Casa Manana Opens Season with HELLO, DOLLY!

Casa Mañana presents Hello, Dolly! as the first show of its 2018-2019 Broadway Season. The show runs September 8-16. Tickets are on sale now.

Hello, Dolly!, which debuted on Broadway in 1964, follows the life of Dolly Gallagher Levi - a self-proclaimed professional matchmaker. Dolly travels to New York to find a match for a half-a-millionaire and decides that match will be herself. This Broadway hit is sure to dazzle audiences with its laughs, romance and energy.

Director Jennifer Werner says, "Hello, Dolly! is the perfect kind of musical that brings you breathtaking production numbers, beautiful music, and gives you a fiercely joyful story that affirms life."

Hello, Dolly! features Jacquelyn Piro Donovan as "Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi" and Emily Ferranti as "Irene Molloy." David Coffee stars as "Horace Vandergelder" and Kenny Francoeur as "Barnaby Tucker."

Donovan and Coffee are both making their return to the Casa stage. Donovan starred in the 2010 production of The Sound of Music as "Maria" and again in 2014 as "Mother Superior." With an extensive list of credits, Ms. Donovan was the first actress to star as both "Fantine" and "Cosette" in the original Broadway production of Les Misérables.

Ms. Donovan says, "I'm thrilled to be back in Texas at my favorite theatre playing one of the all-time classic roles in theatre history! Let the games begin..."

This year marks Coffee's 50th year performing on the Casa Mañana stage. Mr. Coffee took to Casa's stage in The Wind and the Willows in 1968. Coffee estimates that he's done 86 or 87 shows under the Dome.

Lauren Magee stars as "Ermengarde," Ryan Christopher Jesse as "Cornelius Hackl," Sarah Gay as "Ernestina," Bryson Peterson as "Ambrose Kemper," Jennifer Freeman as "Mrs. Rose," Katie Emerson as "Minnie" and Bob Reed as "Rudolph." They are joined by JR Bruno, Alexandra Cassens, Nigel Hall, Phillip Giandiletti, Tyler Grigsby, Emmie Kivell, Bailey Poe, Jerreme Rodriguez, Collins Rush, Maggie Spicer, Raleigh Tyler and Emerson Valentina.

Hello, Dolly! is directed and choreographed by Jennifer Werner with Edward G. Robinson as music director. Additional creative members include of Bob Lavallee as scenic designer, John Bartenstein as lighting designer, Eric Norris as sound designer, Tammy Spencer as costume designer and Cat Petty-Rogers as hair and makeup designer.

Ticket prices start at $41 and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or by visiting www.casamanana.org. Tickets are also available at the Casa Mañana Theatre Box Office, 3101 West Lancaster Avenue in Fort Worth.

Performance dates and times are as follows: Saturday, Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. and at 8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept, 13 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. and Sunday Sept. 16 at 2 p.m.

2018 celebrates Casa Mañana Theatre's 60th year bringing professional Broadway and Children's Theatre to Fort Worth. As a performing arts organization, Casa Mañana strives to create, nurture and advance live professional theatre unparalleled in artistic excellence for the enrichment and education of its diverse community and its future generations of artists and patrons. Casa Mañana's Broadway and Children's Theatre productions are seen by nearly 200,000 people annually and over 160,000 school children attend its Children's Theatre productions each year. Learn more at www.casamanana.org.