Sally Struthers Will Lead 50th Anniversary National Tour of Hello, Dolly!- Page 4

[nsguy45]

Posted: 8/22/13 at 8:14pm

She goes on trial in September on a DUI charge in Maine . . . wish her luck.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/22/13 at 8:24pm

Yes, that's already been discussed.

Didn't you read the thread before you posted?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 1:59pm

The tour opens tonight in Somerville, NJ. Wish I could go, it's so close for me. I just have to wonder why in all their press releases why the ensemble cast isn't listed, nor are they listed on the tour's website. http://hellodollyontour.com/

[BobNC]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 2:46pm

What a travesty in casting!

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 3:09pm

To anyone who sees this----please let me know how many are in the orchestra! Thanks!

[loliveve]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 4:03pm

BobNYC- what part of the casting do you think is a travesty?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 4:56pm

I will be there tonight and am SO excited!!!

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 5:23pm

Admittedly snarky...but is she still big as a house?

[loliveve]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 5:45pm

^ Snarky isn't the right word for that.

--

Whizzer- can't wait to read your comments!!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 7:54pm

Let me chime in on the dress controversy:

I was told by Carol herself that her original Harmonia Gardens gown is in the Smithsonian. The gown Ginger Rogers wore (an exact replica, is in a costume museum in Florida. Other gowns (all replicas) that were worn by Martha Raye, Betty Grable, Pearl Baily and Ethel Merman are all still extant but no one seems to know where.

The Betty Grable estate auctioned off several other costumes the star wore in HELLO, DOLLY! on Ebay a few years ago but not the red gown.

[matineeidol2591]

Posted: 10/5/13 at 11:08pm

Very excited to hear thoughts!

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 1:15am

Top billing Monday, Tuesday you're touring in stock, but Sally's here!

There are no two ways about it. You must love Sally. She is so fun, so exuberant, so joyful; my smile was from ear to ear the second she pulled that newspaper down until the finale curtain. (And what a curtain call she gets! Holy Cabooses!)

It's not just Sally though. The entire production is wonderful. I was expecting a five dollar set with two dollar costumes, and I was pleasantly surprised in both departments. The cast is very strong too. The actress who plays Irene has a strong voice, and even sounds like Florence Lacey sometimes. Cornelius was also great and the ensemble a complete delight.

The show itself deserves much credit. For a book that is about 45 years old, there are no signs of wear and tear. This thing fires along without a creak or a groan. Of course, as scores go, you don't get much better than this.

Was it worth the trip to god knows where in New Jersey? Absolutely! If you are able to go see this I strongly urge you to do so.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 2:51am

Awwww! Whizzer I was almost there tonight as well! My friend is the swing, but I couldn't make it! Glad to know it's a great show. Hoping to catch it later on in the run.

[artscallion]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 8:19am

I've got a friend in this too. Glad to hear positives reviews!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 9:33am

and chance you can post the full cast list with understudies??

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 2:32pm

Loliveve - my previous comment re: Ms. Struther's appearance was rude and unnecessary and I apologize for it. I regretted it as soon as I posted it. I dislike mean posts like that when I read them and certainly hope I don't have that kind of poised in my pen again.

[JohnyBroadway]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 4:21pm

How many players in the pit? Does the full band travel?

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 6:25pm

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Whizzer. Thanks for sharing that review.

I'm really happy for Sally.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 8:42pm

WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel,
Tell us more about this curtain call!
I'd also be interested to know about the pit band.

[TimesSquared]

Posted: 10/6/13 at 10:40pm

I saw Sally Struthers in a reading of Minsky's playing the role Beth Leavel had played in LA. Now I love Leavel, but she couldn't make the character work. She seemed too sexy and vibrant to be a tired sort of mother to the strippers in a tawdry burlesque house. I'd never have believed it, but Sally Struthers was a brilliant casting choice. I was expecting a Rosie O'Donnell type of loud, anything-for-a-cheap-laugh, speak-sung performance. Not only can Struthers sing, but she can sell a song like a seasoned musical theater veteran. Her comic timing was sharp as a tack, and she exudes incredible warmth, all the more impressive since she played the character as a profoundly tired, seen-it-all, wiseass.
I would love to see her take on Dolly Levi.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 10/7/13 at 8:41am

TimesSquared- Funny you should mention Rosie, because that's exactly what I was expecting her performance to be and Sally wasn't like that at all. She put all of her songs over so well, and you're right about that timing! The woman certainly knows how to sell a laugh!

For those with friends in the show, please tell them how wonderful it was. I feel like I want to send thank you notes to the whole cast for putting me in such a good mood all weekend, ha.

Someone asked for a cast list:

Dolly- Sally Struthers
Ambrose- Brad Frenette
Horse- Zachary Berger, Michael J Rios
Horace- John O'Creagh
Ermengarde- Hilary Fingerman
Cornelius- Matt Wolfe (truly excellent; he has what it takes to make it in New York)
Barnaby- Garett Hawe
Irene- Lauren Blackman
Minnie- Halle Morse
Mrs. Rose- Brooke Robyn Dairman
Ernestina- Jamey Hood
Rudolph- Tony Triano
Judge- Michael Gorman
Court Clerk- Michael Baxter
Ensemble- Michael Baxter, Zachary Berger, Erin Chupinsky, Brooke Robyn Dairman, Lucas Fedele, AJ Hughes, Liesl Jaye, Louis Jones, Lauren Krautmann, Joseph Nicastro, Michael J Rios, Lisa Rohinsky, Paige Wheat

The pit isn't huge- just eight members, but they make it sound a lot fuller than that number would lead you to believe.

The curtain call (slight spoiler I guess) has the train come back on for Dolly's entrance and she comes out in this big white wedding dress. It made the crowd go wild.

[MKunkel]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:24am

Saw the tour in Detroit yesterday afternoon. What a wonderful production. You can't not love Ms. Struthers as Dolly. She radiates throughout the entire performance and surely keeps everyone laughing. I can't agree more with Whizzer about Matt Wolfe though. Such a wonderful, honest, and most of all, truthful performance as Cornelius. The score is impeccably sung and danced and the design is lovely. Also for anyone curious, the orchestra listing is:
Conductor / Keyboard 1
Keyboard 2
Reed
Trumpet
Trombone
Guitar / Banjo
Bass
Drums / Percussion

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 12:31am

MKunkel,
Does the playbill list orchestral enhancement or a digital music system? If so, what are they using?

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 3:50am

I believe the orchestration was reduced specifically for this production and for the pieces they planned on having on the road. No music system. Just a simple reduction.

[MKunkel]

Posted: 10/20/13 at 11:57am

broadwayguy2, there is no orchestral enhancement or a digital music system, just the players but boy do they sound more than just 8 pieces.