Professional busybody, Dolly Gallagher Levi, schemes to marry half a millionaire, Horace Vandergelder and do a little matchmaking along the way. This is Hello, Dolly! and it is currently playing at the Omaha Community Playhouse.
This show is one of the true classics of musical theatre with a timeless story, heartwarming songs, and sweeping dance sequences. The Playhouse ticks all of these boxes and then some with its rendition of this legendary musical and will have your spirit soaring by the end of the night.
Susie Baer Collins brings a confident hand to the guidance of this production. With a cast this large and a show known for lavish dance numbers, I half expected Baer Collins to use the aisles to help stage the show. Instead, she had the stage expanded outwards to accommodate the cast which ensured that each and every actor would be able to be seen by the audience. Baer Collins has a good grip on the feel of the story as she extracts the sweetness, humor, warmth, and, yes, sadness of each scene where appropriate. She has also guided her actors to solid and strong performances.
The ensemble did an admirable job pumping life into the world of this show. Each was fully engaged in the production and added little bits of business that made them a joy to watch. Dave Campbell has a dandy OCP debut with his rendition of the drill sergeantlike head waiter, Rudolph Reisenweber. Belle Rangel is a whining weepfest as Ermengarde. Tyra Smith and Megan Ingram team up to create a very realistic horse at the start of the play.
Sarah Ebke is delightful as Dolly Gallagher Levi. As Dolly, Ebke could sell ketchup to a gentleman wearing white gloves. She’s a meddlesome marvel who, thankfully, uses her manipulative might to better the lives of those around her. I liked Ebke’s use of a New York accent to really add local flavor to the character of Dolly and by the end of Act I, she was really reveling in the role and I could tell she had utterly lost herself in the persona of Dolly. Ebke has a powerful voice and dominates the stage with Dolly’s signature numbers, “Before the Parade Passes By” and “Hello, Dolly”.
Cork Ramer is a lovable grump as Horace Vandergelder. As Vandergelder, Ramer has an awful lot of bark, but very little bite as he uses Vandergelder’s bluster to cover a heart of gold even if he does think that 99% of the population are fools. Ramer has excellent timing and a good sense of physical comedy especially with his reactions to the chorus that spontaneously appears in his store as he explains why he wants to marry again in “It Takes a Woman”.
Mackenzie Zielke has a stellar turn as Irene Molloy. Zielke initially brings a sense of resigned acceptance to Molloy who is prepared to be matched with Vandergelder simply because she wants some security and to escape the millinery business. But you soon realize that her sense of resignation is largely due to the fact that she doesn’t expect to find true love a second time. One of the best parts of Molloy’s arc is to watch the coals of love reignite as she becomes smitten with Cornelius Hackl. Zielke has a beautiful and stirring soprano and will chill you in the best way possible when she remembers her late husband in “Ribbons Down My Back”.
Kyle Avery is adorkable as Cornelius Hackl. Avery brings just the right amount of social awkwardness to Hackl who has never spoken with a woman despite being 33 years old. Yet when under the influence of true love, Avery’s Hackl becomes quite well-spoken (or perhaps well-sung) when he declares his love for Irene in “It Only Takes a Moment”.
Jim Boggess and his orchestra had me lost in the throes of musical bliss with their rendition of the charming score and Boggess’ guidance of the singers is dead on the mark with potent solos and entrancing and mesmerizing harmonies. Jim Othuse has designed one of the biggest sets in the history of the Playhouse as he transports you from the rustic hay and feed store of Vandergelder’s to the skyline of turn of the century New York to the imposing edifice of Harmonia Gardens and its elegant interior with curtained dining rooms and grand staircase. Aja Jackson’s lights boost the story from the intimate dining experience at Harmonia Gardens to the changing colors of the sky peeping behind the buildings of New York to the use of the focused spotlight on Dolly for her hallmark tunes. Michelle Garrity has choreographed some epic dance numbers with the highlights being the marathon dance sequence of the waiters at Harmonia Gardens and the dance of the citizens of Yonkers in “Put On Your Sunday Clothes”. Lindsay Pape’s costumes fit the turn of the century with bustles, elegant dresses, tweeds, and dapper dress clothes for the Harmonia Gardens staff. Tim Burkhart has the actors’ voices sounding clear as bells while John Gibilisco adds some sound effects, notably a series of exploding cans. Andrew Morgan’s props and Janet Morr’s artistry further boost the reality of this world.
It took a little bit for the show to hit second gear, but I could physically feel the switch flip from the nervous “Oh, man, we have an audience” to “Oh, boy! We have an audience!” where the cast started feeding off the energy of the crowd and relaxed into their roles which activated their maximum potential. There were also some moments where cue pickups could be a bit tighter.
This is a lovely show and a fitting close for the Playhouse’s 99th season. Don’t let Dolly go away without making that visit to New York and enjoy a soul salving, feel good show that will give you an inner glow.
Hello, Dolly! runs at the Omaha Community Playhouse through June 30. Performances are Wed-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased at omahaplayhouse.com, visiting the OCP Box Office, or calling 402-553-0800. The Omaha Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.
Photo Credit: Omaha Community Playhouse
Chris' Corner 