The Harvey House chain of restaurants got its start in Topeka when Fred Harvey opened a café for people traveling the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. Preferring the term “Harvey Girl” to waitress, he recruited single women to work at his restaurants that gradually sprang up all the way to California and Texas. In this play, it’s an ordinary day at the Harvey House Restaurant along the Santa Fe Railroad. The 20th century is just a couple of years away and six people on the staff of the restaurant are engaged in their usual struggles. That’s the ordinary part of the day. Then we get word that there’s an armed woman roaming around, having been part of a train holdup earlier that morning. This satirical play is fast moving and magnified. Think Moliere with a dose of the Coen brothers.

PERFORMANCE DATES: July 10-25, 2015

CAST: Effie – Shannon Clark, Mary Margaret Murphy – Chle Fischer, Whistle – Amy Romero, Miss Eudora Mecham – Carrisa DeVoss, Raul Aportella – Isaac Peña, Bachmann/Lukas Glitterman – Jaden Fleener, Stella – Zoe DeVoss, Godlee/Wendell Swamp – Angel Romero, Jr., Pillage – Kevin Pantagoa, Lydia Longtree – Eve Wayman, Shudder – Cynthia Bañuelos, Armed Woman/Cecelia Kate – Cambre Morow

CREW: Director – Doug Austen, Stage Manager – Sheri Tieben, Costumes, Deedee Miller, Set Design – Doug Austen, Lighting Design – Jennifer Vierthaler

MENU: Light appetizers

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