Photo Flash: Open Air Theatre's HELLO, DOLLY!

Open Air Theatre presents HELLO, DOLLY! directed by Timothy Sheader and choreographed by and choreographed by Stephen Mear, collaborators on last year's hit, Gigi. As one of the most enduring musical theatre hits of all time, the theatre's park setting will indulge in the lavish glitz and glamour of New York as Dolly Levi comes to town to do what she does best: match-make.

The production stars Samantha Spiro in the title role, and received rave reviews when it opened earlier this month. The production, which began performances July 30, is playing to sell-out audiences and continues in Regent's Park until September 12.

HELLO, DOLLY! features Mark Anderson as Ambrose Kemper, Oliver Brenin as Barnaby Tucker, Daniel Crossley as Cornelius Hackl, Samantha Spiro as Dolly, Clare Louise Connolly as Ermengarde, Annalisa Rossi as Ernestina, Allan Corduner as Horace Vandergelder, Josefina Gabrielle as Irene Molloy, John Stacey as Judge, Akiya Henry as Minnie Fay and Andy Hockley as Rudolph.

The ensemble includes Marc Antolin, Racheal Archer, Kevin Brewis, JoAnna Goodwin, Francis Haugen, Paul Iveson, Richard Jones, Stuart King, Jo Morris, Brenda Jane Newhouse, Sherrie Pennington, Carl Sanderson, Emily Shaw and Craig Turner.

Based on Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker, Hello, Dolly! features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart. The score features such memorable songs as Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Ribbons Down My Back, Before the Parade Passes By, Elegance, Hello, Dolly!, It Only Takes a Moment and So Long, Dearie. The show opened on Broadway in 1964 with Carol Channing starring as Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi. A 1969 film adaptation starred Barbra Streisand in the Dolly role, and saw a young Michael Crawford as Cornelius Hackl.

For more information, visit www.openairtheatre.org.

Photo Credit: Catherine Ashmore

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