Matchmaker (and jane of all trades) Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi schemes to marry half a millionaire Horace Vandergelder and make a few more happy couples while she’s at it. This is Hello, Dolly! with book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and it is currently playing at Springfield Little Theatre.
If I ever relocate, I’m going to make certain Springfield is one of the cities I consider due to the sheer quality of entertainment available here. I heard Broadway grinding its teeth as SLT’s production of Hello, Dolly! blows away anything currently playing on The Great White Way. If you want a great night of theatre, catch a showing of this production. Costumes? Gorgeous! Set? Fabulous! Orchestra? Pluperfect!! Singing? Phenomenal!!! Acting? Superlative!!
Chyrel Love Miller takes on the grueling double role of director and choreographer for this production and comes up aces on both counts. Miller’s direction is of shining quality. She knows every beat of the show, both musically and theatrically and nuances the tar out of it while keeping a brisk pace. Her staging is top of the line and makes maximum use of the space which was doubly impressive in this case as the actors had to navigate around the orchestra pit for a great many of the musical’s showstopping numbers. Her actors are all sublime and have crafted well-developed characters from the leading performers to the ensemble roles.
The only word I can think of to describe her choreography is epic. This show has huge, flashy numbers and a lot of them. But each is an original delight and the performers nail the dancing with nary a mistake. Some especially impressive numbers include “Put On Your Sunday Clothes”, “Dancing”, “Hello, Dolly”, and “Polka”.
I give a standing ovation to the ensemble of the show. I can never stress enough how a committed ensemble adds so much life and vitality to a production and they helped this show blossom. All were having a good time and that sense of fun really communicates itself well to an audience. They harmonized perfectly on the numbers and their dancing was entrancing.
Some especially strong supporting performances were provided by Heath Hillhouse who makes a stellar debut at SLT with his potentially tyrannical take on Rudolph Reisenweber, the head waiter at Harmonia Gardens; Hayden Gish as Minnie Fay, the milliner’s assistant whose nosiness clashes with her attempts to be proper; and Wyatt Munsey whose energy as Barnaby Tucker could light up a city.
Kim Crosby IS Dolly Levi! I don’t mean she plays the role. She IS the role. Crosby had the audience in the palm of her hand from her first word and didn’t let go for one nanosecond. Crosby’s delivery is satin smooth which is essential to the silver and glib tongued matchmaker who has a positive genius for meddling, but always uses it as a force for good with her heart of gold. Crosby uses stage space like few performers I’ve seen and it always gives her Dolly an animated, realistic feel. She also has a lovely alto which she modulates according to number from her confidence in her abilities to do just about anything in “I Put My Hand In” to her determination to start living life again in “Before the Parade Passes By” to her joy at returning to Harmonia Gardens in “Hello, Dolly”.
Eric Eichenberger is a likable grump as Horace Vandergelder. He claims that 99% of society is foolish, but does have a soft spot once you peel away enough layers. Eichenberger does superb work walking the fine line of keeping Vandergelder a curmudgeon while also showing that he’s still decent even if he is a bit rough around the edges. Eichenberger also has a fine upper baritone which he utilizes to explain why he needs a wife in “It Takes a Woman”.
Gene Kelly once described the role of Cornelius Hackl as an attractive idiot and I believe that description suits Clayton Avery’s interpretation of the role. Avery’s Hackl is a bit repressed and has lived a sheltered life. At 33, he’s never even talked to a girl. Avery does superior work communicating Hackl’s inexperience around women and has a remarkably sincere delivery. He also well displays Hackl’s lack of mental swiftness. It’s not that Cornelius is dumb. He just improvises poorly when the pressure is on.
Avery has a dandy, crystal clear tenor which was quite entertaining with “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and genuinely moving in “It Only Takes a Moment”.
Kassandra Wright is both sweet and tart as Irene Molloy. At one moment, she’s delighting in a potential bit of devilry as she plans to flirt with Cornelius before dropping him cold and then wistfully remembering the real love she shared with her late husband, Peter, in “Ribbons Down My Back”. This song is sung with a heavenly soprano that nearly brought me to tears.
John R. “Chuck” Rogers has designed a winning set with backdrops that bring one to the cobblestoned streets of turn of the century New York and drills the sheer elegance of Harmonia Gardens with a massive staircase and a pair of curtained, private dining rooms. Ginny Herfkens and Sandy Balsters designed some brightly colored, period appropriate costumes sometimes bordering on the pastel. The elegant gowns of the ladies and snappy suits of the men evoke memories of a long ago era. Parker Payne and his orchestra provide a night of musical ambrosia and I’d like to note Lysander Abadia’s particularly meticulous work in his choreography of “Waiters’ Gallop”.
As I said earlier, if you’re looking for a musical that ticks all the boxes for a great night of entertainment, then this is the one for you. And as much as we hope, “Dolly’ll never go away”, you’d best grab a ticket before she does.
Hello, Dolly! plays at Springfield Little Theatre in the historic Landers Theatre through Feb 23. Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets range from $16-$32. For tickets visit http://www.springfieldlittletheatre.org or call the Box Office at 417-869-1334. Springfield Little Theatre is located at 311 E Walnut St in Springfield, MO.
Chris' Corner 