Why is Dolly always in red?

[children&art]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:14am

During the Harmonia Gardens scene, "Hello Dolly", she is always in red (except for the film where La Streisand was in gold) - why? It seems from Carol Channing to even the smallest local company, all Dolly's do this number in red with the red feathers in the hair.

Thoughts?

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:20am

Wasn't the poster for the show like predominantly red as well?

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:22am

children&art,

I love your avatar.

Also, it reminded me that Shoshana Bean looks like Margaret Hamilton the most out of all the Elphabas...for better or for worse...

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:45am

What better way to return than in eye popping red?

[children&art]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:49am

what other color would work?

not white, not black, maybe yellow or green, i dunno.

it just seems that if i ALWAYS see a red dress during the number it loses some of the punch of that glorious return. just because it worked once, why repeat it in different shows? hello, designers, creativity?

Updated On: 3/17/06 at 11:49 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:51am

What is as eye-popping as red?

It's the way it was originally done - it's become a trademark in the number.

It's like having Nellie do "Honey Bun" without an oversized sailor outfit...it's just the way it is.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 11:51am

Wouldn't you want to do it in red? I would.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 12:14pm

I've seen a Harmonia Gardens Dolly Costume that had more Black and the trimmings were red.

[PitPro2004]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 12:18pm

Not only is it tradition, but ask any psychologist; red is the ultimate confidence color. It tends to bring out the character in a person, and it's also good to wear to a job interview, as is the color blue.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 12:23pm

I mean look at me see all the confidence that I have and I'm wearing red !!!!!

[Jon]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 12:30pm

Let's face it, most "costume designers" simply copy the original designs as much as possible. And if you rent the "Hello Dolly" costumes, you're gonna get a red dress.

It would be nice to see a new production without the red dress, and without the big staircase.

Maybe a version where everyone wears black and plays musical instruments - with no chorus. Barnaby is in a straightjacket.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 1:00pm

That sounds like a show I've heard of before...hmm what could that show be?

[ThePinballWizard]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 1:07pm

Maybe she wears red because she gets around? Just a thought...

[etoile]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 1:17pm

Are you an art teacher perhaps?

There is a language of colors.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 1:36pm

There is indeed a language of colors.

At the end of Act One, Dolly has vowed to rejoin the human race. She has been a widow for many years and is now casting off her grief.

The next time we see her is in Act Two at the top of the staircase. Yes, she's in lustful red and she comes down the staircase to flirt with the waiters and ultimately get Vandergelder to marry her. Carol Channing says that she felt she was "Mother Earth" at this point.

The gown That Streisand Woman wore in the film was only one of the many misinterpretations of the story.

Next question?

[guineamidget87]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 2:53pm

I guess it's just because that's what audiences are expecting, since it's become her "trademark." It's comparable to Annie and her red dress- it would be almost disappointing to see her come down the stairs in a purple dress. Another example is Cassie in "A Chorus Line" and her signature red costume, although when I did the show, our director was on crack and wanted her in green. Everyone complained about it, because they were expecting to see her in her famous red costume.

[children&art]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 2:58pm

the difference is, Annie the character was in red before she came to the stage. there is nothing textual that demands red from Dolly, it's the artistic choice of the designer. but whose to say the actress can't convey the same sense of flirtation and spunk in a green dress or a purple one?

[grizzabella]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 2:59pm

Dollypop, you're the expert on Dolly. Can you tell me? In the scenes before Dolly vows to rejoin the human race at the end of Act 1, what colors does she wear? For some reason, I keep thinking darkish mulberry or green. I could be very wrong, but I'm curious. Thanks.

[morosco]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:04pm

David Merrick used a specific shade of red on his posters so often that the shade quickly became known in printing circles as "Merrick Red".
Updated On: 3/17/06 at 03:04 PM

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:08pm

Hah...Red Gowns are a tradition among many Broadway costume designers, as the dreses that the leading lady performs her big number in. I remember Tony WAlton and William Ivy-Long having to find a happy medium in Six Degrees of Seperation because each of them had a different favourite shade of red that they wree known for, and they clashed.

Akiva

[children&art]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:16pm

i guess my point is, it's too easy for a costume designer to do "Dolly" and put her in red. sure red is fiery and all that, but well i think anything else would work and would show a speck of individualism in the production.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:19pm

Your right Akiva

Florence Klotz use to put all her leading ladies in Red dresses it became her signature.

Examples:

Alexis Smith in FOLLIES

the leading ladies in JERRY'S GIRLS

Teresa Stratas in RAGS

Chita Riveria in KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN

Georgia Brown in ROZA

Rebecca Luker in the 1994 Revival of SHOWBOAT

and the famous costume that Glyns Johns wears in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC in "Send In The Clowns"

Source: BROADWAY MUSICALS by Ken Bloom and Frank Vlastnik

[children&art]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:31pm

all interesting thoughts, but i'm sticking to my red = lazy idea and if i ever direct this show, which i won't because i can't stand the music or the book, i'm gonna put dolly in peacock blue with purple and green feathers in her hair for this number.

[JHartnow]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:40pm

[children&art]

Posted: 3/17/06 at 3:46pm

jHartnow, that ain't fair cuz Dolly is in a handkerchief shirt, and everyone in Poplar Bluff knows handkerchiefs is always red.