Hello Dolly

[JackersCrackers]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 12:59pm

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 : [e-mail]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 1:52pm

First of all, don't try to emulate Babs.

Dolly Levi is obviously jewish. A really thick Brroklyn acent might me funny.

Her character starts off as a meddler and a know it all, then she has an empifanny (the song When the Parade Passes by) in which she realizes she needs to move on (from her widow-hood) and find love with Horace.

Keep in mind that Dolly is, (the flames are gonna fly) not necessarily the principle character of this show. I think that title goes to Cornelius. He is, after all in all but the very first scene. If you count how many songs Dolly is in that Cornelius is not, then count the songs she is in that he is not, you'll see my point. Maybe I'm biased because I've played Cornelius twice.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 2:31pm

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?

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

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 4:58pm

Yvonne de Carlo did a fine job when she played Dolly. She used a slight Irish brogue--fitting for someone who was "born Gallagher".

Don't assume that Ephraim was Jewish. He was from Vienna, where there are many, many Catholics with names like Levi and Stein.

Carol Channing used a bit of a New York accent when she played the role. This was obvious when she pronounced Horace's last name: VAAAAAAndergelder. She was also very New Yorkish when it came to the word "chicken". She over-enunciated the New York pronunciation of the word "blue" when she pondered the new wallpaper.

[Barbra Streisand]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 9:35pm

What do you have against Ms. Streisand, EricMDB?

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/9/04 at 9:40pm

Babs actually had Mae West in mind and when you watch it again, look for her Mae West moments.

There is a note/word (again) near the end of the Hello Dolly number where she sounds exactly like Mae.

[Barbra Streisand]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:14pm

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

[WayWicked]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:41pm

Accent? What accent? You play the character as you would. Not anyone else.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/18/04 at 10:47pm

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.

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

[shira467]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 3:48am

I have no clue if she is channeling Mae West.

All I know, is that is one of the first musical I encountered, and have thereby loved Barbra's version of "Hello Dolly" for many years. I loved it. Even though she may not have enjoyed it so much, I know I did.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 7:50am

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?

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 10:12am

try to catch the movie of The Match Maker...Shirley Booth is so endearing in anything she approaches...

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 12:10pm

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!"

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 9:38pm

You can also see very young Shirley MacLaine and Anthony Perkins in THE MATCHMAKER.

[Roxie]

Posted: 8/19/04 at 9:45pm

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!

[JackersCrackers]

Posted: 8/20/04 at 2:03pm

Thanks a lot for your help everyone...I certainly will!

[Barbra Streisand]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 12:21am

Glebb: You spelled Barbra Streisand's name wrong.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 12:29am

So what! You know who I mean.