reviews
How To Succeed...
"The show is luminous. I was especially amused by Miss Jones (Ellen Harvey), the boss's battle-axe secretary, who finally gets to strut her stuff at the finale, hitting the high notes and being handed around to the chorus boys like nuts at Christmas."
-John Lahr, The New Yorker
"Only Ellen Harvey, as Mr. BIggley's seen-it-all-secretary, has some distinctive flair."
- Ben Brantley, N.Y. Times
"Miss Jones (an amusingly forceful Ellen Harvey), the efficient fielder of all of Biggley's clandestine calls, offers a bellowing counterweight to all the husband hunters."
- L.A. Times
"Ellen Harvey is the perfect battleaxe of an executive secretary."
- Toronto Star
"Come to see Broadway pros who will stun you with small moments. Biggley's secretary Miss Jones (Ellen Harvey) will remind many of Edie Adams' executive secretary Miss Olsen in The Apartment, and Harvey almost steals the show in a few tunes."
- Urban excavations
"[Finch] weaves the same, ahem, magic on you he does the president's secretary, Miss Jones (Ellen Harvey), a hardened dragon lady who melts into a pulsing optimist in his presence."
- Talkin' Broadway
"In a smaller role, Ellen Harvey makes a sharp impression."
- Hollywood Reporter
Mary Poppins
(2011 Helen Hayes Nomination)
The appearance of Mr. Banks' old nanny, the ''holy terror'' Miss Andrews, showcased the exquisite voice of Ellen Harvey.
Entertainment Weekly
Ellen Harvey nearly steals the show as a coloratura witch in the Agnes Moorehead mold.
Hollywood Reporter
The most significant departure to the movie adds a nanny nemesis from the P.L. Travers books; played with wicked glee by Ellen Harvey, she engages in a fantastic coloratura duel with the Poppins.
Chicago Free Press
While most of the new songs are borderline forgettable, the addition of an evil new nanny named Miss Andrew is a deliciously dark element that not only adds a great new character into the mix, but occasions a pitch-perfect new song ("Brimstone and Treacle"), along with the perfect actress, Ellen Harvey, to play Miss Andrew. Her incredible voice and characterization momentarily overshadows Ashley Brown’s Mary Poppins and brings the house down.
Edge Los Angeles
There are other gems in the cast, too. Ellen Harvey's perma-scowl and glass-shattering soprano make for a deliciously evil Miss Andrew.
Pioneer Press
“The scene stealer of the night (and one my favorite performances of the night) was provided by Ellen Harvey as the evil, wicked "Miss Andrew." This tall Grande dame has a jaw dropping vocal range that left my jaw hitting the floor. With effortless ease she would soar to major high "A" soprano operatic notes, all the way down to an alto tone -- with not a hint of a crack. Her characterization was flawless. Full of vile contempt for children and their unruly behavior, she takes command of the stage and fills the music hall with her majestic stage presence. Ms. Harvey's character was another role that really deserved a couple of more musical numbers and stage time -- Ms. Harvey's radiant talents command that."
Pegasus News
“And Oh, that Act Two! As dazzling as the first act is, it seems like an IRS audit compared to the almost non-stop joy ride of the second act. We are introduced to Miss Andrew, the bad-witch nanny to Mary’s good-witch. And by bad I mean to say that Ellen Harvey creates a wickedly delightful villain that rivals any that Disney has offered in the past. Her brilliantly menacing performance actually eclipses the good of Mary for a short time. And their titanic battle is a blast! Harvey takes bad to a whole new level of wonderful!”
ChicagoStageReveiew.com
High School Musical
The best performance of the night isn't by one of the kids. It's from drama teacher Ms. Darbus, played by Ellen Harvey, who was spectacular in "Mamma Mia!" when it first played Portland in 2003. Her role has been significantly fleshed out from the caricature of the original movie, giving the stage show much of its heart. Ms. Darbus is still wildly weird, but it's clear that her eccentricities are born out of a deep love for theater. Harvey's distinct features and voice provide plenty of electricity without having to resort to over-emoting.
Grant Butler, The Oregonian
Ellen Harvey plays Ms. Darbus your stereotypical Drama teacher. I loved her when I saw her as Tanya in “Mamma Mia”, and she truly gives the tour-de-force performance that a grande dame should give in this show. Her delivery was flawless and she made the show easy to watch.
Talkin Broadway.com
Ellen Harvey as Ms. Darbus, the theater teacher, is brilliant. Simpatico’s book allows a fine actor the chance to soften the role and make the audience see why children would be attracted to the theater.
Philadelphia EDGE
The other standout is Ellen Harvey as Ms. Darbus as she has a much fuller part including a pivotal performance lording over detention. She brings comedic timing and an animated, yet not over the top, real old fashioned acting.
Brightest Young Things, DC
Ellen Harvey brings a wry appeal to drama teacher Ms. Darbus.
Terry Morgan, Variety
…The retooled character of drama teacher Ms. Darbus works nicely in the skilled hands of Ellen Harvey.
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
A prime example is the character of Ms. Darbus as interpreted by the gifted Ellen Harvey. A Broadway and tour veteran, Harvey gives dimension and warmth to what was a caricature on film. Her Darbus is the teacher we all wish we'd had in high school — someone we could have turned to in order to find our passions.
Post Crescent
Ellen Harvey who plays Ms. Darbus, the wacky theater teacher, performs wonderfully. She reminds me of my own theater teacher as she runs around the room making crazy facial expressions speaking in many various accents.
DC Theatre Scene
Mamma Mia
Harvey is Tanya, a trice divorced grande dame. But the gal is one tall drink of water, topped off with a blonde Dairy Queen ice cream swoop of a a hairdo that must have been sprayed with thirty cans of Aquanet! Harvey's facial expressions are side-splittingly hysterical. I find actors who use their bodies, faces and voices to create comic performances the true thespians in the art of comedy. Harvey is one of those actors, hands down. My face still hurts from laughing so hard during her number, "Does Your Mother Know", in the second act.
John Garcia, Talkin' Broadway. com
As fellow bandmate Tanya, Ellen Harvey is consistently one of the best parts of the show. Entering the stage in an impeccable white pantsuit (sadly the only really good costume she gets), Harvey blends a flair for screwball comedy with the sinful excess of Patsy Stone from “Absolutely Fabulous”. The actress' command of her sinewy body is remarkable, and her arch line delivery refreshingly undercuts the saccharine sweetness of the rest of the show.
Melissa Starker, Columbus Alive, Inc.
But most of the big laughs come from scene-stealer Ellen Harvey, who plays Lund's girlhood friend, also in town for the wedding. Harvey, looking like an only slightly-more-sober version of sneering Joanna Lumley from TV's "Absolutely Fabulous," gets the show's best production number, the sassy "Does Your Mother Know."
Grant Butler, The Oregonian
The razzle-dazzler in this cast is Harvey, a cross between Wendie Malick's character on television's "Just Shoot Me" and Christine Baranskis's on "Cybill".
Michael Barnes, American Statesman
...brilliant comedienne Ellen Harvey who plays Donna’s friend and former bandmates. Harvey–who has Eve Arden’s Looks, Jack Benny’s sly timing and the seedy sex appeal of Joanna Lumley’s Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous–is a special treasure. “what can we do with three men?” Rosie asks and Tanya’s knowing drawn-out deadpan shows that she’s way ahead of us.
Kevin Nance, The Tennessean
Ellen Harvey, my favorite, plays the married-many-a-time friend Tanya and she looks both on stage and off very much like Joanna Lumley from the British TV comedy import Absolutely Fabulous, a character appropriately named Patsy. She's a patsy for anything in pants. And she also brings down the house with her rendition of ”Does Your Mother Know” sort of like the early valiumized Liza Minelli did with her song ”Don't Tell Mamma” from “Cabaret”. Except this time the success of the performance seemed to be based entirely on talents sans drugs, as she belts out that song in a duet with the handsome Pepper.
Patrick Shannon, Crescent City Chronicles
As her old girl group cronies, Tanya, Ellen Harvey lends stellar support, not just in the vocals but in the hilarious characterizations. Harvey lends an Ab-Fab sort of zeal to her trampy tour de force on “Does Your Mother Know”.
Talkin' Broadway, Seattle
Harvey–playing an Ivana Trump-like Divorcee having a dalliance with island boy Pepper- is a scream. In the rambunctiously choreographed “Does Your Mother Know,” she yanks Pepper off the floor by his shorts–wedgie style–and spanks him. Vocally speaking, this sugar mama’s a terrific belter, too.
Wendall Brock, The Atlanta Journal Costitution
Stealing the spotlight at every turn is Harvey as Tanya, Donna’s old pal from the disco days, who fends off the overtures of a callow youth in one of the evenings’ top numbers. The lean, leggy Harvey is a particular delight, an updated version of “Mame’s” Vera Charles.
Tom Titus, Costa Mesa Daily Pilot
(Lund) was almost eclipsed by Ellen Harvey, as Tanya, her gold-digging friend who shows up for Sophie’s wedding. Harvey’s riotously sexy, take-no-prisoners rendition of “Does Your Mother Know” has the audience screaming with laughter. Her sense of comic timing was as good as her voice
Betty Webb, Arizona Tribune
No No Nanette
Ellen Harvey is one tough Lucille. She certainly makes an impact and has the slinkiest wardrobe...When (Mark Martino) and Harvey step out together in “You Can Dance With Any Girl”, they’re terrific.
Variety
Harvey is a lissome dancer who also brings star presence to her big numbers “Too Many Rings Around Rosie”, and “Where Has My Hubby Gone Blues”.
New Haven Register
Harvey makes a particularly sharp impression in the Eve Arden-ish part of Lucille, executing some dazzling dance numbers in smashing costumes.
The Advocate & Greenwich Times
So no doubt you’ll find yourself focusing on the other flapper, Ellen Harvey’s Lucille, who has a commanding warble and can make her spectacular long legs do anything she wants them to. The lanky Harvey has the kind of body that clothes love to hang on.
Worcester Phoenix
More Astaire-like turns come from the leggy Ellen Harvey.
Hartford Courant
As Lucille, Ellen Harvey crosses Lauren Bacall with Wilma Flinstone.
New Haven Advocate
Dames At Sea
Harvey’s Mona is a show all by herself. She opens with a dynamic solo “Wall Street” and brings down the house with a torchy-comic “That Mister Man of Mine’ (a tongue-in-cheek Depression-era lament for the man who “wants me back but now he can’t afford me” a cross between upbeat version of “The Man I Love” and “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?”). And she brings it down again with a brilliant tango-ish “The Beguine” duet, rhythmically swooning to the orgasmic spell of a word like “Pensacola”.
San Francisco Examiner
Ellen Harvey is frighteningly funny as Mona, the Big Broadway star know throughout the cast as the “Lady Macbeth of 42nd Street.”
Contra Costa Times
Ellen Harvey , whose Mona Kent is a classic demonic diva in a glossy black bob, get the show off with a splash, giving “Wall Street” (“that rise and fall street”) great brassy verve. The gangly Harvey also scores in Act Two’s hilarious “Beguine”.
Back Stage West
Harvey’s scenery chewing Mona couldn’t be more perfect.
San Francisco Guardian
