Granville Scott '75: Reprising a Role
As a senior at Collegiate, Granville Scott played the lead role of Elwood P. Dowd in the performance of Harvey on the old Memorial Hall stage.
“It’s a beautiful script,” said Scott, a 1975 graduate of the ‘40s vintage comedy, “but it was already something of a creaking antique. We did it as a period piece. I actually had to cut my hair to play the Elwood Dowd character. For a young man at that time, that was a bit traumatic.”
A broad smile crosses his expressive face as he conjures that memory from 33 very eventful years ago.
And he laughs.
In fact, he laughs often as he reflects on a long acting career that has led him to reprise the role in the Chamberlayne Actors Theatre production scheduled March 26 through April 12.
“It’s a beautiful script,” said Scott, a 1975 graduate of the ‘40s vintage comedy, “but it was already something of a creaking antique. We did it as a period piece. I actually had to cut my hair to play the Elwood Dowd character. For a young man at that time, that was a bit traumatic.”
A broad smile crosses his expressive face as he conjures that memory from 33 very eventful years ago.
And he laughs.
In fact, he laughs often as he reflects on a long acting career that has led him to reprise the role in the Chamberlayne Actors Theatre production scheduled March 26 through April 12.
Now, however, as he reassumes the persona of the lovable Dowd, who
moves about town with an imaginary six-and-a-half-foot rabbit (Harvey)
to the consternation of his friends and embarrassment of his family,
he’s approaching the part from a different perspective than he did as a
teen-ager.
“I’ve had my share of successes and failures and loves and losses over the decades,” Scott explained, “so at 52, playing a 47-year-old man is bittersweet in a way. There’s a sadness underneath the joy and cheerfulness that is probably closer to the real Elwood character.
“I can appreciate where he’s coming from because I’ve been there.”
Scott earned a B.A. in theater and speech from William & Mary and a post baccalaureate certificate in information systems from Virginia Commonwealth University. By day, he works for IBM, which currently has him on loan to American Express as an IT project manager for global technology infrastructure implementation. He operates almost entirely in a virtual environment, talking over the Internet and international conference lines with people throughout the world.
“My 20th century education has become very appropriate in the 21st century workplace,” he said. “The fact that I’m a liberal arts major allows me to translate technical gibberish into English fairly well. I rarely meet the people I work with face to face so my theatrical training serves me well. The way I present myself both with my voice and my writing is 100% of my professional credibility.”
Scott’s vocation puts bread on the table, but it’s his avocation that brings him incredible joy. He’s done professional theater since his senior year at Collegiate. Principally a character actor, he’s performed in more plays, television shows, and commercials than he can count.
“Bit roles,” he said with a chuckle. “Second spear holder from the left. The old man with the beard. The guy that walks across in the background when you watch a TV movie.”
After all these years, though, playing the eccentric Elwood still holds a special place in his heart.
“He has the courage of his convictions,” said Scott. “He believes in Harvey as firmly as Linus believes in the Great Pumpkin. He has his own vision of reality, and he marches to that drummer.
“Sometimes we forget that the world is full of magic and imagination and kind and generous people. It’s nice to walk in somebody else’s shoes, even very briefly, so you get that kind of perspective.”
Somehow, Scott finds enough hours in the day to blend his love for acting with his professional and family responsibilities.
“One of the things I learned at Collegiate,” he said, “was how to manage having too much to do. I juggled a full load of school work with my home chores and sometimes part-time jobs, then being in the theater all night long. Didn’t sleep a whole lot. That was good preparation for having a house with children.”
Now, besides working a 60-hour week and, with his wife Tyler, managing a household which includes two Collegiate students (freshman Ian and fourth grader Marlyn), he’s deep into preparation for his latest artistic endeavor.
“You make time to do what you love,” he said, that infectious laugh punctuating the air once again. “I’d rather do theater than eat or sleep.” — Weldon Bradshaw
For more information on the Chamberlayne Actors Theatre's upcoming production of Harvey, please visit its web site.
Back
“I’ve had my share of successes and failures and loves and losses over the decades,” Scott explained, “so at 52, playing a 47-year-old man is bittersweet in a way. There’s a sadness underneath the joy and cheerfulness that is probably closer to the real Elwood character.
“I can appreciate where he’s coming from because I’ve been there.”
Scott earned a B.A. in theater and speech from William & Mary and a post baccalaureate certificate in information systems from Virginia Commonwealth University. By day, he works for IBM, which currently has him on loan to American Express as an IT project manager for global technology infrastructure implementation. He operates almost entirely in a virtual environment, talking over the Internet and international conference lines with people throughout the world.
“My 20th century education has become very appropriate in the 21st century workplace,” he said. “The fact that I’m a liberal arts major allows me to translate technical gibberish into English fairly well. I rarely meet the people I work with face to face so my theatrical training serves me well. The way I present myself both with my voice and my writing is 100% of my professional credibility.”
Scott’s vocation puts bread on the table, but it’s his avocation that brings him incredible joy. He’s done professional theater since his senior year at Collegiate. Principally a character actor, he’s performed in more plays, television shows, and commercials than he can count.
“Bit roles,” he said with a chuckle. “Second spear holder from the left. The old man with the beard. The guy that walks across in the background when you watch a TV movie.”
After all these years, though, playing the eccentric Elwood still holds a special place in his heart.
“He has the courage of his convictions,” said Scott. “He believes in Harvey as firmly as Linus believes in the Great Pumpkin. He has his own vision of reality, and he marches to that drummer.
“Sometimes we forget that the world is full of magic and imagination and kind and generous people. It’s nice to walk in somebody else’s shoes, even very briefly, so you get that kind of perspective.”
Somehow, Scott finds enough hours in the day to blend his love for acting with his professional and family responsibilities.
“One of the things I learned at Collegiate,” he said, “was how to manage having too much to do. I juggled a full load of school work with my home chores and sometimes part-time jobs, then being in the theater all night long. Didn’t sleep a whole lot. That was good preparation for having a house with children.”
Now, besides working a 60-hour week and, with his wife Tyler, managing a household which includes two Collegiate students (freshman Ian and fourth grader Marlyn), he’s deep into preparation for his latest artistic endeavor.
“You make time to do what you love,” he said, that infectious laugh punctuating the air once again. “I’d rather do theater than eat or sleep.” — Weldon Bradshaw
For more information on the Chamberlayne Actors Theatre's upcoming production of Harvey, please visit its web site.
Collegiate School | 103 N. Mooreland Road, Richmond, VA 23229 | P. 804.740.7077 | F. 804.741.9797 | webmaster@collegiate-va.org | Contact Us