Betty Buckley "DOLLY" opening in Cleveland/ Casting News ?- Page 15

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 9:24pm

Chicago Tribune - Review: “This is the only 'Hello, Dolly!' you'll ever need to see”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/g00/entertainment/theater/reviews/ct-ent-hello-dolly-review-1026-story.html?i10c.encReferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8%3d&i10c.ua=4&i10c.dv=23

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 10:13pm

Sumptuous is a great word for this production. The many lovely painted drops used in the NY Shubert production are now part of the tour - I assume that the same drops are being used. Though the scrolling Act 2 pre-Harmonia Gardens drop is now in 3 separate pieces, it is still enchanting.

I gently cried when the glorious train arrived in Yonkers during Put On Your Sunday Clothes. What a joyful scene.

Have played the $25 lottery all week. It's a popular lottery, as I have succeeded just once out of 4 attempts. Wednesday night's seat was dress circle on the side - which meant missing out on Vandergelder's booth at Harmonia Gardens.

What a cast! Strong voices and beautiful dancing.

There is definitely less cascading audience laughter with Buckley in the lead, yet I strongly appreciated hearing the script's nuances with Buckley's warm delivery. I never felt that Midler's Dolly was a widow. But you definitely share in Buckley's Dolly's widow grief. More tears from me!

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 10/26/18 at 5:39am

BalconyClub said: "I gently cried when the glorious train arrived in Yonkers during Put On Your Sunday Clothes. What a joyful scene."

 

Still my favorite song, and favorite scene, in the entire show. It brings me to a gigantic ear-to-ear smile with tears of joy every single time. Can’t wait to see this tour again and again. 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 4:13pm

Ok, a bit of kvetching for a great show.

I caught the show again Saturday night in Chicago, yet the small hiccups that I noticed earlier on Wednesday were still evident on a second viewing.

Both nights before the overture, there was an UNWELCOMED DELAY between the house announcements of cell phones off and emergency exits, and the actual start of the overture. Maybe the lenghty several minute delay is on purpose as a few patrons are turning off phones, and maybe there are ushers scoping out their sections to assure that soundmakers are silenced, but the dead air after the announcement was soon replaced by audience chatter.

I realize this sounds petty, but I am accustomed to a performance beginning within 10-15 seconds of the house announcements -- not 3 to 5 minutes.

My second quibble - did I mention I'm a Virgo? - are the ending moments of both Acts.

At the end of Act 1, at the very end of Dolly's Before the Parade Passes By, the red curtain inches down from the fly to the stage. But AFTER the curtain has reached the stage floor, you can clearly see the center stage Dolly start off to the wings before the house lights visually blur this out, brightening the red curtain.

A similar visual blip occurs at the end of Act 2, soonafter the red curtain falls on the final Horace Vandergelder and Dolly scene. Again, the audience can readily see the two performers exiting to the wings AFTER the curtain has fallen.

I love this show! The Waiter's Gallop is on fire. The leads are all fantastic. The orchestra soars.

But may I suggest that the performers FREEZE in place after the end-of-Act curtain has dropped. Count slowly to 3, then head to the wings. OR, that the lighting operator(s) tighten these sequences.
 

Updated On: 10/28/18 at 04:13 PM

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 7:40pm

Saw it yesterday.  This theater is a cavern.  To me this production has lost just a little of its magic.  That huge pit followed by the fake pasarelle  really don't help.  The scenery and costumes are still glorious but yet seem  lost a little.  Buckley is just not my idea of Dolly.  But she does have a take on it and as someone else said here.. she is professional.  The house was not full and the audience reaction is definitely not as rapturous as the broadway production.  But it is still such a good show.  

Updated On: 10/28/18 at 07:40 PM

[markypoo]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 9:26pm

Saw the matinee today.
Excellent on all levels.
Audience was incredibly responsive.
Worth the $47 I spent.

[Helodfan]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 11:34pm

Saw it this weekend, after seeing it several times with Bette.

The good:  the sets, costumes, seem right from the BW production.  The show has all of the color and energy the BW production had.  None of that is lost.

The ok:  The leads.  The person playing Horace isn't very good.  I grew to like DHP, and when I saw him In August, he was on point.  As others have said, BB is ok.  But she makes the role feel too downtrodden.  Even during numbers like So Long Dearie, she sings it in such a downtrodden way.  No fun or humor at all.  The last scene between Dolly and Horace was really flat and not believable.  When I saw this on BW in August, the chemistry between BM and DHP during that scene was unreal, brought me to tears.

 

Overall - worth the money, still very joyous to watch.

[Helodfan]

Posted: 10/28/18 at 11:38pm

I should add- the waiters gallop was excellent and on point.  Probably the best I've ever seen.  

[scribbler23]

Posted: 11/11/18 at 12:47am

I just saw this tonight in Chicago.  Very disappointed.  I read on another thread that Betty Buckley's been sick, but she was in tonight.  Maybe that accounts for her very low energy - honestly, she couldn't do the choreography; she could barely lift her feet.  She swayed a lot and waved her arms.  Vocally, she sounded frail.  But I can't help but feel that even 100% healthy, she'd be miscast.  I always think Dolly has to be a force of nature, as well as have the vulnerability for us to care so deeply for her.  Betty did the vulnerable fine, but at no point did I feel she was the puppet master/magician Dolly needs to be.  And when the leading lady in this show has such low energy - I know I said that before, but it's the phrase that's stuck with me - so does the whole show.  The actor playing Horace was good.  I was surprised by how broadly comedic the actress playing Irene chose to play the role; I'm not sure it worked, but she tried.  The costumes were gorgeous, although it seemed to me the tempo of a lot of the songs were slow - and the orchestra wasn't really outstanding, either.  Overall, this was a disappointment.  

[jon2]

Posted: 11/11/18 at 7:47am

It's interesting if you read through reviews and message boards that even people who like her are kind of defensive and making excuses for her - this is notable for example in the rave Trib review.

[goldenboy]

Posted: 11/21/18 at 12:27pm

After catching Buckley last night in Miami, I have to agree wholeheartedly with Loopin the Loop who says it best. 
 

"Buckley is not warm, she’s not kooky in the Dolly way, she’s not lovable and she’s not comedic. ...she doesn't possess the qualities required to make Dolly really fly."

"Regarding all the talk of Betty Buckley ‘settling’ into the role. I fear, this is it."

It was musical comedy heaven for me in New York catching Bette Middler, Donna Murphy and Bernadette Peters in the role. All filled Dolly shoes well  in different ways. And with each of these performers, I was in Musical Comedy Heaven!  (I liked Bernadette the best but that's a different topic all together.)

 

I thought Buckley was miscast from the get go.  I like to be proven wrong.

I originally  thought David Hyde Pierce was miscast. I thought he was great  as Vandergelder  and he proved me wrong!!    So I was wondering what Buckley could bring to it to prove me wrong?

Honestly nothing.

Buckley knew her lines, sang well enough, had an uncomfortable forced smile and didn't bump into the furniture. Unfortunately,  she is a dull Dolly.  No comic force of nature; little warmth. 

It left me and my theatre companion wondering who would have been a better choice. I think Andrea Martin as mentioned on here would have been a brilliant choice.

Buckley for me nearly sank the show.  It was just dull with her as Dolly. (Hello Dully?)   With her at the helm, it  is easy to notice all of the flaws of the show. (Such as why are the police called?-- a flaw you don't even notice when there is a charismatic Dolly at the helm)

 I know Buckley is a talented woman. I've been very impressed by the clips I saw of her as Rose in Gypsy, an angry intense driven role,--- but this role needs charm and comedy: not anger and strength.  Anger and strength are  Buckley's core-- not a good core for a Dolly.

Enjoyed the rest of the cast and the Ernestina understudy was better than anyone I saw on Broadway!  

Great production just missing the right Dolly. 

Updated On: 11/21/18 at 12:27 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/25/18 at 12:43am

Its interesting that when she was cast, Betty made a big pronouncement that she was taking a cue from Bette and just resting during the tour. No backstage guests, no going out and she would be off social media. Well, she is far from any of that. I think she is posting more than before. She posts backstage visit photos often, seems to be going out with friends and posting about it daily. She's also continuing to post her anti-Trump stuff hourly. That cant be helping sales. She's going to alienate plenty of ticket buyers. 

When she noted she was going off social media, I thought it was at the request of the producers because she is very vocal politically and often argues and curses at people who disagree. I assumed they might want her to cool it.

This is a tough schedule. I hope she takes care of herself. 

 

[acardbway]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 3:58pm

Long time reader, first time poster here.  I saw the show yesterday evening in Orlando, and Ms. Buckley was out.  Initially disappointed, but the show must go on!  Jessica Sheridan was a riot (that dinner scene!)  For someone who does not get to see every production in NYC, this made for an excellent tour.  (And has made me even more envious of those who saw Bette/Bernadette!)

I'm no expert, but it does concern me about Betty.  It seems she missed a fair amount of shows in Chicago too.  Curious if anyone else had insight. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 7:33pm

Buckley is out again tonight (Friday).

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 8:41pm

adamgreer said: "Buckley is out again tonight (Friday)."

 

Maybe we’re at the point now that we hope to get Jessica Sheridan, and if Betty Buckley decides to actually show up for work, STAY OFF OF TWITTER for 20 hours a day, rest up, take better care of her health, and get up that stage and be Dolly Levi, that we’d be happy to see her up there.

But at this point I can’t see her making it to springtime without getting replaced on a permanent basis due to health issues and the show folding after its first year. Which would be a shame, because I love this production. 

 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 8:44pm

adamgreer said: "Buckley is out again tonight (Friday)."

Interesting considering I saw a picture on someone's Instagram of her at Disney World with Mickey Mouse...

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 11/30/18 at 8:59pm

I saw the tour in Chicago and found Ms. Buckley to be glorious. She was hilarious and sang the score beautifully. Definitely not as hammy as Bernadette, but it was a great performance! Loved the supporting cast as well!

bwayphreak234 said: "adamgreer said: "Buckley is out again tonight (Friday)."

Interesting considering I saw a picture on someone's Instagram of her at Disney World with Mickey Mouse..."

I think that was earlier this week, but she was on Twitter an hour ago. This isn’t just a comment on Buckley, but I always find it tacky when I see an actor posting normally on social media on the day they’re out of the show (you see it often with the Mean Girls cast, for example).

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/1/18 at 12:13am

She’s wearing a poncho in the photo in question (it was on her IG story then reposted by the official Hello Dolly IG) and the only day it rained here this week was Monday, so I’m guessing that’s when it happened. I have a screenshot of it on my phone, but I have no idea how to post it. I’ll try to figure it out.

I agree that it’s bad form to be posting pictures of yourself visiting the local attractions when you only performed in one of the four shows (per one of the ushers) so far this week.

I also wonder if Buckley is going to last in the role. It seems like she bit off more than she could chew and didn’t realize how tough this would be. I wonder if they’d replace her with (the more than capable) Jessica Sheridan if this keeps up.

As for the show itself...

Jessica Sheridan was very, very, good tonight. Excellent singing voice. She was quite funny during the eating scene, which I always thought was chicken but they changed it to turkey tonight. The only thing she was lacking was star quality. Still, she was quite funny and had mostly won the audience over (people were quite grumbly before the show, given the way they’ve been advertising Buckley here).

I didn’t enjoy Louis Stadlen much. Too over the top for me.

Nic Rouleau and Jess LeProtto were my favorite parts of the show tonight. Both were outstanding.

The show isn’t my favorite (and has never been), but it definitely has its moments.

Updated On: 12/1/18 at 12:13 AM

[BwayLB]

Posted: 12/1/18 at 12:54am

I might go see the show in Costa Mesa in January. So this worries me about Buckley headlining the show. I would be more excited if Christine Ebersole or Audra McDonald was Dolly.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 12/1/18 at 1:32pm

Never understood the casting of Buckley, who is best known for her dramatic singing abilities, but certainly not for her warmth or comic chops. Is she that well known that she can sell out a house on a national tour? It's been a very long time since CATS or, for that matter, "Eight is Enough." 

Saw Midler, whom I loved, and Murphy, who was a disappointment, in New York. Have been watching the show since early 1964, with Channing, Grable, Bailey and Merman, each of whom brought something special to the show. Now living in the LA area, think I will skip seeing this again when the show comes to town.

[florida theatre kid]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 1:22am

Saw the show tonight in Tampa, having last show it during the first week of previews on Broadway. While it lacks a little bit of the sparkle and magic I felt the first time seeing this production (I blame the touring audience and size of the house), it's still an insanely good show with an insanely talented (!!!) cast. Making comparisons between Midler and Buckley is impossible for me, but I found Buckley to be a fabulous Dolly. I particularly enjoyed Nic Rouleau and Jess LeProtto, who had amazing chemistry as Cornelius and Barnaby. The rest of the principals are on par with the original revival cast in my opinion. The ensemble is killing it, and the production value and numbers are still top quality. I had the same ridiculous smile on my face during Sunday Clothes that I had seeing on Broadway. Top 5 touring musicals I have seen recently, don't miss this tour.

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 12/9/18 at 2:10am

Also saw the show tonight in Tampa. Wow, wow, wow! I will never stop saying what a fantastic production this is. The touring audience was a bit apprehensive at first, but as the show went on the laughs kept coming. While the Broadway production was overall tighter in regards to stellar uniform performances by the whole company, everyone in the cast is absolutely incredible. The ensemble killed it, and the orchestra was on fire. Betty was a great Dolly, and Lewis was a fine Horace. But the standouts were Nic Rouleau, Jess LeProto, and Analisa Leaming; the former two having amazing chemistry and charming individual performances, while the latter was a silver-voiced breath of fresh air. A shoutout to Kristen Hahn as well, the very unique Minnie. Overall such a beautiful show, with such quality and care put into it. Do not miss it!

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 6:14pm

The show starts its run in West Palm Beach tomorrow. Any going? Would love to hear more reviews on how the show is doing. It’s going to be a looooong time until May when I can see the tour again when it passes through Columbus.

[broadwayboy222]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 10:29pm

Finally getting around to posting here..... saw the show in Tampa last Tuesday, and hadn't seen any note of this but found it quite interesting that Betty did in fact say "A TRUMP Lady Faire" in I Put My Hand In.... Based on other recordings I have heard out there, I know this has previously not been the norm, so I am quite curious as to what spurred this change.... The show was overall a delight! I quite enjoyed Betty's wave to the audience upon her first entrance before her opening monologue, and thought it to be a lovely touch, that I can't remember any of the Broadway Dolly's doing! The cast, for the most part, was quite strong, with Lewis Stadlen and Jess LeProtto being stand outs. I quite enjoyed Nic Rouleau and Analisa Leaming's performances as well, it's just so gosh darned difficult to measure up to the standard of perfection of Gavin and Kate's performances in the Broadway production, as I truly believe them to be pretty much the definitive Cornelius and Irene. On the other hand, I was not a fan of Kristen Hahn's Minnie, as she came off a bit overly awkward, to the point of feeling almost just strange and in a different world than her scene partners were.... However, as with Nic and Analisa, I believe it to also be a very difficult task to top the level of comedic perfection which Beanie Feldstein's Minnie exuded (that laugh in her hat shop monologue made me cackle every single time....) Overall, this production is in excellent shape, led by a very strong cast, if just missing a tiny bit of the sparkle and magic from the Broadway production. 

On another note, I found the stage door situation to be quite disheartening regarding Betty.... we had all been informed by staff members upon arrival that "Miss Buckley had left the building" which could not have been further from the truth as a while later, when looking through the glass doors at the Straz, which allows those outside to see all of the comings and goings in the receptionist area inside, Betty appeared and had a talk with those behind the desk, almost coming to the doors, as if ready to come out, and then went back towards the backstage area, and left. This was also preceeded by her car service, at first being parked outside and in line with the stage door, then moving to the side, before heading to the other side of the building, where it was assumed she would be coming out instead to "avoid the stage door..." Now I do understand having been sick previously and maybe not wanting to come into contact with others for safety of maintaining a proper bill of health, but to just instruct your staff members to lie to those waiting at the stage door is, in my opinion, quite distasteful. I also slightly frown upon the fact, that, unlike the Broadway production, there could not have been more than about 10 people waiting for autographs so I don't quite understand the dramatics regarding not wanting to come out to greet the small crowd of people waiting, if not to at least have done what Bette Midler did and shake hands of those who waited... but despite that, a lovely night, seeing this dream of a revival one last time! 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 10:36pm

I stage door often, but it’s a plus when it happens, nothing more. Betty doesn’t owe anyone a stagedoor experience. The only mistake is letting the stage door crowd see her after it was announced she had already left.

P.S. I’m glad you had a great time. I’ve been distressed by the mixed reviews Betty has been receiving. Maybe as her health has improved, so has her performance. Not sure the show will tour through Oklahoma and if so, if she’ll still be in, but I’d love to experience the show again. 

Updated On: 12/10/18 at 10:36 PM