This March, the students of Darien High School’s Theatre 308 will perform the hit Golden-Age musical Hello, Dolly! presenting a classic story filled with smiles, songs and plenty of love.
— an announcement from Darien High School
The two-act musical portrays the story of the famous matchmaker, Mrs. Dolly Levi, as she attempts to marry the prominent Mr. Horace Vandergelder in hopes of sharing his money with the masses, the way her late husband had taught her. At the same time, Mrs. Levi excels in pairing the young widow, Mrs. Molloy, and her assistant Minnie Fay, with two of Vandergelder’s comedic secondaries: Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker.
From the Nationaal Archief of the Netherlands via Wikimedia Commons
Big, fine feathered hats are a frequent feature of “Hello, Dolly!” productions. We have no reason to believe this 2009 picture, from the Netherlands, has anything to do with the play, although it is flamboyant. (Warning: Do not operate machinery while wearing this hat.)
From the streets of Yonkers to the most captivating restaurant in New York City, Mrs. Dolly Levi leads the characters, as well as the audience, on an unforgettable adventure through New York at the turn of the twentieth century. An evening at Hello, Dolly! promises astonishing music, remarkable choreography, and a heart-wrenching story of discovering true love.
The show is under the direction of Tim Sorensen, assisted and vocal directed by Matt Tracey, and choreographed by Kelsey Kaminski. Technical direction and set design are coordinated by Chris Andrade and Lily Morgan, and costumes are designed and executed under the guidance of Amy Raskopf. The pit orchestra is directed by Jon Grauer.
When asked about the performance, Mr. Sorensen reflected, “It’s been over 30 years since Dolly has been on the DHS stage. I’m so excited to bring this classic back, reinvigorated by a phenomenal group of young artists!”
The book was written by Michael Stewart with the music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. Based on the Thorton Wilder play, The Matchmaker, Hello Dolly! opened on Broadway in 1964 at the St. James Theatre and won more than 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Choreography. Additionally, the famous show won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical for its Broadway comeback in 2017.
If You’re Going …
Hello, Dolly! will run on Thursday, March 14th, Friday, March 15th, and Saturday, March 16th in the Darien High School Auditorium.
All performances will begin at 7:00 pm and there will be an additional matinee at 2:00 pm on the 16th. Don’t miss the opportunity to support Theatre 308 and enjoy live theatre!
Tickets can be purchased at theatre308.org. Tickets are $10 for students/seniors and $20 for adults.