Who will succeed Betty Buckley in HELLO, DOLLY! tour?

[Zamedy154]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 4:52pm

My city is among the dozens of cities that will get DOLLY during the 2019-2020 touring season. I'm basing this off no inside knowledge, but I'm guessing Ms. Buckley still won't be with the show a year from now.

Any ideas/suggestions/wishes on a pragmatic replacement? They don't NEED a name, but in a way.. to carry a dated yet beloved show like DOLLY... they really do.

Anyone but Struthers :)

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 4:58pm

Would love to see them bring back Donna Murphy, she was incredible on Broadway

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 5:02pm

Candy is very cool

And so is chocolate

Reese’s peanut buttercups are

My favorite

Even the white chocolate ones.

No.

 

Can’t have chocolate

Unless it’s Halloween. It’s a

Scary time of year.

And keeps me from

Coming outside. You

Know?

[broadwayboy222]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 5:46pm

Would love to see Beth Leavel do it. Having already played Dolly regionally, in addition to being just the right level of Broadway “name” status that would work perfectly for a national tour, she would be a truly excellent choice! Additionally, the timing may also work as well for her to be a likely option with the second leg of the tour being around the time of her contract potentially being up for The Prom (sans renewal) as it will have been close to one year since rehearsals/previews beginning.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 8:30pm

I think Beth Leavel is a great choice, but I'd love to see Carolee Carmello take on Dolly. If I'm remembering correctly there were rumors she was in talks to be the alternate Dolly before Donna Murphy was announced. I think she'd be brilliant. 

[David10086]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 10:31pm

Melania Trump.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 10:40pm

Zamedy154 said: "My city is among the dozens of cities that will get DOLLY during the 2019-2020 touring season. I'm basing this off no inside knowledge, but I'm guessing Ms. Buckley still won't be with the show a year from now.

Any ideas/suggestions/wishes on a pragmatic replacement? They don't NEED a name, but in a way.. to carry a dated yet beloved show like DOLLY... they really do.

Anyone but Struthers :)"

 

Betty is with Dolly till the end of the Boston run 8/13-25

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 10:42pm

Not sure any of these terrific performers will - but, why not consider them?

Christine Ebersole.

Rita Moreno (she's only 87 - she can do it!)

Priscilla Lopez: 

Lillias White

 

 

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 12:32am

I would love to see what Christine Ebersole could do without Dolly.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 1:28am

I think Christine would be great, but I remember she was rumored to be originating Dolly on tour, but things fell through. I'm not sure she would replace.

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 1:37am

bwayboy22 said: "I think Christine would be great, but I remember she was rumored to be originating Dolly on tour, but things fell through. I'm not sure she would replace."

You are right! I forgot about that!  Ebersole as Dolly rumour

 

[DAME]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 2:12am

FAITH PRINCE

[DAME]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 2:02pm

DAME said: "FAITH PRINCE"

Faith Prince would be a phenomenal choice. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 2:05pm

I still want that all-black Vanessa Williams/Brian Stokes Mitchell dream of mine to come true. They can even bring back the stellar Christian Dante White as Cornelius

[Alessio2]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 4:28pm

quizking101 said: "I still want that all-black Vanessa Williams/Brian Stokes Mitchell dream of mine to come true. They can even bring back the stellar Christian Dante White as Cornelius"

This would have been incredible...I always though VW would have made a terrific Dolly.  She would never tour though...sigh

[gleek4114]

Posted: 3/30/19 at 4:46pm

I was in the same line of thinking that a name known to theater goers would be great. My initial thoughts were the aforementioned Beth Leavel and Nancy Opel. I agree that Carolee Carmello, Faith Prince, and Donna Murphy would all be wonderful. If she wasn’t moving on with Ever After, I would also throw the incredibly underrated Rachel York into the mix.

[VernonGersch]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 2:28am

vanessa williams would be genius

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 6:07pm

David10086 said: "Melania Trump."

Only if her husband's dead.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 6:50pm

gleek4114 said: "I was in the same line of thinking that a name known to theater goers would be great. My initial thoughts were the aforementioned Beth Leavel and Nancy Opel. I agree that Carolee Carmello, Faith Prince, and Donna Murphy would all be wonderful. If she wasn’t moving on with Ever After, I would also throw the incredibly underrated Rachel York into the mix."

99% of people who attend road performances have no idea who Leavel, Opel, Carmello, or Prince are.  Some might know Murphy (who i think is a great musical theatre actress), but only because of some television work she has done.  Hell, I doubt many know who Kelli O'Hara is.

Only one year ago, I was attending a solo performance of Audra MacDonald in Sarasota (which has a surprisingly amount of good local theatre, ballet, opera, road productions, one-person shows, etc., as well as a lot of people with money).  I am sitting there waiting for Audra to begin in great seat very close to the stage, when I hear two separate conversations going on.  One couple, who I only know to say hello, but have seen a number of times at the theatre because we have the same Broadway subscription series (where I get to see things for the ninth time) is discussing with her (I assume) husband the fact that she is not very familiar with Audra, but bought tickets because a friend told her how good she was two years previously (ps -- she was incredible both times); another person is telling her friend she got the tickets because she had seen Kristen Chenoweth, and someone told her she'd like A if she liked K...and she loved K from all her TV work.  

Now, I find it inconceivable that ANYONE who regularly attends the theatre, regardless of whether it is in NYC or not, barely knows who A is, but it is true.  When we had Ed Sullivan and a lot of variety shows a thousand years ago, and when  Broadway was a major source of popular music, this would not have been the case.  Even the TV show she is on is on a less subscribed streaming site than Amazon, Hulu or Netflix (CBS Streaming).  Were it on CBS or a  major streaming service, that would change quickly; but she would be WIDELY known (i.e., beyond us theatre nerds) in the hinterlands, but for being on TV!!!

I probably sound incredibly cynical, but living on the West coast of Florida ain't the same as NYC (or even the east coast of Florida, where a huge percentage of residents are ex residents (or snowbirds) from NY, NJ, CT, which form the backbone of 'regular attendance' NYC theatergoers.  

Hello, Dolly will either sell or not on the road, based on the other shows in the subscription series, and people's interest in HD.  Even though Buckley is probably more well-known in the hinterlands than the above names, and I am sure that Buckley sold some seats, I doubt it was very many, relative to the total number of seats sold.  Real stars on the road are a rare bonus (it has been a long time since CC toured Dolly or Yul toured The King and I and the road audiences accept that.  

Talented people, like the names mentioned above would be well-appreciated on the road, even with no-to-modest name recognition.  While most won't know who Leavel is when they arrive at the theatre, they will be impressed when they read that she has a Tony award, and will undoubtedly love the performance she gives.  Even there, there is a question as to how many will recognize her name the next tour.  

Recently, I saw a touring company do The King and I; although I had seen the show somewhere upwards to 10 times previously (over 50 or so years), I walked out of the theatre thinking that the woman who played Anna was one of the best I had seen (and I have seen Angela Lansbury, Donna Murphy, Kelli O'Hara, Constance Towers, Mary Beth Peil, Faith Prince, and a few others in the role); you think I can remember he name.  The only 'unknown' whose name I have ever really remembered from the road was Carmen Cusack, who I saw in St. Louis and honestly felt was a better Nellie Forbush than Kelli O'Hara, who I had seen twice a couple of years earlier.  

It is the show (or the subscription series) what sells, unless it is the very rare star tour, which may in fact not sell that many additional seats due to subscriptions (especially when Hamilton or BOM is on the series), but I'll bet those tickets will cost a lot more.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 7:00pm

I’d heard Buckley was quite low on the list after many turned it down. I’m not sure who would be jumping at the opportunity to take over for her on tour at this point. My guess is after seeing how it has been selling, how it has been recieved, as well as what it has been like managing a star name they will go with bumping the standby to full time Dollly. I honestly don’t think they will bother at this point.

I feel like if we were to get a “name” they’d go the route of household name and try to get a stunt cast sitcom actress who is no longer A list rather than a Broadway vet who could deliver the role but won't sell seats.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 7:00pm

David10086 said: "Melania Trump."

I could see her doing it as soon as she finishes up her run in My Fair Lady.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 7:21pm

The tour seems to be doing fine without a huge star. It would probably save money and "baggage" with a lady like Judy Kaye, Beth Leavel, Debra Monk, Nancy Opel, Faith Prince, or Carolee Carmello (who was allegedly deep in negotiations for the "Donna track) –– and most would jump at the chance to do it.

I also have a sneaking suspicion that Lewis Stadlen is going to leave to play the Mayor in Music Man. He's done about 15 shows with Zaks and Rudin combined, and he's played a bunch of David Burns roles (who originated the Mayor). But he could still do another 6-12 months after Buckley and before MM.

Updated On: 3/31/19 at 07:21 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 7:53pm

SomethingPeculiar said: "The tour seems to be doing fine without a huge star. “

 

It actually isn’t .

[David10086]

Posted: 3/31/19 at 9:44pm

Bettyboy72 said: "I feel like if we were to get a “name” they’d go the route of household name and try to get a stunt cast sitcom actress who is no longer A list rather than a Broadway vet who could deliver the role but won't sell seats. "

I hear Roseanne Barr is available these days. Please keep her away from the Ambien, though! 

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 1:31am

Friends in Denver said they get Buckley for the first week but no clue who will take over.