HELLO, DOLLY! Previews

[ACL2006]

That Waiter's Gallop is some of the best choreography to ever grace a Broadway stage. I'd be very disappointed if I saw this and that looked sloppy. Also, having done this show twice back in the day, I know what a b!tch the Waiter's Gallop is.

[Musicaldudepeter]

How many Tonys do you think this production will win? (Revival, Actress, Set/Costume…, another acting award?)

[BroadwayConcierge]

Musicaldudepeter said: "How many Tonys do you think this production will win? (Revival, Actress, Set/Costume…, another acting award?)"

It's sounding like Revival and Actress are solid locks. I'd say it has extremely good chances at Choreography and Costume Design, as well possibly Featured Actor, it sounds like. I don't think it will win for Scenic, though, as much as people have been raving about the show's set—I doubt anything could beat Great Comet for that award.

[Robbie2]

BroadwayConcierge said: "Musicaldudepeter said: "How many Tonys do you think this production will win? (Revival, Actress, Set/Costume…, another acting award?)"

It's sounding like Revival and Actress are solid locks. I'd say it has extremely good chances at Choreography and Costume Design, as well possibly Featured Actor, it sounds like. I don't think it will win for Scenic, though, as much as people have been raving about the show's set—I doubt anything could beat Great Comet for that award.

I believe it will WIN at least 2:  Revival & Actress for Bette...nominated for around 10 is my prediction.

 

[brian1973]

How can anyone possibly say how many Tonys it will win!!

 

costume wise it will have very stiff competition from War Paint and poss Charlie, and Set design possibly Charlie again?

its pretty much a dead very though that Bette would win.. everyone will be seduced by the sheer star power alone.

[icecreambenjamin]

brian1973 said: "How can anyone possibly say how many Tonys it will win!!

 

costume wise it will have very stiff competition from War Paint and poss Charlie, and Set design possibly Charlie again?

its pretty much a dead very though that Bette would win.. everyone will be seduced by the sheer star power alone.

 

"

I expect for The Great Comet and War Paint to provide a very large amount of competition for costume and I would be incredibly surprised if anyone other than the Great Comet won set design.  Charlie's set didn't get great reviews over in London.  We'll see if they made any changes.  Midler is basically a lock at this point, as is Ben Platt, both of whom are deserving.

 

[Johntlew2]

My thoughts and prayers for Bette who's performing her first 2-pack today. (Matinee and Eve. Show.) Thank God they  get two days off..Phew!!! 

[TNick926]

As a creative and sensitive boy growing up in a small town in West Virginia, I began dreaming early on of making it to New York City and dreamed of being in musicals, once I learned what such a thing was! My earliest exposure was the Hello, Dolly! cast album with Pearl Bailey - my grandmother owned it, and I played it over and over, picturing this glorious show in my imagination...how lucky I was when the producer of our local summer theater took me and some of my fellow aspiring thespians to see Pearl Bailey and Billy Daniels in the touring production of HD in Pittsburgh - my first ever experience of professional theater!  I was awestruck, dazzled to my gay little soul, and Pearl was bigger than life...I'll never forget when she came out for the finale in her wonderful white costume (everyone was in white for the grand finale) and stopped the orchestra after her bows and said, "Honey, I've gotta tell you all somethin'.  Right before I came out here the zipper in my costume broke and I've barely been holdin' myself in here!" (She turned and showed us her zipper popped open in the back all the way to her waist).  The audience roared love and joy as she laughed and laughed...

I have seen several productions of Dolly since then, and it strikes me that in addition to Jerry Herman's terrific infectious score, its the bones of Thornton Wilder's original play (The Matchmaker) that make this show work so well - it's so well-constructed to bring us to the tears of joy that are the catharsis produced by a well-made play!

Reading some of your early "reviews" here of previews has made me delirious with excitement to see this grand show for myself with our superstar queen Bette Midler...I have a ticket for March 30, and am counting the days til I can say hello to Dolly again! :)

[Cat Guy]

I was fortunate to see Dora Bryan's "Dolly" on the London stage in 1967.  In October (half a century later), I will make my way from California to see Bette's "Dolly" on the Broadway stage.  Now at age 70, I am every bit as excited about "Dolly" as I was at age 20.  

[GavestonPS]

brian1973 said: "This stupid question doesn't deserve an answer. 

pnewelljr said: "I have a side question. Can anyone tell me more about Bette Midler compared to Donna Murphy, just in general (as we obviously can't compare their performances at this point)? Why is Bette such a big deal?

 

"

 

 

"

Aw, give the kid a break! He asked his question respectfully and with an implied understanding that Bette Midler means a great deal to those of us who are older. Others have referred him to Wiki lists of her credits, but if he wasn't old enough to see her movies (and she hasn't made many lately), what good is a list of her films?

Donna Murphy, if he knows her (she hasn't headlined on Broadway for awhile either, except for the very odd LOVE MUSIK), may only confuse the OP. I love both ladies, but I wouldn't have expected Murphy to be cast as Midler's "fill in". (And perhaps that was the point: to bring in someone who won't play the part like Midler plays it.)

How about we celebrate young people who care enough to ask their elders to share experiences the young can't have had? That should be a good thing, if you ask me.

***

Confidential to OP, if you are still curious, rent a copy of DIVINE MADNESS. It is Bette Midler at her best (though she tones down some of the raunchiest stuff for a general release movie) with her star power in full force.

[broadwayboy222]

Anyone know what the specifics of SRO are? As far as price and when they go on sale each day? Just curious as that is probably the only option that I will be able to afford as far as tickets go for this production. 

[MichelleCraig]

pnewelljr, I am so glad you saw it and that you "got" what everyone here's been talking about. You will remember the performance for as long as you're able to remember...decades to come.

[DAME]

Thank you for the pics Robbie.  

[icecreambenjamin]

Bette looks beautiful!  I'm not sure how I feel about DHP's wig however.  Thank you for those pictures Robbie.

[ljay889]

GavestonPS said: "Donna Murphy, if he knows her (she hasn't headlined on Broadway for awhile either, except for the very odd LOVE MUSIK), may only confuse the OP. I love both ladies, but I wouldn't have expected Murphy to be cast as Midler's "fill in". (And perhaps that was the point: to bring in someone who won't play the part like Midler plays it.)

 

Donna did headline the new Roundabout musical "The People in the Picture" in 2011, and was nominated for a Tony. The show was a disaster though. 

 

[DAME]

I have been obsessing with the pictures on Instagram.

[Dollypop]

I believe David's wig is supposed to make him look like Ebeneezer Scrooge--another miser.

[DAME]

I would love to see a picture of the opening number dress.   Dollypop's earlier post has me intrigued.

[Robbie2]

[Robbie2]

https://web.stagram.com/p/BRyipj7AI-A

[n2nbaby]

Holy crap that is a lot of people.

[bwayphreak234]

I am so overjoyed and overwhelmed by what I just saw. This production of Hello, Dolly! is, in a word, sumptuous. Everything and everyone are just absolutely perfect. They really don't make them like this anymore. I am on cloud nine (and most likely will be for days to come) from this production. This is musical theatre heaven at its very best.

[Johntlew2]

Great pics, Robbie2. Which performance were these taken??

 

[brian1973]

This isn't the london Charlie set.. it's BRAND NEW.. everyone seems to take a long time getting this fact. It's a new production.

icecreambenjamin said: "brian1973 said: "How can anyone possibly say how many Tonys it will win!!

 

costume wise it will have very stiff competition from War Paint and poss Charlie, and Set design possibly Charlie again?

its pretty much a dead very though that Bette would win.. everyone will be seduced by the sheer star power alone.

 

"

I expect for The Great Comet and War Paint to provide a very large amount of competition for costume and I would be incredibly surprised if anyone other than the Great Comet won set design.  Charlie's set didn't get great reviews over in London.  We'll see if they made any changes.  Midler is basically a lock at this point, as is Ben Platt, both of whom are deserving.

 

 

"

 

[brian1973]

That is a Lotttttt of people! Wow

[icecreambenjamin]

brian1973 said: "This isn't the london Charlie set.. it's BRAND NEW.. everyone seems to take a long time getting this fact. It's a new production.

icecreambenjamin said: "brian1973 said: "How can anyone possibly say how many Tonys it will win!!

 

costume wise it will have very stiff competition from War Paint and poss Charlie, and Set design possibly Charlie again?

its pretty much a dead very though that Bette would win.. everyone will be seduced by the sheer star power alone.

 

"

I expect for The Great Comet and War Paint to provide a very large amount of competition for costume and I would be incredibly surprised if anyone other than the Great Comet won set design.  Charlie's set didn't get great reviews over in London.  We'll see if they made any changes.  Midler is basically a lock at this point, as is Ben Platt, both of whom are deserving.

 

 

"
Do you need medication?  Because your constant forceful use of negative attitude suggests to me that you should probably be medicated.