Creative marketing campaign reveals famous Pooka rabbit has actually been present the entire 2022/2023 season
(APRIL 17, 2023 | Baltimore, MD) — After their ‘Everyman@30’ campaign took home two Graphis Gold Awards at the 2023 Annual International Competition in the Design and Advertising categories, Everyman Theatre partnered once again with Jacob Kemp from international design, strategy, and storytelling company, TALISMAN.
As Everyman prepares to present the family-friendly, classic comedy and Pulitzer Prize-winning play, HARVEY, by Mary Chase and directed by Jackson Gay, April 25 – May 21, they want to know “Have you seen Harvey?” He is hard to miss! Those making their way through Baltimore city this month will no doubt encounter one of the HARVEY ads, whether it’s a highway billboard on I-83, on the back of a local MTA transit bus, in posters at the newly renovated Lexington Market, or simply popping up in your social media feed. This question – “Have you seen Harvey?” – sets the tone for the whimsical story of Elwood P. Dowd who does in fact see the invisible six-foot-tall white rabbit named Harvey stride across the Everyman stage!
But not all of Harvey the Pooka’s appearances in Everyman’s advertisements are quite so visible – at least at first glance. Have you checked out the Everyman website lately? Take another look at the posters for each of the season’s seven shows – in each, Harvey is hiding in plain sight. This concept encourages engagement and close-viewing, fostering a sense of discovery and fun for audiences of all ages. Another innovative move by TALISMAN, this campaign underscores the cohesion of Everyman’s diverse season – and offers our community a little game.
“When Jacob put the seven individual show poster designs together to present the season artwork to me, he revealed the exciting bonus of imbedding little hidden rabbits into all of the designs,” said Artistic Director Vincent Lancisi. “It was an homage to the play Harvey where Elwood P. Dowd has an invisible friend, a six-foot-tall Pooka that he clearly sees everywhere.” Lancisi added, “When I was a child, I loved Highlight Magazine’s ‘Hidden Pictures’ where you find the images cleverly designed into a complex line drawing. I would spend hours searching for them with delight.”
“It was such a joy to partner again with Everyman to put together the key art for this season. As we tossed around ideas, Harvey kept appearing to me—cropping up in every vision, in every design,” remarks Kemp. “The character embodies a sort of mischievous kindness, a sense of transformative magic—and I thought, doesn’t that spirit exist in everything Everyman creates? So, I wanted to find a way to drop him into all the images, to make his spirit draw the whole season together. It’s such a pleasure to finally share this game with the entire Everyman community.”
Nearly 80 years since it was first written, HARVEY is as relevant today as it was then for reminding us of the power of imagination, the importance of friendship and kindness, and the recognition that it’s okay to be a little bit different. Everyman Theatre’s production promises to be a hilariously heartwarming experience for friends and families. It will leave you feeling uplifted and savoring the magic of the unexpected.
So, tell us, have YOU seen Harvey?
Harvey
By Mary Chase
Directed by Jackson Gay
April 25- May 21
Tickets Tickets start at $29. There are eight Pay-What-You-Choose seats available for every performance. Standard box office hours are Monday through Friday from 10am until 4pm, and Saturdays from 12pm until 4pm. Visit everymantheatre.org or call 410.752.2208 for more information.
ABOUT EVERYMAN THEATRE
Everyman Theatre is a professional Equity theatre company celebrating the actor, with a Resident Company of artists from the Baltimore/DC area. Founded in 1990 by Vincent M. Lancisi, the theatre is dedicated to engaging the audience through a shared experience between actor and audience seeking connection and emotional truth in performance. Everyman is committed to presenting high-quality plays that are affordable and accessible to everyone. The theatre strives to engage, inspire, and transform artists, audiences, and communities through theatre of the highest artistic standards and is committed to embodying the promise of its name, Everyman Theatre. Everyman Theatre is a proud member of the Bromo Tower Arts and Entertainment District, the Market Center Merchants Association, and the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance. Lancisi partners with Managing Director Marissa LaRose in leading the organization.
Everyman Theatre stands in solidarity with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and AAPI communities and is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive atmosphere at every level of our organization. To learn more, visit our website at Everyman C.A.R.E.S.
ABOUT TALISMAN
TALISMAN is a design, strategy, and storytelling company. The artist-driven, interdisciplinary creative house is comprised of 22 award-winning partners from around the globe. The fast-growing innovation hub has quickly emerged as an iconoclastic voice in arts and letters, thinking beyond the creative agency model. TALISMAN’s recent work includes collaborations with Hermes, Equinox Hotels, the Broadway-bound production of ‘When Playwrights Kill,’ and SXSW Award-winner “Best Summer Ever”. This spring, TALISMAN will be guest speaking at both Parsons and NYU. Visit www.talismanco.com or connect on social via @bytalisman.
Jacob Kemp has been internationally recognized for his poster work, which often include hidden messages, clues, “if-you-know-you-know” insider jokes, and surprise elements. His interlocking poster series with a celebratory reveal for Everyman Theatre has introduced TALISMAN as a new voice in innovative poster designs, book jackets, and unconventional activation campaigns. An interdisciplinary artist and writer, Kemp’s work focuses on clarity of vision, impactful storytelling, and creating iconic brands through intelligent design. His work in 2023 was awarded two Gold Awards in the Graphis International Competition, for Design and Advertising. No matter the client, no matter the scale, his projects all align with one shared vision: the way we create reflects the way we live our lives.
Questions?
Corey Frier-Ritsch
cfrier@everymantheatre.org