DAME said: "I hated Lewis Stadlen. Made me really miss DHP."
Although I truly enjoyed the wonderful performances by the witty and animated David Hyde Piece, as well as the amazing and handsome Victor Garber, I thought Lewis J. Stadlen was the best Horace Vandergelder of the three actors.
And I absolutely look forward to seeing Betty Buckley again in May and August.
Chorus Member Joined: 4/5/07
Betty Buckley performed the role of Dolly on the closing night of the Los Angeles engagement at the Pantages Theatre. (Feb 17).
Her speaking voice sounded scratchy but her singing/belting voice was fine.
Overall, I'm happy to see her again since "Grey Gardens" at the Ahmanson in summer 2016. I wish her continued success.
I saw the show last night and she was fantastic! When I saw the show last month in OC, she had missed many performances due to illness. So, was lucky to have seen her go on in OC. Last night her energy level was much better and the audience loved it.
Great show!
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
I saw the Tuesday night performance on the first day of the San Francisco leg of the tour. Betty Buckley was in the show. My wife and I had never seen Hello, Dolly! before (not counting the movie) and we enjoyed it. I certainly can't compare Buckley to anyone else who's played Dolly on stage, but she displayed plenty of wry charm and her performance of Before the Parade Passes By was emotional and nicely done. As with many musicals that have a loyal fanbase, the audience was primed and ready to go for major scenes and songs - but it wasn't excessive. Their enthusiasm made the whole experience more fun.
Updated On: 2/21/19 at 03:38 AM
Looking forward to opening press night tonight, 2/20. As a group leader I've been comped in. Will attend a second time with my group in March. So for me it has been Hello, Carol, Bette, Donna, Bernadette and now Betty!
I think the title of this thread is unfair to Ms. Buckley....
Seeing matinee now and intermission was extended due to some technical difficulties backstage...
antonijan said: "I think the title of this thread is unfair to Ms. Buckley....
Seeing matinee now and intermission was extended"
How'd you like it?
It was the matinee b4 the official opening night and it was a feel good musical for sure!
Saw the movie ages ago but seeing it live gave it a different feel and I really enjoyed the tribute to Ms. Buckley herself...in the person of Dolly Levi in this tour.
I definitely enjoyed the dancing and the combined talents of everyone...not to mention Nic, Garett, and Julian from previous musicals that has graced the stage!
I felt like a little princess after the show...that dreams may still come true!
It was like a grown-up version of a disney musical and period pieces always amazes me as it was like taking a trip back in time!.
Break legs and Happy Opening tonight!
:) that's the magic of theater!
Stand-by Joined: 5/16/03
I had the pleasure of seeing Betty Buckley and the national tour of Hello, Dolly! on Saturday afternoon at The Smith Center in Las Vegas. Kudos to all.
However, I have a question: I've seen Dolly many times (during its first run, Channing's revival, tours, and the recent Broadway revival - Donna Murphy). At the end of the title number, Dolly and the waiter's start the "duck walk" on stage left of the passerale and move in the direction of stage right. The same is true when they do the reprise. The Betty Buckley cast began the duck walk on stage right and moved to the left. Does anyone know the reason for the change?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/03
It was left to right the night I saw it in LA, at least that's my memory. In the trailer it seems to be right to left, but I was fourth row center and really do remember left to right.
antonijan said: "I think the title of this thread is unfair to Ms. Buckley..."
Agreed. She seems to have finally recovered from her bug in January. Although she was a bit raspy back in her first few performances in SF, she charmed the audiences in all the performances over their recently completed 4 week run here.
(....and I LOVED Lewis J Stadlen)
Understudy Joined: 3/10/17
RagtimeRay said: "I had the pleasure of seeing Betty Buckley and the national tour of Hello, Dolly! on Saturday afternoon at The Smith Center in Las Vegas. Kudos to all.
However, I have a question: I've seen Dolly many times (during its first run, Channing's revival, tours, and the recent Broadway revival - Donna Murphy). At the end of the title number, Dolly and the waiter's start the "duck walk" on stage left of the passerale and move in the direction of stage right. The same is true when they do the reprise. The Betty Buckley cast began the duck walk on stage right and moved to the left. Does anyone know the reason for the change?"
OMG - Thank you! This has been bothering me for some time! When I saw this with Bette Midler and Donna Murphy early in the run in New York, I disctintly recall it was stage left to right. Then I saw it with Bernadette a year later, and it was stage right to left, which made me think I misremembered it from the previous year. When I saw it in SF with Betty Buckley, it was right to left, which made me doubt my memory even more. But now it seems my memory might have been correct, and I’m not crazy after all! I couldn’t imagine why it would have been changed. My friend suggested jokingly that maybe it depends on whether Dolly is left-handed or right-handed.
Featured Actor Joined: 3/2/11
MarkBearSF said: "antonijan said: "I think the title of this thread is unfair to Ms. Buckley..."
Agreed. “
Just found out that she’ll be out in Denver April 2-7, the entire second week of her run!! Very disappointed.
Featured Actor Joined: 3/2/11
I just called the Denver center and they said Ms Buckley was taking a vacation the second week of her tour there as well as for the entire run of the next city which seems to be Des Moines. They did say tickets could be exchanged for first week of run. No word on who her understudies are.
Updated On: 3/26/19 at 01:52 PMThey started the show back in September and she had clearly been exhausted, she is due for a vacation.
n2nbaby said: "They started the show back in September and she had clearly been exhausted, she is due for a vacation. "
She had a vacation in December. Not that she is not due for one now. Perhaps they should have scheduled a break instead of advertising a name above the title when she was taking a vacation?
I mean this is likely the break they scheduled. I get with the name above the title all of this is more controversial, but still. Its been announced ahead of performances that she won't be there. Im not sure why anyone is surprised she's taken time off in general, the touring schedule is exhausting especially for someone at her age and performing the show she's performing.
Mike Barrett said: "I mean this is likely the break they scheduled. I get with the name above the title all of this is more controversial, but still. Its been announced ahead of performances that she won't be there. Im not sure why anyone is surprised she's taken time off in general, the touring schedule is exhausting especially for someone at her age and performing the show she's performing."
Oh I am not surprised at all . I am surprised there are no more breaks scheduled. But if I am not mistaken.. her not being in the second half of the Denver run was not announced when they were selling subscriptions.
It is a brutal touring schedule.
mcsquared said: "MarkBearSF said: "antonijan said: "I think the title of this thread is unfair to Ms. Buckley..."
Agreed. “
Just found out that she’ll be out in Denver April 2-7, the entire second week of her run!! Very disappointed."
Wow. A couple of weeks ago, we changed our tickets from April 2 to tonite. We had no idea of Ms. Buckley's schedule and DPCA didn't say anything.
AGAIN?
ggersten said: Just found out that she’ll be out in Denver April 2-7, the entire second week of her run!! Very disappointed."
Wow. A couple of weeks ago, we changed our tickets from April 2 to tonite. We had no idea of Ms. Buckley's schedule and DPCA didn't say anything."
Sorry for those who won't be able to see Betty's superb performance as "Dolly," but so happy she's taking care of herself.
Ok. I just found an email from DCPA on March 16 promoting Hello Dolly and no mention that Ms. Buckley would not be performing the second week of the run.
However, I found an email from Tuesday morning stating that "Betty Buckley is scheduled to appear in all performances March 27-31." Since we had tickets for March 28, that sentence didn't even register with me.
I do not envy the box office people next week.
Tonite we gave Ms Buckley but Barnaby is Julian DeGuzman instead of Jess LeProtto
Swing Joined: 3/17/17
Apparently, Jess LeProtto is no longer part of the tour. Several cast members posted Instagram story videos of the cast singing "Happy Trails" to him prior to their last show in Las Vegas on Sunday. No mention of why he's leaving.
Julian DeGuzman posted on his Instagram account a few minutes ago that he'll be on for Barnaby this week. (Scott Shedenhelm is the other Barnaby understudy, so I'm assuming he'll be on next week.)
Also, per several Instagram stories, Garett Hawe (who plays Ambrose Kemper) is also leaving the tour next week midway through the Denver run. Again, no mention of why he's leaving.
Richard Riaz, who was in the Broadway ensemble, has joined the tour temporarily (only for the Denver leg of the run).
Videos