Hello, Dolly! facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hello, Dolly!
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 super popular musical that first opened on Broadway in 1964. It has music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and the story (called the "book") by Michael Stewart.

The musical is based on a funny play by Thornton Wilder called The Matchmaker. It tells the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi. She's a clever widow who works as a matchmaker. Her main goal is to find a wife for a rich but grumpy man named Horace Vandergelder.

Dolly travels to Yonkers, New York, to meet Horace. But she also has a secret plan! She wants to help Horace's niece, her boyfriend, and Horace's two clerks. Dolly convinces them all to go on an adventure to New York City.

When Hello, Dolly! first came out, it was a huge hit! It won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. This was a record that lasted for 37 years! The album of the show's songs was even added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. It even reached number one on the music charts!

This musical has been loved by audiences for a long time. It has been brought back to Broadway four times. It has also been performed all over the world. In 1969, it was even made into a movie called Hello Dolly!. The movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won three!

Meet the Characters of Hello, Dolly!

This musical has many fun and interesting characters. Here are some of the main ones:

• Dolly Gallagher Levi: She's the main character! Dolly is a smart and lively widow. She works as a matchmaker, helping people find partners. But she also loves to get involved in other people's lives. She's ready to start a new chapter in her own life.
• Horace Vandergelder: He owns a Hay & Feed store. Horace is a very rich man, but he's also quite grumpy and set in his ways. Dolly is trying to find a wife for him.
• Cornelius Hackl: He's Horace Vandergelder's main employee. Cornelius dreams of having an exciting day in New York City. He's a young man who is full of energy and loves adventure.
• Barnaby Tucker: Barnaby works with Cornelius at Horace's store. He's a sweet and innocent young man. He often follows Cornelius's lead.
• Irene Molloy: She's a beautiful and smart widow who owns a hat shop in New York. Dolly has tried to set her up with Horace. But Irene is looking for true romance.
• Minnie Fay: Minnie works in Irene's hat shop. She's a young, innocent, and sometimes a bit naive girl. She usually follows Irene's ideas.
• Ambrose Kemper: He's a young artist who is trying to marry Ermengarde. He can be a bit emotional.
• Ermengarde: She is Horace Vandergelder's young niece. Ermengarde often cries and wants to be independent. She really wants to marry Ambrose.
• Ernestina Money: An unusual-looking girl who needs Dolly's help to find a match.
• Rudolf Reisenweber: He is the head waiter (Maître d') at the fancy Harmonia Gardens restaurant.
• Judge: A kind judge in night court. He gets easily emotional when he hears about love stories.
• Mrs. Rose: An old friend of Dolly's.

Original Cast Members

Here are some of the actors who first played these roles. You can also see who played them in the famous movie!

Musical Numbers: Songs from the Show

The musical is full of catchy songs! Here are the songs from each act:

Images for kids

• 

  David Burns and Carol Channing in the original Broadway cast, 1964

• 

  Milo Boulton and Carol Channing in one of several national tours, 1966

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  Pearl Bailey as Dolly, 1968.

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  2017 Broadway revival at the Shubert Theatre.

See also

In Spanish: Hello, Dolly! para niños