonderful plays that accomplishes this through humor, heart, and a little bit of absurdity,” said Benjamin Kessler, Aims Theater Director and Instructor. “On the surface, it's a comedy about a man whose best friend happens to be a giant invisible rabbit. Underneath that wonderfully ridiculous premise is a story about kindness, individuality, acceptance and the sometimes arbitrary expectations society places on us.”
The production runs November 13–15 and November 20–22 at Ed Beaty Hall Theater on the Aims Greeley Campus, 5203 West 20th Street.
A Classic Comedy with a Contemporary Message
More than 80 years after its debut, “Harvey” continues to resonate with audiences. The play challenges assumptions and invites viewers to reconsider the qualities that matter most. At the center of the story is a man whose unwavering kindness and generosity stand in sharp contrast to the confusion and frustration of those around him.
“There is something beautifully simple about Elwood's approach to life,” Kessler said. “He chooses to see the good in people, to treat everyone with dignity and to approach the world with an almost unwavering generosity of spirit.”
ACT's interpretation embraces the exaggerated personalities, eccentric behavior and absurd situations that make the play a beloved comedy. At the same time, the cast brings authenticity and emotional depth to the characters.
Harvey’s invisibility gives the audience a role in the storytelling. “Harvey may be invisible, but the audience becomes an active participant in imagining his presence,” Kessler said. “In a way, the audience is invited to make the same choice the characters face: whether or not they're willing to believe in something they cannot see.”
Ultimately, Kessler hopes audiences find something meaningful in the comedy. “I hope people leave asking themselves whether being accepted as 'normal' is really as important as being a good person,” he said.
More Than a Performance
ACT brings together students and community members from different academic disciplines, backgrounds and levels of theater experience. Working on a live production gives participants practice managing deadlines, responding to unexpected challenges and incorporating feedback.
“We're not simply producing plays,” Kessler said. “We're creating opportunities for students to grow as artists, professionals and people while building meaningful connections with the community.”
For this production, ACT has selected United Way of Weld County as its nonprofit community partner.
Showtimes
- Friday, November 13 | 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 14 | 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Sunday, November 15 | 1 p.m.
- Friday, November 20 | 7 p.m.
- Saturday, November 21 | 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Sunday, November 22 | 1 p.m.
Tickets are $15 per seat and are available at aims.co/harvey-tix. For accommodation requests or questions, contact ACTGroup@aims.edu.
