Review: HELLO, DOLLY! at The Henegar Center

In the almost 60 years since its Broadway premiere in 1963, Jerry Herman's classic musical HELLO, DOLLY! has been performed countless times, in countless theatres by countless companies all with a common goal - share the exuberant tale of the indefatigable matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi and her quest to sow love in the hearts of the people of turn-of-the-century New York. And through its current production of this stalwart classic, The Henegar Center hits all the right notes, gets all the expected laughs, and delivers a fresh, fun and lively night of classic musical theatre for Melbourne audiences.

With a book by Michael Stewart and Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman, HELLO, DOLLY! (based on the play THE MATCHMAKER by Thornton Wilder) shares the story of one fateful day in the lives of those people caught in the orbit of the irrepressible, unstoppable force that is one Dolly Gallagher Levi (Karen Minks) who makes a living as a matchmaker (along with many other creative trades) - bringing singles together with the aim of matrimony and wedded bliss. She is employed by grouchy, penny pinching "half-millionaire", Horace Vandergelder (John Kurowski) but rather than make a match with someone else, Dolly sets her sights on matching herself with the Hay and Feed store owner. In the same breath, Dolly also seeks to convince Horace to allow his niece, Ermengarde (Brooke Wolfington) to marry her love, artist Ambrose Kemper (Grant Newcombe) and to weave her magic spell uniting young clerks Cornelius Hackl (Reese Abrahamoff) and Barnaby Tucker (Cullen Sanders) with shopkeeper Irene Molloy (Samantha Sostak) and her young employee Minnie Fay (Isabella Fedele). Hilarity ensues, musical comedy magic happens, and you guessed it, they all live happily ever after (though not without some bumps along the way)!

The Henegar Center's production of HELLO, DOLLY! is everything one hopes for in a production of this audience favorite. It has great comic timing and pacing, thanks to a nimble cast and strong direction from Dominic Del Brocco, a gorgeous scenic design by Cliff Price (including an amazing life-sized locomotive and beautifully apportioned shop interiors), stunning costumes by Matt Carl, and lively, athletic and thrilling-to-watch choreography by Cara Eichin. All the moments you expect from HELLO, DOLLY! are there, including Dolly's famous entrance down the stairs at the Harmonia Gardens which received rousing applause from an already ecstatic audience (having just witnessed the fantastic "Waiters' Gallop" number.)

The cast of The Henegar's HELLO, DOLLY! shows off immense talent throughout the evening. In the title role, Karen Monks (who also serves as Vocal Director) is sly, fast-talking and nimble in the way she puts all the pieces in place, leading to her ultimate victory. As her foil (and target), Horace, John Kurowski is gruff, blustery and quite funny. As his young clerks, Cornelius and Barnaby, Reese Abrahamoff and Cullen Sanders are a great comic pair, playing off each other well, and dancing up a storm when called for. Samantha Sostak, delivers a beautiful performance as Irene Molloy, especially when performing one of my favorite numbers, "Ribbons Down My Back" and Isabella Fedele does a great job as Minnie, in particular when enamored by the young men from Yonkers.

Overall, The Henegar Center's production of HELLO, DOLLY! is a marvelous way to spend a cold (for Florida!) winter evening. Its familiar story and songs warm the heart and the fresh take on this Broadway classic delights. But don't miss your chance to see this great production, because, contrary to the lyric, Dolly will go away again on February 6th.

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HELLO, DOLLY! is presented at The Henegar Center, 625 E New Haven Ave, Melbourne, FL 32901 and runs through February 6th. Tickets are $25 - $36. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. For more information, email boxoffice@henegar.org, call 321-723-8698 (Tue-Fri, 10am-3pm), or visit www.HenegarCenter.com

All Photos provided by The Henegar Center.

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