Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre Presents HELLO DOLLY Through 5/2

As Dolly Levi tells the audience each night in Hello, Dolly! at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, she is a matchmaker, "object: matrimony."

Matrimony was already on the mind of Blake Adams when he and his girlfriend Adrianne's Gualtney discovered her favorite musical would be on stage at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre through May 2.

"I was planning on popping the question, and she'd mentioned that it was one of her favorite plays," he said , admitting he didn't know the storyline for Hello, Dolly!

"After I did a little research and found out that it was a matchmaking play, I thought it was perfect," he said. "I wanted to include that as part of the day."

On the day they had tickets to see the show, Blake had a special day planned. He stopped over to her place, made her breakfast, and then proposed to Adrianne during an afternoon picnic. A surprised Adrianne accepted - but it wasn't the only surprise Blake had planned for his new fiancée.

"I just have always been a behind-the-scenes kind of guy," he said. "I like to know what goes on behind the stage."

So he called the staff at Beef & Boards and arranged for Adrianne to meet Iris Lieberman, the actress who plays Dolly Levi, after the show.

"She was fantastic," Blake said. "She was such a nice lady. I think we both commented afterward that was one of the best parts of the day."

Happy to have been a part of their special day, Iris Lieberman said, "They are a very sweet couple."

A 2011 wedding is being planned by the Indianapolis couple.

"It was a great show, a great performance," Blake said. "It was just awesome. I can't say how much I appreciated it."

Hello, Dolly! is on stage through May 2 in the intimate space of Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. For reservations, call the Beef & Boards Box Office at 317.872.9664. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays.

For complete show schedule, visit www.beefandboards.com.

Indianapolis Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. XANADU (Red Barn Summer Theatre)

18.9% of votes

2. BE MORE CHILL (Eclipse Theatre Co)

9.6% of votes

3. CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (Footlite Musicals)

7.4% of votes

Vote Now!