yankeefan7 said: ""I think Hello Dolly is too much about the star. I am surprised that the advertising campaign isn't starting to reduce focus on Bette and increase it on the show, since most of her contractual period is pretty much sold out. The show received great reviews, and is a love letter to musical theatre audiences, who seem to love it whether Donna or Bette is on, but only seem to want to pay for Bette. It is a bad omen for the future if a five time nominee, 2 time Tony winner can't sell tickets so early in the run...unless Bette is going to play the role until she drops dead after giving about 4,500 performances. Ticket buyers seem to have concluded they are seeing a star vanity production instead of a wonderful production of a great show. "
Excellent post. "Hello Dolly" is starting to remind me of "The Producers". If you did not see the stars than people did not seem to be interested in the show.
I have been thinking that for awhile, but it is becoming more evident. Being a businessman and making a fortune during a Bette period, Scott Rudin may not care. He's already got a great return on his investment. But for all the people who aren't seeing it, they are missing a wonderful opportunity. I do think there is a difference between The Producers and Hello Dolly, however. The Producers just wasn't as good without Lane and Broderick. I loved The Producers -- the first time I saw it was a musical highlight of my lifetime, I laughed so often and so long -- with Lane and Broderick. I liked it every other time I saw it and came close to disliking it when Lewis J Stadlen was Max, because I did not like his interpretation (I normally enjoy his work, just not as Max); but I never loved it without them.
But Hello Dolly is (sacrilege) in reality not quite as dependent on who plays the lead; hell, I loved it with Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, Martha Raye, Ethel Merman and leads in a couple of Stock Productions, although none held a candle to Channing and Bailey. (HD was every bit as much Bailey's as it was Channings (and now Midler's) -- just as Gypsy was as much Lansbury's or Lupone's as it was Merman's).
An intertesting dilemma when the HUGE STAR is so associated with an open-ended show. When Houdini was cancelled, I remember thinking... 'probably, just as well; it would have become the Hugh Jackman musical and interest would drop after he heaves; regardless of how good the show is, it would be the Hugh Jackman show without Hugh Jackman. If it ever sees the light of day, it stands a better chance of running forever if it is not associated with a huge star.
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