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Hello, Dolly!
DollyPlay.jpg
1964 Broadway poster
Music Jerry Herman
Lyrics Jerry Herman
Book Michael Stewart
Basis The Matchmaker
by Thornton Wilder
Productions 1964 Broadway
1965 West End
1965–66 Australasia tour
1969 Film
1975 All-black Broadway revival
1978 Broadway revival
1995 Broadway revival
1996 Mexico City
2001 Madrid
2009 West End revival
2017 Broadway revival
2017 Melbourne
2018 US Tour
Awards Tony Award for Best Musical
Tony for Composer and Lyricist
Tony Award for Best Book
Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical

Hello, Dolly! is a 1964 musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart. Based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers (which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955), the musical follows the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi (a strong-willed matchmaker), as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder. In doing so she persuades his niece, his niece's intended, and Horace's two clerks to travel to New York City.

Hello, Dolly! was first produced on Broadway by David Merrick in 1964, winning a record-tying (tied with South Pacific) 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, a record held for 37 years. The show album Hello, Dolly! An Original Cast Recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. The album reached number one on the Billboard album chart on June 6, 1964, and was replaced the next week by Louis Armstrong's album Hello, Dolly!

The show has become one of the most enduring musical theatre hits, with four Broadway revivals and international success. It was also made into the 1969 film Hello Dolly! that was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and won three.

Characters

  • Dolly Gallagher Levi: A widow in her middle years who has decided to begin her life again. She is a matchmaker, meddler, opportunist, and a life-loving woman.
  • Horace Vandergelder: The proprietor of a Hay & Feed store and a client of Dolly Gallagher Levi's. A well-known half-a-millionaire, he is a widower, gruff, authoritative, and set in his ways.
  • Cornelius Hackl: Vandergelder's chief clerk who yearns for one exciting day in NYC. Energetic, enthusiastic, and adventurous young man who has a sweet innocence about him.
  • Barnaby Tucker: An assistant to Cornelius at Vandergelder's Hay & Feed store. He is sweet, naïve, energetic, and a follower.
  • Irene Molloy: A widow and a beautiful, smart, fun-loving milliner with a hat shop in New York. Dolly has introduced her to Horace Vandergelder but she yearns for romance.
  • Minnie Fay: A young girl who works in Irene's hat shop. Irene's assistant, she is a naïve, strait-laced, fresh, and a follower.
  • Ambrose Kemper: A young and explosive struggling artist seeking to marry Ermengarde.
  • Ermengarde: The young niece of Horace Vandergelder. She cries often and wants her independence and wants to marry Ambrose.
  • Ernestina Money: An eccentric-looking girl in need of Dolly's matchmaker services.
  • Rudolf Reisenweber: Maître d' of the Harmonia Gardens restaurant.
  • Judge: A white-whiskered night court judge. Easily moved to tears by romance.
  • Mrs. Rose: An old friend of Dolly's.

Characters and original cast

Character Broadway
(1964)
West End
(1965)
Movie
(1969)
Broadway
(1975)
Broadway
(1978)
West End
(1979)
West End
(1983)
Broadway
(1995)
Paper Mill Playhouse
(2006)
West End
(2009)
Broadway
(2017)
US National Tour
(2018)
Dolly Gallagher Levi Carol Channing Mary Martin Barbra Streisand Pearl Bailey Carol Channing Carol Channing Danny La Rue Carol Channing Tovah Feldshuh Samantha Spiro Bette Midler Betty Buckley
Horace Vandergelder David Burns Loring Smith Walter Matthau Billy Daniels Eddie Bracken Eddie Bracken Lionel Jeffries Jay Garner Walter Charles Allan Corduner David Hyde Pierce Lewis J. Stadlen
Cornelius Hackl Charles Nelson Reilly Garrett Lewis Michael Crawford Terrence Emanuel Lee Roy Reams Tudor Davies Michael Sadler Michael DeVries Jonathan Rayson Daniel Crossley Gavin Creel Nic Rouleau
Barnaby Tucker Jerry Dodge Johnny Beecher Danny Lockin Grenoldo Frazier Robert Lydiard Richard Drabble Mark Haddigan Cory English Brian Sears Oliver Brenin Taylor Trensch Jess LeProtto
Irene Molloy Eileen Brennan Marilynn Lovell Marianne McAndrew Mary Louise Florence Lacey Maureen Scott Lorna Dallas Florence Lacey Kate Baldwin Josefina Gabrielle Kate Baldwin Analisa Leaming
Minnie Fay Sondra Lee Coco Ramirez E.J. Peaker Chip Fields Alexandra Korey Mandy More Pollyann Tanner Lori Ann Mahl Jessica-Snow Wilson Akiya Henry Beanie Feldstein Kristen Hahn
Ambrose Kemper Igors Gavon Mark Alden Tommy Tune Howard Porter Michael C. Booker David Ellen James Darrah Drew Gehling Mark Anderson Will Burton Garrett Hawe
Ermengarde Alice Playten Beverlee Weir Joyce Ames Karen Hubbard K.T. Baumann Sue Latimer Christine DeVito Lauren Marcus Clare Louise Connolly Melanie Moore Morgan Kirner
Ernestina Mary Jo Catlett Judith Drake Judy Knaiz Bessye Ruth Scott P.J. Nelson Carol Kaye Monica M. Wemitt Anna McNeely Jennifer Simard Jessica Sheridan
Rudolph David Hartman Robert Hocknell David Hurst Jonathan Wynne John Anania Jeremy Hawk Steve Pudenz William Solo Kevin Ligon Wally Dunn

Musical numbers

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hello, Dolly! para niños

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