''Hello, Dolly!'' is a 1964

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

with lyrics and music by

Jerry Herman Gerald Sheldon Herman (July 10, 1931December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre. One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyricist ...

and a book by Michael Stewart, based on

Thornton Wilder Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, for the novel ''The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and ''The Skin of Our Teeth'', and a U. ...

's 1938

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical comedy, physical humor; the use of delibe ...

The Merchant of Yonkers ''The Merchant of Yonkers'' is a 1938 play by Thornton Wilder. History ''The Merchant of Yonkers'' had its origins in an 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'' by the English dramatist John Oxenford. In 1842 ''A Day Well Spent'' was extended in ...

'', which Wilder revised and retitled ''

The Matchmaker ''The Matchmaker'' is a 1954 Broadway play by Thornton Wilder, a rewritten version of his 1938 play '' The Merchant of Yonkers''. History The play has a long and colorful history. John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'' ha ...

'' in 1954. The musical follows the story of

Dolly Gallagher Levi Dolly Gallagher Levi is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1938 play '' The Merchant of Yonkers'' and its multiple adaptations, the most notable being the 1964 musical '' Hello Dolly!'' Levi's main profession is matchmaking in Yonkers ...

, a strong-willed matchmaker, as she travels to

Yonkers, New York Yonkers () is the List of municipalities in New York, third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and the most-populous City (New York), city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County. A centrally locate ...

, to find a match for the miserly "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder. ''Hello, Dolly!'' debuted at the Fisher Theater in Detroit on November 18, 1963, directed and choreographed by

Gower Champion Gower Carlyle Champion (June 22, 1919 – August 25, 1980) was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer. Early years Champion was born on June 22, 1919, in Geneva, Illinois, as the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Ca ...

and produced by

David Merrick David Merrick (born David Lee Margulois; November 27, 1911 – April 25, 2000) was an American theatrical producer who won a number of Tony Awards. Life and career Born David Lee Margulois to Jewish parents in St. Louis, Missouri, Merrick grad ...

. It starred stage performer

Carol Channing Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, comedian, singer and dancer who starred in Broadway and film musicals. Each of her characters typically possessed a fervent expressiveness and an easily ide ...

as Dolly Gallagher Levi, a role theatrical audiences of the world would forever associate with her. The show moved to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

in 1964, winning 10

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...

, including Best Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Channing. The awards earned set a record which the play held for 37 years. The show album ''Hello, Dolly! An Original Cast Recording'' was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. The album reached number one on the Billboard album chart on June 6, 1964, and was replaced the next week by

Louis Armstrong Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several era ...

's album '' Hello, Dolly!'' Louis Armstrong also was featured in the film version of the show, performing a small part of the song "Hello, Dolly!". The show has become one of the most enduring musical theater hits, with four Broadway revivals and international success. It was also made into the 1969 film '' Hello Dolly!'' by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

, which won three Academy Awards, including Best Score of a Musical Picture and was nominated in four other categories, including

Best Picture The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Bes ...

at the

42nd Academy Awards The 42nd Academy Awards were presented April 7, 1970, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. For the second year in a row, there was no official host. This was the first Academy Awards ceremony to be broadcast via satelli ...

History

The plot of ''Hello, Dolly!'' originated in the 1835 English play ''A Day Well Spent'' by

John Oxenford John Oxenford (12 August 1812 – 21 February 1877) was an English dramatist, critic and translator. Life Oxenford was born in Camberwell, London, his father a prosperous merchant. While he was privately educated, it is reported that he was mos ...

, which

Johann Nestroy Johann Nepomuk Eduard Ambrosius Nestroy (; 7 December 1801 – 25 May 1862) was a singer, actor and playwright in the popular Austrian tradition of the Biedermeier period and its immediate aftermath. He participated in the 1848 revolutions and ...

adapted into the farce ''

Einen Jux will er sich machen ''Einen Jux will er sich machen'' (1842) (''He Will Go on a Spree'' or ''He'll Have Himself a Good Time''), is a three-act musical play, designated as a Posse mit Gesang ("farce with singing"), by Austrian playwright Johann Nestroy. It was adapt ...

'' (''He Will Go on a Spree'' or ''He'll Have Himself a Good Time'') in 1842.

adapted Nestroy's play into his 1938 farcical play ''

''. That play was a flop, so he revised it and retitled it as ''

'' in 1954, expanding the role of Dolly (played by

Ruth Gordon Ruth Gordon Jones (October 30, 1896 – August 28, 1985) was an American actress, playwright and screenwriter. She began her career performing on Broadway at age 19. Known for her nasal voice and distinctive personality, Gordon gained internati ...

)."Hello Dolly! – New Wimbledon Theatre"
IndieLondon, March 2008 The role of Dolly Gallagher Levi was originally written for

Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...

but she turned it down, as did

Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on stage over her career, including Nellie Forbush in ''South Pacific (musica ...

—although both eventually played it. Merrick then auditioned

Nancy Walker Nancy Walker (born Anna Myrtle Swoyer;Often mistranscribed as "Smoyer" May 10, 1922 – March 25, 1992) was an American actress and comedian of stage, screen, and television. She was also a film and television director (lending her talents to ''Th ...

, but he hired

, who then went on to originate the role of Dolly.Kenrick, John
" 'Hello, Dolly!' article"
Musicals101.com Director

was not the producer's first choice, but it was turned down by

Hal Prince Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre. One of the foremost figures in 20th-century theatr ...

and others, among them

Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...

and

Joe Layton Joe Layton (May 3, 1931 – May 5, 1994) was an American director and choreographer known primarily for his work on Broadway.Dunning, Jennifer. (9 May 1994). Page B7.'Joe Layton, Choreographer And Director, Is Dead at 64' Obituary. New York ...

. ''Hello, Dolly!'' had rocky tryouts in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, and

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

After receiving the reviews, the creators made major changes to the script and score, including the addition of the song "Before the Parade Passes By". Initially called ''Dolly, A Damned Exasperating Woman'', then ''Call on Dolly'', Merrick revised the show's title after hearing

's version of "Hello, Dolly". The show became one of the most iconic Broadway shows of the latter half of the 1960s, and running for 2,844 performances, was the longest-running musical in Broadway history for a time.

Synopsis

Sources: Tams-Witmark Guide to Musical Theatre Masterworks Broadway

Act I

As the 19th becomes the 20th century, all of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

is excited because brassy widow

is in town ("Call on Dolly"). Dolly makes a living through what she calls "meddling" – matchmaking and numerous sidelines, including dance instruction and

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

lessons ("I Put My Hand In"). She is currently seeking a wife for grumpy Horace Vandergelder, the well-known half-a-millionaire, but it becomes clear that Dolly intends to marry Horace herself. Ambrose Kemper, a young artist, wants to marry Horace's weepy niece Ermengarde, but Horace opposes this because Ambrose's

vocation A vocation () is an Work (human activity), occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. Though now often used in non-religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity. ...

does not guarantee a steady living. Ambrose enlists Dolly's help, and they travel to

to visit Horace, who is a prominent citizen there and owns Vandergelder's Hay and Feed. Horace explains to his two clerks, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, that he is going to get married because ("It Takes a Woman") to cheerfully do all the household chores. He plans to travel with Dolly to New York City to march in the Fourteenth Street Association Parade and propose to the widow Irene Molloy, who owns a hat shop there. Dolly arrives in Yonkers and "accidentally" mentions that Irene's first husband might not have died of natural causes, and also mentions that she knows an heiress, Ernestina Money, who may be interested in Horace. Horace departs for New York and leaves Cornelius and Barnaby to mind the store in his absence. Cornelius decides that he and Barnaby need to get out of Yonkers and have an adventure in New York. They blow up some tomato cans to create a terrible stench as a pretext to close the store. Dolly mentions that she knows two ladies in New York they should call on: Irene Molloy and her shop assistant, Minnie Fay. She tells Ermengarde and Ambrose that she will enter them in the

polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

competition at the upscale Harmonia Gardens Restaurant in New York City so Ambrose can demonstrate his ability to be a breadwinner to Horace. Cornelius, Barnaby, Ambrose, Ermengarde and Dolly all take the train to New York ("Put on Your Sunday Clothes"). Irene and Minnie open their hat shop for the afternoon. Irene wants a husband, but does not love Horace Vandergelder. She declares that she will wear an elaborate hat to impress a gentleman ("Ribbons Down My Back"). Cornelius and Barnaby arrive at the shop and pretend to be rich. Horace and Dolly arrive at the shop, and Cornelius and Barnaby hide from him. Irene inadvertently mentions that she knows Cornelius, and Dolly tells her and Horace that even though Cornelius is Horace's clerk by day, he is a notorious New York playboy by night. Minnie screams when she finds Cornelius hiding in the armoire. Horace is about to open the armoire himself, but Dolly, Irene and Minnie distract him with patriotic sentiments related to subjects like

Betsy Ross Elizabeth Griscom Ross (née Griscom;Addie Guthrie Weaver, ''"The Story of Our Flag..."'', 2nd Edition, A. G. Weaver, publ., 1898, p. 73 January 1, 1752 – January 30, 1836), also known by her second and third married names, Ashburn a ...

and

Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event and military engagement in the Texas Revolution. Following a siege of the Alamo, 13-day siege, Mexico, Mexican troops under president of Mexico, President Antonio L� ...

shown in the famous lyrics "Alamo, remember the Alamo!" ("Motherhood March"). Cornelius sneezes, and Horace storms out, realizing there are men hiding in the shop, but not knowing they are his clerks. Dolly arranges for Cornelius and Barnaby, who are still pretending to be rich, to take the ladies out to dinner to the Harmonia Gardens restaurant to make up for their humiliation. She teaches Cornelius and Barnaby how to dance since they always have dancing at such establishments ("Dancing"). Soon, Cornelius, Irene, Barnaby, and Minnie are happily dancing. They go to watch the great 14th Street Association Parade together. Alone, Dolly decides to put her dear departed husband Ephraim behind her and to move on with life ("Before the Parade Passes By"). She asks Ephraim's permission to marry Horace, requesting a sign from him. Dolly catches up with the annoyed Vandergelder, who has missed the whole parade, and she convinces him to give her matchmaking one more chance. She tells him that Ernestina Money would be perfect for him and asks him to meet her at the swanky Harmonia Gardens that evening.

Act II

Cornelius is determined to get a kiss before the night is over, but Barnaby isn't so sure. As the clerks have no money for a carriage, they tell the girls that walking to the restaurant shows that they've got ("Elegance"). At the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant, Rudolph, the head waiter, prepares his service crew for Dolly Gallagher Levi's return: their usual lightning service, he tells them, must be "twice as lightning" ("The Waiters' Gallop"). Horace arrives with his date, but she proves neither as rich nor as elegant as Dolly had implied; furthermore she is soon bored by Horace and leaves, as Dolly had planned she would. Cornelius, Barnaby, and their dates arrive, unaware that Horace is also dining at the restaurant. Irene and Minnie, inspired by the restaurant's opulence, order the menu's most expensive items. Cornelius and Barnaby grow increasingly anxious as they discover they have little more than a dollar left. Dolly makes her triumphant return to the Harmonia Gardens and is greeted in style by the staff ("Hello, Dolly!") She sits in the now-empty seat at Horace's table and proceeds to eat a large, expensive dinner, telling the exasperated Horace that no matter what he says, she will not marry him. Barnaby and Horace hail waiters at the same time, and in the ensuing confusion each drops his wallet and inadvertently picks up the other's. Barnaby is delighted that he can now pay the restaurant bill, while Horace finds only a little spare change. Barnabay and Cornelius realize that the wallet must belong to Horace. Cornelius, Irene, Barnaby and Minnie try to sneak out during "The

Polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...

Contest", but Horace recognizes them and spots Ermengarde and Ambrose as well. The ensuing free-for-all culminates in a trip to night court. Cornelius and Barnaby confess that they have no money and have never been to New York before. Cornelius declares that even if he has to dig ditches the rest of his life, he'll never forget the day because he had met Irene. Cornelius, Barnaby, and Ambrose then each profess their love for their companion ("It Only Takes A Moment"). Dolly convinces the judge that their only crime was being in love. The judge finds everyone innocent and cleared of all charges, but Horace is declared guilty and forced to pay damages. Dolly mentions marriage again, and Horace declares that he wouldn't marry her if she were the last woman in the world. Dolly angrily bids him ("So Long, Dearie"), telling him that while he's bored and lonely, she'll be living the high life. The next morning, back at the hay and feed store, Cornelius and Irene, Barnaby and Minnie, and Ambrose and Ermengarde each set out on new life's paths. A chastened Horace Vandergelder finally admits that he needs Dolly in his life, but Dolly is unsure about the marriage until her late husband sends her a sign. Vandergelder spontaneously repeats a saying of Ephraim's: "Money is like manure. It's not worth a thing unless it's spread about, encouraging young things to grow." Horace tells Dolly life would be dull without her, and she promises in return that she'll "never go away again" ("Hello, Dolly" (reprise)).

Characters

: A widow in her middle years who has decided to begin her life again. She is a matchmaker, meddler, opportunist, and a life-loving woman. * Horace Vandergelder: The proprietor of a Hay & Feed store and a client of Dolly Gallagher Levi's. A well-known half-a-millionaire and widower, he is gruff, authoritative, and set in his ways. * Cornelius Hackl: Vandergelder's chief clerk who yearns for one exciting day in New York City. Energetic, enthusiastic, and adventurous young man who has a sweet innocence about him. * Barnaby Tucker: An assistant to Cornelius at Vandergelder's Hay & Feed store. He is sweet, naïve, energetic, and a follower. * Irene Molloy: A widow and a beautiful, smart, fun-loving milliner with a hat shop in New York City. Dolly has introduced her to Horace Vandergelder but she yearns for romance. * Minnie Fay: A young girl who works in Irene's hat shop. Irene's assistant, she is naïve, strait-laced, fresh, and a follower. * Ambrose Kemper: A young and explosive struggling artist seeking to marry Ermengarde. * Ermengarde: The young niece of Horace Vandergelder. She cries often and wants her independence and to marry Ambrose. * Ernestina Money: An eccentric-looking girl in need of Dolly's matchmaker services. * Rudolph Reisenweber: Maître d'hôtel of the Harmonia Gardens restaurant. * Judge: A white-whiskered night court judge. Easily moved to tears by romance. * Mrs. Rose: An old friend of Dolly's.

Cast and characters

Broadway cast replacements

Broadway 1964

Source: *Dolly Gallagher Levi:

Pearl Bailey Pearl Mae Bailey (March 29, 1918 – August 17, 1990) was an American actress, singer, comedian and author. After appearing in vaudeville, she made her Broadway debut in '' St. Louis Woman'' in 1946. She received a Special Tony Award for the ti ...

Marie Bryant Marie Bryant (November 6, 1919 – May 23, 1978) was an American dancer, singer and choreographer, described as "one of the most vivacious black dancers in the United States". Biography Bryant was born in Meridian, Mississippi, moving with her f ...

(standby),

Thelma Carpenter Thelma Carpenter (January 15, 1922 – May 14, 1997) was an American jazz singer and actress, best known as "Miss One", the Good Witch of the North in the movie ''The Wiz''. Early years Carpenter was born in Brooklyn, New York, the only chi ...

Novella Nelson Novella Christine Nelson (December 17, 1939 – August 31, 2017) was an American actress and singer. She established her career as a singer, both on the off-Broadway and Broadway stage and in cabaret-style locales. Career Starting in 1961, Nels ...

(u/s),

Phyllis Diller Phyllis Ada Diller (née Driver; July 17, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American stand-up comedian, Actor, actress, author, musician, and visual artist, best known for her Eccentricity (behavior), eccentric stage persona, Self-deprecation, se ...

Bibi Osterwald Margaret Virginia "Bibi" Osterwald (February 3, 1920 – January 2, 2002) was an American actress. Life and career Osterwald was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the daughter of Dagmar (Kvastad) and Rudolf August Osterwald, a hotel owne ...

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million, and for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she p ...

Martha Raye Martha Raye (born Margy Reed; August 27, 1916 – October 19, 1994), nicknamed The Big Mouth, was an American comic actress and singer who performed in movies, and later on television. She also acted in plays, including on Broadway. She was hono ...

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

*Horace Vandergelder:

Cab Calloway Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was a regular performer at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he became a popular vocalist of the Swing music, swing era. His niche ...

, Richard Deacon,

Max Showalter Max Gordon Showalter (June 2, 1917 – July 30, 2000), sometimes credited as Casey Adams, was an American film, television, and stage actor, as well as a composer, pianist, and singer. He appeared on more than 1,000 television programs. One ...

*Cornelius Hackl:

Will Mackenzie Will Mackenzie (born July 24, 1938) is an American television director and actor. Life Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Mackenzie began his professional career as an actor, making his Broadway theatre, Broadway debut in 1965 in the original p ...

, Russell Nype *Barnaby Tucker: Danny Lockin (Reprising role from the 1969 film) *Irene Molloy:

Ernestine Jackson Ernestine Jackson (born September 18, 1942) is an American actress and singer. Early life Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Jackson made her Broadway debut in 1967 as Irene Molloy in the all-black cast of '' Hello, Dolly!'' starring Pearl Bailey. ...

*Minnie Fay:

Georgia Engel Georgia Bright Engel (July 28, 1948 – April 12, 2019) was an American actress. She is best known for having played Georgette Franklin Baxter in the sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' from 1972 to 1977, Pat MacDougall on ''Everybody Loves Ra ...

Leland Palmer Leland Palmer is a fictional character from the ABC and Showtime television series ''Twin Peaks'', and one of the main characters in the prequel film, '' Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me''. He is portrayed in all his appearances by Ray Wise. Lela ...

*Ernestina:

Mabel King Mabel Elizabeth King (née Washington; December 25, 1932 – November 9, 1999) was an American actress and singer. She was known for her role as Mabel "Mama" Thomas on the ABC sitcom ''What's Happening!!'' from its premiere in 1976 until the end ...

"''Hello, Dolly!'' 1964 Person List"
Playbill Vault, accessed September 6, 2019

Broadway 2017

*Dolly Gallagher Levi:

Bernadette Peters Bernadette Peters ( ''née'' Lazzara; born February 28, 1948) is an American actress and singer. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she has starred in musical theatre, television and film, performed in solo concerts and released reco ...

,"''Hello, Dolly!'' Replacements 2017–2018"
ibdb.com, accessed September 6, 2019Stasio, Marilyn
"Broadway Review: Bernadette Peters in 'Hello, Dolly!'"
''Variety'', February 22, 2018

Donna Murphy Donna Murphy (born March 7, 1959) is an American actress, best known for her work in musical theater. A five-time Tony Award nominee, she has twice won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical: for her role as Fosca in '' Passion'' (1994–1995) ...

(alternate) *Horace Vandergelder:

Victor Garber Victor Garber, (born March 16, 1949) is a Canadian stage and film actor and singer. Known for his work on stage and screen, he has been nominated for three Gemini Awards, four Tony Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2022, he was made an ...

*Cornelius Hackl:

Santino Fontana Santino Fontana is an American actor and singer. He began his career in 2006 playing Hamlet at the Guthrie Theater. He has received a Tony Award, two Drama Desk Awards, an Outer Critics Circle Award, Lucille Lortel Award, Obie Award, and Clare ...

*Barnaby Tucker: Charlie Stemp *Ernestina: Alli Mauzey

U.S. Tour 2019

*Dolly Gallagher Levi:

Carolee Carmello Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series '' Remember WENN'' (1996–1998). She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and a five ...

"Carolee-Carmello-Walks-the-Passerelle"
Playbill, September 25, 2019 *Horace Vandergelder:

John Bolton John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American attorney, diplomat, Republican Party (United States), Republican consultant, and political commentator. He served as the 25th United States ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to ...

Musical numbers

;Act I * Overture – Orchestra * "Call On Dolly" – Ensemble * "I Put My Hand In" — Dolly * "It Takes a Woman" — Horace, Men * "It Takes a Woman (Reprise)" – Dolly * "World, Take Me Back" – Dolly* * "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" — Cornelius, Barnaby, Dolly, Ambrose, Ermengarde, and Ensemble * "Ribbons Down My Back" — Irene * "Ribbons Down My Back (Reprise)" – Irene * "Motherhood March"— Dolly, Irene, and Minnie Fay * "Dancing" — Dolly, Cornelius, Barnaby, Irene, Minnie Fay, and Ensemble * "Love, Look in My Window" – Dolly* * "Before the Parade Passes By" — Dolly and the Company** * "Finale Act I: Before the Parade Passes By" – Dolly ;Act II * Entr'acte – Orchestra * "Penny in My Pocket" – Vandergelder^ * "Elegance" – Cornelius, Barnaby, Irene, and Minnie Fay * "The Waiters' Gallop" – Rudolph and the Waiters * " Hello, Dolly!" – Dolly, Rudolph, Waiters, Cooks * "The Waiters' Gallop (Reprise)" – Rudolph and Waiters * "The Polka Contest" – Ambrose, Ermengarde, Irene, Cornelius, Minnie Fay, Barnaby, and the Contestants*** * "It Only Takes a Moment" – Cornelius, Irene, Ensemble * "So Long Dearie" – Dolly * "Hello, Dolly!" (Reprise) – Dolly and Vandergelder * "Finale Act II: Hello, Dolly! / Dancing / It Only Takes a Moment / Put On Your Sunday Clothes / Hello, Dolly!" — The Company *Song cut before Broadway Opening, reinstated when Ethel Merman joined to play Dolly.
**Song was not included in the original version. During the tryouts in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

invited

Charles Strouse Charles Louis Strouse (June 7, 1928 – May 15, 2025) was an American composer and lyricist best known for writing the music to the Broadway musicals ''Bye Bye Birdie'', ''Applause (musical), Applause'', and ''Annie (musical), Annie''. Backgrou ...

and

Lee Adams Lee Richard Adams (born August 14, 1924) is an American lyricist best known for his musical theatre collaboration with Charles Strouse. Biography Lee Adams was born in Mansfield, Ohio, on August 14, 1924. He is the son of Dr. Leopold Adams, ori ...

to consult on improvements to the musical.

was aware of their involvement, but Jerry Herman was not, even though Strouse was under the impression that Herman knew about it. Strouse and Adams suggested re-working the ending of Act I, wrote a new song "Before the Parade Passes By" and sent it to Champion. By the time the next set of tryouts in Washington began, a different number with the same name, written by Herman, was included in the show. After Strouse and Adams threatened to sue the production, they were given a songwriting credit for the song. That conflict led to an eight-year-long feud between Champion and Michael Stewart on one side and Strouse and Adams on the other. The official songwriting credits as listed with

ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...

have Adams, Herman and Strouse as co-writers.
***Song replaced "Come and Be My Butterfly" during Broadway Run. ^Horace Vandergelder's solo "Penny in My Pocket", although it received rave responses out of town, was cut prior to the Broadway opening for reasons of time. For the 2017 Broadway Revival, it was added back in as the opening of Act Two in front of the curtain. It is not, however, included in the licensed version for stock and amateur productions from Tams Witmark. The song "Elegance", though credited to Herman, was written by

Bob Merrill Henry Robert Merrill Levan (May 17, 1921 – February 17, 1998) was an American songwriter, theatrical composer, lyricist, and screenwriter. Merrill was one of the most successful songwriters of the 1950s on the US and UK single charts. His ...

for the 1957 show ''

New Girl in Town ''New Girl in Town'' is a musical with a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill based on Eugene O'Neill's 1921 play ''Anna Christie'', about a prostitute who tries to live down her past. ''New Girl'', unlike O'Neill's play, foc ...

'' but deleted from the original production.

Productions

Original Broadway production

The musical, directed and

choreographed Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer creates choreographies thr ...

and produced by David Merrick, opened on January 16, 1964, at the St. James Theatre and closed on December 27, 1970, after 2,844 performances.

starred as Dolly, with a supporting cast that included David Burns as Horace,

Charles Nelson Reilly Charles Nelson Reilly (January 13, 1931 – May 25, 2007) was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher. He performed in the original Broadway casts of ''Bye Bye Birdie''; '' Hello, Dolly!''; and '' How to Succeed in Business With ...

as Cornelius,

Eileen Brennan Eileen Brennan (born Verla Eileen Regina Brennen; September 3, 1932 – July 28, 2013) was an American actress. She made her film debut in the satire '' Divorce American Style'' (1967), followed by a supporting role in Peter Bogdanovich's ''The ...

as Irene, Jerry Dodge as Barnaby, Sondra Lee as Minnie Fay,

Mary Jo Catlett Mary Jo Catlett (born September 2, 1938) is an American actress. She is a main cast member on the animated series ''SpongeBob SquarePants'', providing the voice of Mrs. Puff. She is also known for originating the role of Ernestina in the 1964 Br ...

as Ermengarde, and Igors Gavon as Ambrose. Although facing competition from '' Funny Girl'' with

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...

, ''Hello, Dolly!'' swept the

in 1964, winning awards in ten categories (out of eleven nominations) that tied the musical with the previous record keeper ''

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

'', record that remained unbroken for 37 years until '' The Producers'' won twelve Tonys in 2001. Pearl Bailey Ed Sullivan Show 1968

After Channing left the show, Merrick employed prominent actresses to play Dolly, including

, who started on August 9, 1965;

, starting on February 27, 1967;

, from June 12, 1967, to November 5, 1967;

(in an all-black version with

as Horace) starting on November 12, 1967 (with

as her alternate);

, as of December 26, 1969; and

(after having turned down the lead at the show's inception) from March 28, 1970, to December 27, 1970. Two songs cut prior to the opening – typical belt style songs "World, Take Me Back" and "Love, Look in My Window" – were restored for Merman's run.

Jo Anne Worley Jo Anne Worley (born September 6, 1937) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. Her work covers television, films, theater, game shows, talk shows, commercials, and cartoons. Worley is widely known for her work on the comedy-variety show ...

was Channing's original standby but she never went on. She later played Dolly in regional and

summer stock In American theater, summer stock theater is a theater that presents stage productions only in the summer. The name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident company, reusing stock scenery and costumes. Summer stock ...

productions.

was the standby for Dolly following Worley's and Channings' departures, subbing for all the stars, including Bailey, despite the fact that Osterwald was white.

and

also covered for the role of Dolly. Bailey received a

Special Tony Award The Special Tony Award category includes the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award and the Special Tony Award. These are non-competitive honorary awards, and the titles have changed over the years. The Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre ...

in 1968. The show received rave reviews, with "praise for Carol Channing and particularly Gower Champion." The original production became the longest-running musical (and third longest-running show) in September 1970 in Broadway history up to that time, surpassing ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'' and then being surpassed in turn by ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

.'' The run was not continuous, unlike ''My Fair Lady'', with several week-long breaks, including a week where the production moved to St. Louis. The Broadway production of ''Hello Dolly!'' grossed $27 million. By August 1970, it had made a profit of $8.5 million against its $350,000 investment. ;Tour and regional Dollys

starred in a US tour, starting in April 1965 and playing in 11 cities. The production also toured in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

and

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

for a special USO performance for U.S. troops. After Channing left the Broadway show, she headed a second US tour beginning in September 1965. 18 months later, Rogers also joined the roadshow production. It ran for two years and nine months.

Eve Arden Eve Arden (born Eunice Mary Quedens, April 30, 1908 – November 12, 1990) was an American film, radio, stage and television actress. She performed in leading and supporting roles for nearly six decades. Beginning her film career in 1929 an ...

and

Dorothy Lamour Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton; December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is best remembered for having appeared in the ''Road to...'' movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing C ...

were replacements. Grable led another touring company before joining the Broadway show. Bailey and Calloway headed an all-Black tour in 1967 prior to their Broadway run, which was given a second cast album.

Carole Cook Mildred Frances Cook (January 14, 1924 – January 11, 2023), known professionally as Carole Cook, was an American actress, active on screen and stage, best known for appearances on Lucille Ball's comedy television series ''The Lucy Show'' and ...

, (the second actress to play the title role, after Channing, appearing in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

productions),

Ann Miller Ann Miller (born Johnnie Lucille Collier; April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004) was an American actress and dancer. She is best remembered for her work in the classical Hollywood cinema musical film, musicals of the 1940s and 1950s. Her early fi ...

Michele Lee Michele Lee (born June 24, 1942) is an American actress, singer, dancer, producer and director. She is known for her role as Karen Fairgate MacKenzie on the prime-time soap opera ''Knots Landing'', for which she was nominated for a 1982 Emmy A ...

Edie Adams Edie Adams (born Edith Elizabeth Enke; April 16, 1927 – October 15, 2008) was an American comedian, actress, singer and businesswoman who was prominent in the second half of the 1900s. She earned a Tony Award and was nominated for an Emmy Awa ...

, and

Yvonne De Carlo Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film star and sex symbol in the 1940s a ...

also played the role on tour.

Betty White Betty Marion Ludden ( White; January 17, 1922December 31, 2021), known professionally as Betty White, was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades, she was noted for her vas ...

appeared with the

Kenley Players The Kenley Players was an Actors' Equity Association, Equity summer stock theatre company which presented hundreds of productions featuring Broadway theatre, Broadway, film, and television stars in Midwestern cities between 1940 and 1995. ''Variet ...

as Dolly in the summer of 1979.

Molly Picon Molly Picon (; Malka Opiekun; February 28, 1898 – April 5, 1992) was an American actress of stage, screen, radio and television, as well as a lyricist and dramatic storyteller. She began her career in Yiddish theatre and film, rising to a s ...

appeared as Dolly in a 1971 production by the

North Shore Music Theatre North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States. The theater is owned by Massachuse ...

Beverly, Massachusetts Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Sho ...

Lainie Kazan Lainie Kazan (born Lainie Levine; May 15, 1940) is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for ''St. Elsewhere'' and the 1993 Tony Award for Best Featured Actr ...

starred in a production at the

Claridge Atlantic City The Claridge is a historic hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, that opened in 1930. Beginning in 1981, Claridge's operated for many years as a casino, known first as "Del Webb's Claridge Hotel and Casino", then as "Claridge Hotel and Casino". ...

Vicki Lawrence Vicki Lawrence (born Vicki Ann Axelrad, March 26, 1949), sometimes credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz, is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for her character Thelma Harper, Mama (Thelma Harper). Lawrence also originate ...

played the role twice, once for Sacramento Music Circus and once for Glendale Music Theatre. Both

Tovah Feldshuh Terri Sue "Tovah" Feldshuh (born December 27, 1948) is an American actress, singer, and playwright. She has been a Broadway star for fifty years, earning four Tony Award nominations. She has also received two Emmy Award nominations for ''Holoca ...

and

Betsy Palmer Betsy Palmer (born Patricia Betsy Hrunek; November 1, 1926 – May 29, 2015) was an American actress known for her many film and Broadway roles, television guest-starring appearances, as a panelist on the game show '' I've Got a Secret'', and la ...

played Dolly in productions by the

Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater containing approximately 1,200 seats located in Millburn, within Essex County, New Jersey, United States, on the banks of the Rahway River. Due to its relative proximity to Manhattan, the theater draw ...

Marilyn Maye Marilyn Maye McLaughlin (born April 10, 1928) is an American singer, musical theater actress and masterclass educator. With a career spanning eight decades, Maye has performed music in the styles of cabaret, Jazz music, jazz and Pop music, pop ...

also starred in several regional productions and recorded a full album of the score.

Original Australian production

The Australian production was produced by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd. and opened at

Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney, Australia, refers to three theatres of the same name none of which remain standing. They were located in central Sydney on either Pitt Street or Quay Street. History First theatre (1887–1933) The original Her M ...

on 27 March 1965.

was imported to star, making her the second woman to play the role of Dolly Levi. Jack Goode played Horace, alongside Bill Millican as Cornelius,

Jill Perryman Jill Perryman (born 30 May 1933) is an Australian retired actress, singer and dancer with a career that spanned 70 years. Perryman is from a family of show business performers; her sister was actress Diana Perryman and her son is media persona ...

as Irene, Tikki Taylor as Minnie Fay, and Brian Hannan as Barnaby. Australian choreographer Betty Pounder was employed to stage the musical numbers. Jill Perryman served as understudy to Carole Cook.

Nancye Hayes Nancye Lee Bertles AM ( Hayes; born January 1943), billed under her maiden name as Nancye Hayes, is an Australian actress, dancer, singer and choreographer/director and narrator. She has been a leading figure in Australian musical theatre sin ...

was featured in the ensemble as well as understudying the part of Irene Molloy. After a successful season in Sydney, the show went on to play

Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne Her Majesty's Theatre is a 1,700-seat theatre in Melbourne's East End Theatre District, Australia. Built in 1886, it is located at 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia and is listed on the Vict ...

, and His Majesty's Theatre, Auckland in 1966.'

Australian revivals

In 1995 a new Australian tour was presented by Gordon Frost.

, who starred as Irene Molloy in the 1965 production, starred as Dolly Levi. The production opened at the State Theatre, Melbourne, followed by Lyric Theatre, Brisbane,

, Festival Theatre, Adelaide and

His Majesty's Theatre, Perth His Majesty's Theatre is an Edwardian Baroque theatre in Perth, Western Australia. Constructed from 1902 to 1904 during a period of great growth for the town, the theatre is located on the corner of Hay Street and King Street in Perth's ce ...

The Production Company The Production Company was an Australian not-for-profit theatre company that staged a series of usually three musicals at the Arts Centre Melbourne each year. It was launched in 1999 by Jeanne Pratt AC with the goal of providing "professional o ...

has staged ''Hello, Dolly!'' at the State Theatre, Melbourne twice: first in 2002, starring

Amanda Muggleton Amanda Lillian Muggleton (born 12 October 1951) is an English Australian theatre, television and film actress. She is best known for her supporting television role in soap opera ''Prisoner'' as Chrissie Latham, with appearances between 1979 an ...

, then again in 2017, starring

Marina Prior Marina Prior (born 18 October 1963) is an Australian soprano and actress with a career mainly in musical theatre. From 1990 to 1993, she starred as the original Christine Daaé in the Australian premiere of ''The Phantom of the Opera (1986 mus ...

Original London production

''Hello, Dolly!'' premiered in the West End at the

Theatre Royal Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Dru ...

on December 2, 1965, and ran for 794 performances. Champion directed and choreographed, and the cast starred

as Dolly (after she, as well as Merman, had turned down the role for the original run of the show) and

Loring Smith Loring B. Smith (November 18, 1890 – July 8, 1981) was an American vaudeville, stage, film, radio and television actor, frequently of broadly comic and gregarious characters. He enjoyed a 65-year career involved in many facets of the entertainm ...

as Horace Vandergelder. Smith had created the Horace role in the original Broadway production of ''

'', Johnny Beecher as Barnaby, Garrett Lewis as Cornelius, Mark Alden as Ambrose Kemper, and Marilynn Lovell as Irene Molloy.

Dora Bryan Dora May Broadbent (7 February 1923 – 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was an English actress of stage, film and television.Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

: *November 6, 1975 – December 28, 1975,

Minskoff Theatre The Minskoff Theatre is a Broadway theater on the third floor of the One Astor Plaza office building in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1973, it is operated by the Nederlander Organizatio ...

– Starring

and

Billy Daniels William Boone Daniels (September 12, 1915 – October 7, 1988) was an American singer active in the United States and Europe from the mid-1930s to 1988, notable for his hit recording of " That Old Black Magic" and his pioneering performances on ...

in an all-black production (42 performances) *March 5, 1978 – July 9, 1978,

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1910, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by C ...

– Starring

and

Eddie Bracken Edward Vincent Bracken (February 7, 1915 – November 14, 2002) was an American actor. Bracken came to Hollywood prominence for his comedic lead performances in the films '' Hail the Conquering Hero'' and '' The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'' b ...

(147 performances) *October 19, 1995 – January 28, 1996,

– Starring

and

Jay Garner Jay Montgomery Garner (born April 15, 1938) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who in 2003 was appointed as Director of the Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, ma ...

(116 performances) *April 20, 2017 – August 25, 2018, Shubert Theatre – Starring

Bette Midler Bette Midler ( ;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Bette Midler, numero ...

and

David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce (born David Pierce; April 3, 1959) is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting A ...

(550 performances) In the West End the show has been three times revived (to date, July 2024): *1979 –

headlining at the

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

and

Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. It opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, with a capacity of 2,500. The current capacity is 1,416. The title "Shaftesbury Theat ...

, with

as Horace and Angela Curran as Ermengarde. *January 3, 1984 – April 27, 1984 –

Danny La Rue Danny La Rue (born Daniel Patrick Carroll, 26 July 1927 – 31 May 2009) was an entertainer best known for on-stage theatrical productions, television shows and films where he customarily performed in drag. Early life Born Daniel Patrick Car ...

headlining at the

Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...

, with

Lionel Jeffries Lionel Charles Jeffries (10 June 1926 – 19 February 2010) was an English actor, director, and screenwriter. He appeared primarily in films and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Golden ...

as Horace, Mark Haddigan as Barnaby, and

Jeremy Hawk Jeremy Hawk (20 May 1918 – 15 January 2002) was a character actor with a long career in music halls and on London's West End stage. Early life Hawk was born Cedric Joseph Lange in Johannesburg, South Africa; his father was a matinee idol w ...

as Rudolph. *A third West End revival, headlined by

Imelda Staunton Dame Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956) is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre pr ...

under the direction of

Dominic Cooke Dominic Cooke (born 1966) is an English director and writer. Early life Born in Wimbledon, London, Wimbledon, south London, Cooke was brought up seeing a lot of theatre as a teenager from free theatre tickets provided by the Inner London Ed ...

, played a limited ten-week season at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

from July 6 - September 14, 2024, with a July 18 press night. The production's cast included

Andy Nyman Andrew Nyman (born 13 April 1966) is an English actor, director, writer, singer and magician. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Tevye in the 2019 West End revival of ''Fiddler on the Roof''. Early life and ...

(Horace),

Jenna Russell Jenna Russell (born 5 October 1967) is an English actress and singer. She has appeared on the stage in London in both musicals and dramas, as well as appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a maj ...

(Irene),

Harry Hepple Harry Hepple (born David Matthew Hepple) is a British actor and musician. Career Hepple graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2006. The same year he made his professional debut in ''Alaska'' at the Royal Court Theatre with Rafe S ...

(Cornelius) and Tyrone Huntley (Barnaby). This production had been scheduled to premiere on August 11, 2020 for a limited season at the

Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...

, its four-year postponement being due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. A 1989 UK tour of the show of ''Hello, Dolly!'', directed and choreographed by Paul Kerryson, was headlined by

Dora Bryan Dora May Broadbent (7 February 1923 – 23 July 2014), known as Dora Bryan, was an English actress of stage, film and television.Norman Rossington Norman Rossington (24 December 1928 – 21 May 1999) was an English actor best remembered for his roles in ''The Army Game'', the ''Carry On'' films and the Beatles' film '' A Hard Day's Night''. Early life Born in Liverpool, Lancashire, ...

as Horace and Kathryn Evans as Irene. Kerryson would subsequently direct the 2014 Curve Theatre (Leicester) production of ''Hello, Dolly!'', headlined by

Janie Dee Janie Dee (born 20 June 1962) is a British actress. She won the Olivier Award for Best Actress, Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Play, and in New York the Obie and Theatre World Award for Best N ...

whose castmates included

Laura Pitt-Pulford Laura Pitt-Pulford is a British actress, best known for her work in musical theatre and for playing Carol Butler in ''Emmerdale''. Early life Pitt-Pulford grew up in Rugby, joined a local youth operatic group at age 12, and trained in drama at ...

as Irene and

Michael Xavier Michael D. Xavier (born Michael David Smith; 27 November 1977) is an English actor and singer. He is a two-time Laurence Olivier Award nominee and has performed on Broadway and in the West End. Early life Michael David Smith (later known as M ...

as Cornelius. The 2009

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is an open-air theatre in Regent's Park in central London, established in 1932. Originally known for its Shakespearean productions, the theatre now features a wide variety of performances, including musicals, ope ...

revival of ''Hello, Dolly'', headlined by

Samantha Spiro Samantha Spiro (born 20 June 1968) is an English actress and singer. She played Barbara Windsor in the stage play '' Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick'' and the television films '' Cor, Blimey!'' and '' Babs'', D.I. Vivien Friend in '' M.I.T.: ...

under the direction of

Timothy Sheader Timothy Sheader (born 23 November 1971 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire) is a British theatre director. Sheader read Law with French at the University of Birmingham before moving into a career in theatre. He was artistic director at Regent's Pa ...

, ran July 30 – September 12, with other cast members including

Allan Corduner Allan Corduner (; born 2 April 1950) is a British actor. Born in Stockholm to a German mother and a Russo-Finnish father, Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in London. After earning a BA (Hons) in English and Drama at Bristol University ...

(Horace),

Josefina Gabrielle Josefina Gabrielle Holmes, professionally known as Josefina Gabrielle (born October 1963), is a British actress and ballet dancer, best known for her performances in West End musicals and plays. Theatrical career Gabrielle was born in London ...

(Irene), and

Akiya Henry Akiya Henry is a British actress. She is best known for her theatre work, winning a WhatsOnStage Award and earning a Laurence Olivier Award nomination. Early life and education Akiya Henry was born in London. At six months old, she was placed ...

(Minnie Fay). The production was honored with the

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

as the best London-area stage musical revival of 2009, also earning Olivier awards for leading lady Samantha Spiro and for choreographer

Stephen Mear Stephen Leonard Mear (born 1964) is an English dancer, choreographer and director best known for his award-winning work in musical theatre. In the 1990s, Mear taught dance at the London Studio Centre. In 2005 he and co-choreographer Sir Matthe ...

2017 Broadway revival/national tour

On January 19, 2016, it was announced that

would play the title role in a Broadway revival of ''Hello, Dolly!''. Previews began March 15, 2017, officially opening on April 20, 2017, at the Shubert Theatre. The production was produced by

Scott Rudin Scott Rudin (born July 14, 1958) is an American film, television and theatre producer. His films include the Academy Award Best Picture-winning ''No Country for Old Men'', as well as '' Uncut Gems'', '' Lady Bird'', '' Fences'', ''The Girl with ...

, directed by

Jerry Zaks Jerry Zaks (born September 7, 1946) is an American stage and television director, and actor. He won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play and Drama Desk Award for directing '' The House of Blue Leaves'' (1986), '' Lend Me a Tenor'' (1989), ...

and choreographed by

Warren Carlyle Warren Carlyle is a British director and choreographer who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He received Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Choreography and Outstanding Director of a Musical for the 2009 revival of '' Finian's Rain ...

played Horace Vandergelder. Other principal casting for this revival included

Kate Baldwin Katherine Baldwin (born May 2, 1975) is an American singer and actress known for her work in musical theater. She received a Tony Award nomination for her work in the 2009 Broadway revival of ''Finian's Rainbow''. She also co-starred opposite Be ...

as Irene Molloy,

Gavin Creel Gavin James Creel (April 18, 1976 – September 30, 2024) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter best known for his work in musical theater. Over his career he received a Grammy Award, a Tony Award, two Drama Desk Awards and a Laurence O ...

as Cornelius Hackl, Jennifer Simard as Ernestina Money,

Taylor Trensch Taylor Hunt Trensch (born May 3, 1989) is an American stage and film actor. Early life and education Trensch was born in Tampa, Florida. He attended Howard W. Blake High School where he studied theatre under Eric Davis, James Rayfield, and Jen ...

as Barnaby Tucker, Will Burton as Ambrose Kemper, Melanie Moore as Ermengarde, and

Beanie Feldstein Elizabeth Greer "Beanie" Feldstein (born June 24, 1993) is an American actress. She first gained recognition for her starring roles in the comedy film '' Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising'' (2016), the comedy-drama film '' Lady Bird'' (2017), and the ...

as Minnie Fay.

played the role of Dolly at Tuesday evening performances beginning in June 2017, as well as covering Midler's holiday dates. She played her final performance on January 7, 2018. Midler won the Tony for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, and Creel for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, at the

71st Tony Awards The 71st Annual Tony Awards were held on June 11, 2017, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2016–17 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and was broadcast live by CBS.Viagas, Robert" ...

in 2017. Midler, Pierce, Trensch, and Feldstein left the production on January 14, 2018.McPhee, Ryan
"Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, Taylor Trensch, Beanie Feldstein Bid Farewell to ''Hello, Dolly!'' January 14"
Playbill, January 14, 2018

took over the role of Dolly on January 20, 2018, and

took over the role of Horace Vandergelder.McPhee, Ryan
"Bernadette Peters Will Succeed Bette Midler in Broadway's ''Hello, Dolly!''"
Playbill, September 5, 2017 Charlie Stemp assumed the role of Barnaby Tucker on January 20, 2018.

temporarily played the role of Cornelius Hackl from March 2018 to May 6 while Gavin Creel recovered from back surgery. Creel returned to the role on May 8, 2018. Before Fontana's temporary engagement, understudy Christian Dante White played the role of Cornelius. The production closed on August 25, 2018, with Midler and Hyde Pierce returning to play Dolly and Horace (respectively) from July 17, 2018, to closing.

Betty Buckley Betty Buckley (born July 3, 1947)LuKanic, Steven A (1995). Film Actors Guide'. Los Angeles, CA: Lone Eagle Publishing. p. 55. . is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for an additional Ton ...

played the title role in the first national tour of the 2017 Broadway revival, which began performances in Cleveland, Ohio in October 2018 in the

Connor Palace The Connor Palace, also known as the Palace Theatre and historically as the RKO Palace, is a theater at 1615 Euclid Avenue in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio, part of Playhouse Square. Construction Construction on Connor Palace began in the early 19 ...

at Playhouse Square, after a tryout in Utica, New York in September 2018.

International productions

*The Israeli production in 1968–1970 starred Hanna Maron as Dolly Levi, one of the most famous actress on the Israel theater, on the "Alhambra" theater, produced by

Giora Godik Giora Godik (; 1921–1977) was a Polish-born Jewish Israeli theater producer and impresario, famous for bringing musical comedies to Israel. Called the "King of musicals," the 2007 film documentary, "Waiting for Godik", tells the story of his ris ...

, also starring Shraga Friedman as Horace Vandergelder, Gadi Yagil as Cornelius Hackl and

Tzipi Shavit Tzipi Shavit (; born April 1, 1947) is an Israeli actress, comedian entertainer, who is best known as a children's entertainer. She is sometimes described by the media as the "First Lady of Israeli entertainment." Early life Shavit was born in ...

as Minnie Fay. The musical was a huge success and Dolly remains one of Maron's lovable roles. The musical was translated to Hebrew by

Haim Hefer Haim Hefer (; 29 October 1925 – 18 September 2012) was a Polish-born Israeli songwriter, poet, columnist, translator and writer. He wrote for numerous composers and musical artists, as well as for military bands. Several of his songs are consi ...

, a well-known songwriter and poet. *In 1967, the Argentine singer and actress

Libertad Lamarque Libertad Lamarque Bouza (; 24 November 1908 – 12 December 2000) was an Argentine and Mexican actress and singer, became one of the most iconic stars of the Golden Age of cinema in both Argentina and Mexico. She achieved fame throughout Latin A ...

starred the first

Spanish language Spanish () or Castilian () is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin spoken on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Today, it is a world language, gl ...

version of the musical in the Teatro Manolo Fabregas of

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

. Lamarque also starred the musical in

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

the same year. *In 1985, Cuban diva

Rosita Fornés Rosita Fornés (née Rosalía Lourdes Elisa Palet Bonavia; February 11, 1923June 10, 2020) was a Cuban-American singer, dancer and film actress. She was noted for her multifaceted career in the entertainment industry of Cuba. She worked in cinem ...

played Dolly in a Cuban production of ''Hello, Dolly'' by the Teatro Karl Marx in Havana, Cuba. She also played the role in Camaguey City and in a television production under director Manolo Rifat. *In 1989, Canadian theatre actress

Nonnie Griffin Nonnie Griffin (20 October 1933 – 7 June 2019) was a Canadian film, stage, television and voice actress. She studied at the Toronto Conservatory in her native land, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, and even with famed mime artist M ...

played Dolly in a 10-month run of ''Hello Dolly'' in Toronto. *In 1996, Mexican cinema star

Silvia Pinal Silvia Pinal Hidalgo (12September 193128November 2024) was a Mexican actress. She began her career in theatre before venturing into cinema in 1949. She became one of the greatest female stars of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema and, with her p ...

starred in a new version of the musical opposite

Ignacio Lopez Tarso Ignacio is a male Spanish name originating in the Latin name "Ignatius" from ''ignis'' "fire". This was the name of several saints, including the third bishop of Antioch (who was thrown to wild beasts by emperor Trajan) and Saint Ignatius of Loy ...

in the Teatro Silvia Pinal, in

. * In 2018, the Mexican actress and singer

Daniela Romo Teresa Presmanes Corona (born 27 August 1959), known professionally as Daniela Romo, is a Mexican singer, actress and TV hostess. During her career, she has sold 15 million records, making her one of the best-selling Latin music artists. Biog ...

starred in a new Mexican version of the musical in the

Teatro de los Insurgentes Teatro de los Insurgentes () is a Theater (structure), theater located on Mexico City's Avenida de los Insurgentes. Opened in 1953, the theater seats 959 spectators. History The construction of Teatro de los Insurgentes was funded by José Mar� ...

in Mexico City. * In 2020, Lucía Galán (half of the

Pimpinela Pimpinela are an Argentine Musical ensemble, duo formed by brother and sister :es:Joaquín Galán, Joaquín Galán and :es:Lucía Galán, Lucía Galán. Since 1981, the group is famous for singing Intimate relationship, romantic musical pieces a ...

singing duo) starred in the Argentinian version of the musical in the

Teatro Opera The Teatro Opera (''Opera Theatre'') is a prominent cinema and theatre house in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Introduction The Teatro Opera (officially called Opera Orbis Seguros for commercial advertising reasons), is located at 860 Avenida Corriente ...

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

. * In 2024, Caroline O’Connor starred in a new English language production commemorating 60 years of ''Hello, Dolly!'' at Lido 2 Paris, directed and choreographed by

Tours

*From February 2008,

Anita Dobson Anita, Lady May (born 29 April 1949), known as Anita Dobson, is an English actress and singer. She is best known for playing Landlord, landlady Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' from the show's inception in 1985 until 1988. She ac ...

headlined a six month tour of ''Hello, Dolly!'' which played 19 British venues - including

New Wimbledon Theatre The New Wimbledon Theatre is situated on the Broadway, Wimbledon, London, in the London Borough of Merton. It is a Listed building, Grade II listed Edwardian era, Edwardian theatre built by the theatre lover and entrepreneur, J. B. Mulholland, w ...

in the

London Borough of Merton The London Borough of Merton () is a London borough in London, England. The borough was formed under the London Government Act 1963 in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton ...

(March 24-29) - also playing the

Jersey Opera House The Jersey Opera House is a working theatre and opera house in La Vingtaine de la Ville, Saint Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. The theatre building is administered by the States of Jersey but is managed by Jersey Opera House Limited. The curre ...

St Helier, Jersey St Helier (; Jèrriais: ; ) is the capital of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. It is the most populous of the twelve parishes of Jersey, with a population of 35,822, over one-third of the island's total popula ...

(July 22-August 2). Dobson's castmates included

Darren Day Darren Day (born 17 July 1968) is an English actor, singer and television presenter, known for his West End theatre starring roles. Early life Day undertook drama classes at evenings and weekends until he was 13, when he turned his attention t ...

as Cornelius and Louise English as Irene. In 2006 Dobson had headlined the

New Theatre Royal Lincoln The New Theatre Royal Lincoln is a theatre in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. The present theatre, initially called the ''New Theatre Royal'', was built in 1893 to the designs of Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague. After an explosion and fire in 1 ...

production of ''Hello, Dolly!'' (November 16-December 2) which had co-starred

Rolf Saxon Rolf Saxon (born July 7, 1955) is an American stage, film, and television actor. He is known for his role as William Donloe in '' Mission: Impossible'' and '' Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning'', as well as for his voice-over work in n ...

as Horace. *

Sally Struthers Sally Anne Struthers (born July 28, 1947) is an American actress and activist. She played Gloria Stivic, the daughter of Archie Bunker, Archie and Edith Bunker in ''All in the Family'', for which she won two Emmy Awards, and Babette on ''Gilmor ...

appeared as Dolly in the 50th anniversary tour of the musical, which premiered in October 2013. Struthers had previously headlined the

Ogunquit Playhouse About Ogunquit Playhouse is a regional theater on 10 Main Street (United States Route 1) in Ogunquit, Maine. Ogunquit Playhouse is one of the last remaining summer theaters from the Summer Stock which still produces musical theatre. The Playho ...

2006 production of ''Hello, Dolly!'' (July 25-August 5). *A tour of the 2017 Broadway revival began touring the U.S. in September 2018 in Utica, New York starring

. The cast includes Lewis J. Stadlen as Horace Vandergelder, Nic Rouleau as Cornelius, Analisa Leaning as Irene Molloy, Jess LeProtto as Barnaby, Kristen Hahn as Minnie Fay, Garret Hawe as Ambrose Kemper, Morgan Kirner as Ermengarde, and Jessica Sheridan as Ernestina. Buckley ended her run in the tour on August 25, 2019;

took over as Dolly on September 24, 2019, in Kansas City, Missouri.Gans, Andrew
"Betty Buckley Ends Run in National Tour of ''Hello, Dolly!'' August 25"
Playbill, August 25, 2019 The other cast changes effective in September 2019 include

as Horace, with new cast playing Cornelius, Barnaby, Minnie Fay, and Ambrose.McPhee, Ryan
"See Who's Joining Carolee Carmello in the New Company of'' Hello, Dolly!'' Tour"
Playbill, September 4, 2019

Critical reception

Opening night reviews of the original production were generally positive, and Carol Channing's performance as Dolly Gallagher Levi was greatly acclaimed; however, some reviewers criticized the score and the libretto, implying that Channing's performance was responsible for the efficacy of the show. In his review of the opening night performance, ''The New York Times'' theatre critic Howard Taubman wrote

''Hello, Dolly!'' ... has qualities of freshness and imagination that are rare in the run of our machine-made musicals. It transmutes the broadly stylized mood of a mettlesome farce into the gusto and colors of the musical stage. ... Mr. Herman's songs are brisk and pointed and always tuneful ... a shrewdly mischievous performance by Carol Channing. ... Making the necessary reservations for the unnecessary vulgar and frenzied touches, one is glad to welcome ''Hello, Dolly!'' for its warmth, color and high spirits.

John Chapman of the ''Daily News (New York), New York Daily News'' lauded Carol Channing's performance, declaring her "the most outgoing woman on the musical stage today – big and warm, all eyes and smiles, in love with everybody in the theatre and possessing a unique voice ranging somewhat upward from a ''basso profundo''." He also wrote, "I wouldn't say that Jerry Herman's score is memorable."Suskin, Steven. ''Opening Night on Broadway: A Critical Quotebook of the Golden Era of the Musical Theatre'', pp. 297–301. Schirmer Books, New York, 1990. New York Post critic Richard Watts, Jr., wrote,

The fact that [''Hello, Dolly!''] seems to me short on charm, warmth, and the intangible quality of distinction in no way alters my conviction that it will be an enormous popular success. Herman has composed a score that is always pleasant and agreeably tuneful, although the only number that comes to mind at the moment is the lively title song. His lyrics could be called serviceable.

In the ''New York Herald Tribune'', Walter Kerr wrote,

''Hello, Dolly!'' is a musical comedy dream, with Carol Channing the girl of it. ... Channing opens wide her big-as-millstone eyes, spreads her white-gloved arms in ecstatic abandon, trots out on a circular runway that surrounds the orchestra, and proceeds to dance rings around the conductor. ... With hair like orange sea foam, a contralto like a horse's neighing, and a confidential swagger, [she is] a musical comedy performer with all the blowzy glamor of the girls on the sheet music of 1916.

Kerr perceived deficiencies in the libretto, though, stating that the "lines are not always as funny as Miss Channing makes them". John McClain of the New York Journal American particularly praised the staging of the musical, saying that

Gower Champion deserves the big gong for performance beyond the call of duty. Seldom has a corps of dancers brought so much style and excitement to a production which could easily have been pedestrian. ... It is difficult to describe the emotion [the song "Hello, Dolly!"] produces. Last night the audience nearly tore up the seats as she led the parade of waiters in a series of encores over the semi-circular runway that extends around the orchestra pit out into the audience, ... a tribute to the personal appeal of Miss Channing and the magical inventiveness of Mr. Champion's staging.

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

1978 Broadway revival

1979 West End revival

1995 Broadway revival

2009 Open Air Theatre revival

2017 Broadway revival

2024 West End revival

Recordings

The RCA Victor cast recording of the original Broadway production was released in 1964. It was the number-one album on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' pop albums chart for seven weeks, the top album of the year on the Billboard Year-End, Year-End chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In 1965, a recording of the original London production was released. In 1967, RCA Victor released a recording of the all-black Broadway replacement cast, featuring Pearl Bailey, who also starred in the unrecorded 1975 revival. The movie soundtrack was released in 1969. On November 15, 1994, the 1994 revival cast recording was released. The 2017 Broadway Revival cast recording was released on May 12, 2017, featuring the songs now sung by Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, Kate Baldwin, and Gavin Creel.

Cultural influence

*Armstrong's 1964 recording of the song " Hello, Dolly!" rose to the top of the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' pop chart. *The title song was sung in the 1999 film ''Dick (film), Dick'' by actor Dan Hedaya, playing President Richard Nixon. *Following the thirtieth anniversary tour of the show, the Smithsonian accepted a donation from Channing and theatrical producer Manny Kladitis of the red satin, sequin-bedecked costume designed by Freddy Wittop. Worn by Channing during the climactic title song at the Harmonia Gardens, the red gown has been displayed at the National Museum of American History. The remainder of the original Wittop costumes are part of the Broadway Collection at Costume World, a theatrical museum located in Pompano Beach, Florida."Broadway Collection"
costumeworld.com, accessed April 2, 2012

Footnotes

References

* * *Bovsun, Mara

barbra-archives.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-08. *

imagi-nation.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-08. *

External links

Internet Broadway Database listing for all productionsCharles Nelson Reilly's autobiographical film, in which he discusses ''Hello Dolly''"Long Runs on Broadway as of February 2017"TUTS study guide
{{Authority control 1964 musicals American plays adapted into films Broadway musicals Culture of Yonkers, New York Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Musicals based on plays Musicals by Jerry Herman Musicals by Michael Stewart (playwright) Musicals set in New York City Musicals set in the 19th century Tony Award for Best Musical West End musicals A Day Well Spent Tony Award–winning musicals Works based on Einen Jux will er sich machen