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| Betty Buckley and cast photo by Julieta Cervantes |
Click here for more information on this production that runs through January 13th.
"The original Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! used a succession of famous women, from Carol Channing to Ethel Merman and Pearl Bailey, to play the title character over its almost seven-year run. ...The national tour of the revival features another well-known name, Tony winner Betty Buckley, who delivers a fine-tuned and emotionally rousing performance as the famous meddling matchmaker in a gorgeous, lush and joyous production that also features a talented supporting cast....While the 55-year-old musical may be a little dated in the stereotypical portrayal of its female characters as mainly women seeking rich husbands, they, especially Dolly, are also completely in charge of their outcomes and firmly have the upper hand throughout. ...Even if you have some issues with how the show represents the characters, you also have to remember that the show is set 25 years before women had the right to vote, so its depiction of powerful women is actually very forward thinking. It's also a very highly entertaining show. Jerry Zaks' direction keeps the comedy sharp, bright and funny. ...Zaks' cast for the tour is top-notch and they all exceptionally deliver Warren Carlyle's choreography...with crisp moves and refined perfection. ...The costumes and sets designed by Santo Loquasto are lavish and lush, with the costumes a non-stop parade of rich colors and fabrics and the set elements ones that are quite large and very extravagant, including a replica of a steam engine train. While Buckley...may not be known for her comedic chops like Midler or Channing, she does quite well in bringing plenty of humor to the part while also infusing Dolly with a realistic sensibility. She brings a constant warmth to the role with a smile that never fades and a perpetual twinkle in her eyes. At 71, Buckley's full-throttle voice may have lost a bit of its luster, but her voice is still powerful. ..As the grumpy Horace Vandergelder, Lewis J. Stadlen is irritable but also has a layer of warmth and charm underneath that makes him quite appealing and less insufferable than other actors I've seen in this part. ..a charming show with a memorable score. The national tour is a beautiful production of a classic gem of a musical with a finely etched star turn by Buckley as the title character along with a winning cast who prove it's never too late to seek adventure and romance in your life." -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
"This 2017 Jerry Zaks directed revival doesn’t update the show to better reflect a more cynical or relatable 2019 attitude, instead, it goes back to the production’s musical comedy vaudeville roots and enlarges upon them. Complete with Santo Loquasto’s detailed sets and the pastel-colored late 19th to early 20th century costume designs of the ensemble, out of all the revivals... this Hello, Dolly! is the one that will be hard to beat." -David Appleford, Valley Screen and Stage (click here to read the complete review)
"..a predictable farce filled with stock characters and 50-year-old stereotypes about New Yorkers from 130 years ago — stereotypes that are all but opaque to contemporary audiences, unless they remember enough high-school history to know what the Gilded Age was....." - Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic (click here to read the complete review)
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