HELLO, DOLLY! Previews- Page 28

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 4:06pm

I love Bette Midler, but I feel like I'd be paying all that money to see "Bette Midler" - not "Hello, Dolly" (one of my favorite shows).

FYI: every actress in the original Broadway production played Dolly in their own public personas - Carol Channing, Mary Martin, Pearl Bailey as well as Ethel Merman.  This is what made the original production so grand and ran for years: each actress added her own public persona infusions as Bette Midler is doing.  

Sadly, Donna Murphy doesn't have a mass audience public persona therefore her audiences with be composed of her fans and people unaware of her.   

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 6:31pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "I love Bette Midler, but I feel like I'd be paying all that money to see "Bette Midler" - not "Hello, Dolly" (one of my favorite shows).

FYI: every actress in the original Broadway production played Dolly in their own public personas - Carol Channing, Mary Martin, Pearl Bailey as well as Ethel Merman.  This is what made the original production so grand and ran for years: each actress added her own public persona infusions as Bette Midler is doing.  

Sadly, Donna Murphy doesn't have a mass audience public persona therefore her audiences with be composed of her fans and people unaware of her.   

The one performer who didn't use her own persona in the role was singer Jane Morgan in a Music Fair tour in 1971. She decided to give an impersonation of Carol Channing and it was dreadful. As the show was performed in-the-round, there were additional problems because this show does not adapt to that kind of staging.

"

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 8:19pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "I love Bette Midler, but I feel like I'd be paying all that money to see "Bette Midler" - not "Hello, Dolly" (one of my favorite shows@

brody, beforeI saw the show I had a dreaded feeling that Bette would be merely, even coarsly, grandstanding her own persona rather than portraying Dolly. I assure you (or rather whomever you are quoting) that Bette is totally invested in her character, fully incorporating herself into Dolly, which is exactly how any great star needs to play this role   Bette does so with passion, love, grace, warmth, brilliant humor and longing to rejoin the human race.  It would not surprise me if you were completely delighted with her performance  

 

"

 

Updated On: 4/15/17 at 08:19 PM

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 8:36pm

I saw "Hello, Dolly" in the round at the Marriott Lincolnshire in a Chicago suburb.  Their stage is in the round and they have always done very unique stagings of their musicals.  I saw "Funny Girl" and "Into the Woods" also and was always pleased by their productions.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 8:38pm

I was.  I attended the first preview so I had nothing to go on aside from my assumptions and hopes that she would be playing Dolly Levi infused with her Divine Miss M.  After a few moments into the show, I was smiling that my assumptions and hopes were right.  Yes, she creates a character but infuses the Divine Miss M in there as well.  Especially during those monologues to Efrain that she does on the catwalk and out to the audience.   

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 8:40pm

You talk about the productions you've seen but don't mention how effective they were. I mean DOLLY without a train or staircase is lacking.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 8:52pm

I don't think Hello Dolly! is strong enough of a musical to survive without an extremely charismatic Dolly Levi. The storyline and jokes were dated even in 1964. Therefore I don't mind that Bette Midler is doing the Divine Miss M schtick. I mean it's a very enjoyable musical but I don't think it's in the top tier of American musicals.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 9:35pm

poisonivy2 said: "I don't think Hello Dolly! is strong enough of a musical to survive without an extremely charismatic Dolly Levi. The storyline and jokes were dated even in 1964. Therefore I don't mind that Bette Midler is doing the Divine Miss M schtick. I mean it's a very enjoyable musical but I don't think it's in the top tier of American musicals.

I agree with this completely. Before I saw the show this past Wednesday, I was only moderately familiar with HELLO, DOLLY! Other than the title song, my main exposure to it was from the movie WALL-E. My first impression was that I couldn't imagine seeing the show with anyone but a megastar like Bette Midler. Without her, this revival doesn't seem overly necessary, in my opinion. Also, a major part of why I enjoyed it so much was the contagious enthusiasm of the audience. I thought the rest of the cast was excellent, but they're not working with material that I consider on the same level as my favorite classic musicals. Having said that, I think the title number is exceptional, and I would pay to see it again. The dancing is also superb. On the whole, the show is so joyous that it provides a real antidote to the cynicism of the day, and that boundless exuberance just might be its greatest strength, in addition to Ms. Midler's performance.
 

Updated On: 4/14/17 at 09:35 PM

[noradesmond]

Posted: 4/14/17 at 10:04pm

poisonivy2 said: "I don't think Hello Dolly! is strong enough of a musical to survive without an extremely charismatic Dolly Levi. The storyline and jokes were dated even in 1964. Therefore I don't mind that Bette Midler is doing the Divine Miss M schtick. I mean it's a very enjoyable musical but I don't think it's in the top tier of American musicals."

I disagree with that. Hello, Dolly! isn't bullet-proof and can certainly be scuttled by bad casting or poor production values, but it's resilience is what makes it so enduring. Look at the roster of stars who have made Dolly their own, as already mentioned by BrodyFosse123. It wasn't that they changed the character. They inhabited her and made her breathe. That's a strength, not a weakness, in a great show. I'd like to add to the list of actresses who became Dolly, Yvonne DeCarlo who I saw in a tour many, many years ago. She was terrific playing Dolly as Irish, brogue and all, and even this Carol Channing fanatic was charmed. 

[kofler22]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 1:45am

I attended the show tonight! It's perfect! The set, costumes, the whole cast is fantastic and Bette Midler is perfection!! She had a couch attack right before Before the parade. She had to stop. Gavin Creel entered with a glass of water. She add libbed, then she fell into the ground to the delight of the audience. Then she struggled finding the key of the song. She kept add libbing. The audience were roaring like hell and ahe told us to shut up! Hillarious!! The she sang the hell out of the song! 

Anylne remebers the staging? I found it strange tha t th whole cast was already on stage singing parade instead of entering in groups like the original staging... 

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 8:36am

Dolly does not have to played by a "megastar" to be successful as a musical. A couple years ago I saw Beth Leavel play Dolly in summer stock on Cape Cod and Klea Blackhurst at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. Both were fantastic! Klea brought the house down with her "courtroom" solo dining scene, milking it for all it was worth. Never laughed so hard. I have seen countless performances of Dolly, including an amazing high school production. I've also seen lackluster Dollys, notably one at the Gateway Playhouse, the whole production was like watching paint dry and Dolly - Mimi Hines was clearly struggling. So it depends on the cast.

For new-found fans of Hello Dolly, check out this blog, Call on Dolly, by Richard Skipper. It's an exhaustive Dolly history. http://www.callondolly.com/ 

 

Updated On: 4/15/17 at 08:36 AM

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:12am

Stage Door Sally said: "Dolly does not have to played by a "megastar" to be successful as a musical

 

My point was not that Dolly had to be played by a megastar for the show to be successful, it was that I personally would have no desire to see it again unless she was. I understand that HELLO, DOLLY! has many longtime diehard fans, but I'm not one of them. I was introduced to most of it for the first time just this week, and my first impression was that it was a lovely show, but probably not one I would revisit again and again.

 

[carnzee]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 9:40am

poisonivy2 said: "I don't think Hello Dolly! is strong enough of a musical to survive without an extremely charismatic Dolly Levi. The storyline and jokes were dated even in 1964. Therefore I don't mind that Bette Midler is doing the Divine Miss M schtick. I mean it's a very enjoyable musical but I don't think it's in the top tier of American musicals.

 

Hi Ivy.  I've seen you on parterre. I  guess you are a real culture vulture like me! Any way, I've always considered Dolly!  to be the ne plus ultra of musical comedy. Ethan Mordden contrasts Dolly and Gypsy, two star vehicles heavily associated with their original stars but able to work with many different actresses, with earlier star vehicles that only work with the star they were written for , such as Redhead with Gwen Verdon.

So what do you consider the best example of a musical comedy, if not Dolly?  

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:14am

Best examples of classic musical comedies that IMO are superior to Dolly: Guys and Dolls, She Loves Me, On the Town, Kiss Me Kate, A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady ...

[carnzee]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 10:35am

I consider ALNM , SLM and MFL to be "musical plays" rather than "musical comedy " ,but Guys and Dolls and On the Town are great examples. Many on here called the last On the Town revival corny but I loved it. 

[RagtimeRay]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 11:42am

Stage Door Sally said: "I've also seen lackluster Dollys, notably one at the Gateway Playhouse, the whole production was like watching paint dry and Dolly - Mimi Hines was clearly struggling. So it depends on the cast."

I saw Mimi Hines in a tour that featured the original sets and costumes. Phil Ford was her Vandergelder. Although I'm a fan of the show, that was the worst production of Hello, Dolly! I've ever seen. Ms. Hines "struggled" with the lines and Mr. Ford was even worse. However, (and I do not remember his name) that production's Barnaby Tucker was the best I've seen. He was a standout in an otherwise dull show.

On the question of Dolly performed in the round, I saw a very good production (back in the 70s) in the round starring Betsy Palmer. In place of on-stage stairs, she made her entrance down one of the aisles of the theatre. Surprisingly, Sunday Clothes worked fine without the train.

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 12:39pm

Stage Door Sally said: "Dolly does not have to played by a "megastar" to be successful as a musical. A couple years ago I saw Beth Leavel play Dolly in summer stock on Cape Cod and Klea Blackhurst at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. Both were fantastic! Klea brought the house down with her "courtroom" solo dining scene, milking it for all it was worth. Never laughed so hard. I have seen countless performances of Dolly, including an amazing high school production. I've also seen lackluster Dollys, notably one at the Gateway Playhouse, the whole production was like watching paint dry and Dolly - Mimi Hines was clearly struggling. So it depends on the cast.

For new-found fans of Hello Dolly, check out this blog, Call on Dolly, by Richard Skipper. It's an exhaustive Dolly history. http://www.callondolly.com/ 

 I live near the Gateway Playhouse and know for fact that Mimi  Hines was ill during the run of the show. In fact she missed opening night. The producer actually asked how long I would need to get-up in the part and when I told him I was willing to go on right then and there in my street clothes without script Mimi suddenly rallied. I'm not joking.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 12:39pm

Ragtime Ray, I just read Mimi's take on her performance in Dolly on Richard Skipper's blog. I had no idea she was part of an international tour of the show.  http://www.callondolly.com/mimi-hines/

At the end of the post, Mimi describes how she went on sick opening night at the Gateway Playhouse and got a bad review, but subsequently got raves. Not from me... and not from you.... Well, she has her dreams.

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 4/15/17 at 11:50pm

Shows like "Gypsy" and "Dolly" need charismatic actresses to play these parts.  This could be why there has never been a revival on Broadway of "Funny Girl".  Having seen Carol Channing that last time she toured the county in "Dolly", made my day.

[NoName3]

Posted: 4/16/17 at 12:34am

Noradesmond, I also saw Yvonne de Carlo in that bus and truck tour in the late 1960s and have posted here before how wonderful she was. There was much publicity about Tovuh Feldshuh being the first actress to play Dolly GALLAGHER Levi with an Irish brogue at Papermill but indeed, that's how de Carlo did the part way back then. delightfully. I think she may have done more than one tour but regardless I know she also did the part several times regionally. I've seen the show many times since, in all sorts of productions, but only Channing. whom I saw many times, surpassed her.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/16/17 at 1:53am

Double post

Updated On: 4/16/17 at 01:53 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 4/16/17 at 1:53am

Some critics were there today.  Definitely LA Times and Variety.

[binau]

Posted: 4/16/17 at 8:15am

So was Ben Brantley. 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/16/17 at 6:50pm

Stage Door Sally said: "Ragtime Ray, I just read Mimi's take on her performance in Dolly on Richard Skipper's blog. I had no idea she was part of an international tour of the show.  http://www.callondolly.com/mimi-hines/

At the end of the post, Mimi describes how she went on sick opening night at the Gateway Playhouse and got a bad review, but subsequently got raves. Not from me... and not from you.... Well, she has her dreamI

 



I read Mimi's account and beg to differ. She missed the 1st performance. The gal who normally played Ernestina went on for her. She was rather lackluster. As the producer is a former student of mine, he knew about my obsession with the show and asked how long it would take me to go on. I was willing to do it right then and there. When Mimi learned of this she got out of bed for the next performance. Possibly the press wasn't invited until the 2nd or 3rd show.

 

Updated On: 4/16/17 at 06:50 PM

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 4/16/17 at 7:13pm

Ragtime Ray writes "I saw a very good production (back in the 70s) in the round starring Betsy Palmer. In place of on-stage stairs, she made her entrance down one of the aisles of the theatre. Surprisingly, Sunday Clothes worked fine without the train."

I might have seen that very same production of DOLLY with Betsy Palmer in the round, I want to say at North Shore Music Fair or something like that near the Massachusetts coast probably around 1972 or 73 It was an absolutely lovely production according to my 16 or 17-year-old's recollection. But the show I saw definitely did stage the train, in the form of a series of train window cutouts that Dolly handed out to each chorus member as they went by. The climax of the song was a diagonal formation of the entire company all holding their windows in position across the stage space to make an absolutely explicit train with Dolly at the caboose waving goodbye as the whole company exited. Sublime!