Hello Dolly

I just read Thorton Wilder's The Matchmaker in preparation for a Hello Dolly audition. However, I was just wondering if anyone would be able to help me a little bit with the character development for Dolly Levi. I'm not sure about her accent, either... I watched the movie but I can't figure out exactly what Babs is going for. Any help would be much appreciated, thank you!

E-mail : stagedreamer04@yahoo.com

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Dolly's name is Dolly Gallagher Levi. She married Ephraim Levi who died, what, seven years before. She's as Jewish as Alan Keyes.

Dolly is the lead. This title role is a New York girl who has made a living since her husband's death by her wits and gumption.

Hello, Dolly and The Matchmaker are primarily concerned with Dolly getting Horace Vander Gelder to marry her and not the beautiful and young Irene Malloy.

She has made up her mind before the show begins that this is her mission. Her speech to Ephraim prior to Parade is the authors' device to let the audience learn of her way of thinking and what her goal is.

In answer to the basic question, the less accent the better. It is possible to get too Method-y about accents. Take a look at the long line of Dollys: Ruth Gordon and Shirley Booth in the stage and film of The Matchmaker and Carol et al in the musical. As for Barbra, can we use the word 'miscast' and let it pass?

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Updated On: 8/9/04 at 02:31 PM

What do you have against Ms. Streisand, EricMDB?

Glebb: Have you ever listened to Barbra Striesand's album, "A Happening in Central Park"? She imatates Mae West!

Oh thanks. I didn't realize I was in the company of Stella Adler.

Yes Barbara Streisand, I've heard the Central Park Concert and I would not call that Mae West inpersonation Barbara's best.

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Updated On: 8/18/04 at 10:47 PM

I read about it so many years ago, but I think "influenced by" is more like it.

Have any of you seen the screen tests of Ann Margret for the role of Irene Molloy?

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i saw ann-margret's screen test for irene malloy. kind of sad that at that point in time a-m's career was in a state where she had to actually test for a role. too bad she didnt get it, she would have been an improvement over marianne mcandrew...as a matter of fact that whole movie is a mess.

the highlight for me was satchmo saving the day during the "hello dolly" number.

after seeing it i was left with one thought: "i can't believe i watched THE WHOLE THING!"

As far as your question about the character development of the great Dolly Levi, my thoughts are that she is huge charcter. She walks into the room and everyone knows it. She has her nose in everyone's business and as a great director of mine once said, you have to play this role and each of her lines as if that is your only line in the show. Hope this helps. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Glebb: You spelled Barbra Streisand's name wrong.