‘Hello, Dolly!’ hits the stage at Shea’s Performing Arts Center and to that – we say, Hello, fun!
The musical follows the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker, as she travels to Yonkers, New York to find a match for the cranky, well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire – Horace Vandergelder. Dolly makes a living through what she calls “meddling” – matchmaking and numerous sidelines, including dance instruction, music lessons, sewing and more. She’s a force – and has a way of getting exactly what she wants!
There’s a bit of a plot twist as it becomes clear that Dolly intends to marry Horace herself. There are some emotional moment, too – as Dolly talks to her late husband as she searches for a sign from him.
The original, 1964 production swept the Tony Awards with 10 wins including Best Musical. The revival has confirmed “Hello, Dolly!” is timeless.
To me – it seemed vaudeville- at its finest – with hilarious ‘skits’ peppered throughout the entire show!
Carolee Carmello, who has appeared in 14 Broadway musicals, plays Dolly Gallagher Levi – and she doesn’t miss a beat! The action never stops, the numbers keep on keepin’ on one after the other. The choreography, by Warren Carlyle, is high-stepping and joyous. The ensemble is phenomenal!
The costumes are fabulous, too. From “Put on Your Sunday Clothes,” when the ensemble slowly struts out in costumes each more colorful than the last, to the cheerful restaurant number “The Waiters’ Gallop” where the ensemble kicks into high gear with a number involving champagne bottles, serving trays, and stacks of dishes. We can’t forget the title number, with Carmello donned head to toe in red!
The applause seemed to be non-stop.
Spending an evening with Dolly and crew was delightful!
‘Hello, Dolly!’ is on stage at Shea’s through March 15, 2020 – head to sheas.org for showtimes and tickets.
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