Theater News

After Show's Opening, New York City to Deem April 21 Dolly Day

The Big Apple says hello to Bette Midler and the new revival of ”Hello, Dolly!”

Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway.
Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway.
(© Julieta Cervantes)

To commemorate tonight’s opening of Hello, Dolly!, starring Bette Midler, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will declare Friday, April 21, Dolly Day in the Big Apple.

The proclamation reads as follows:

"Whereas: As a global hub of arts and culture, New York has a proud tradition of launching plays and musicals that have shaped the history of theater in the five boroughs and far beyond. When the romantic comedy Hello, Dolly! premiered on Broadway in 1964, it became an immediate smash hit that had a groundbreaking run of seven years. Since its debut, this influential musical has been made into a Hollywood film, presented in London’s West End, and produced by countless theater companies and school groups around the world. Written by Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman, and set in New York at the turn of the last century, this beloved show endures today as a timeless classic of American theater.

Whereas: Last night, the Shubert Theatre curtain rose on the much-anticipated first-ever Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! starring the phenomenally talented Bette Midler as the indomitable Dolly Gallagher Levi. It takes a quintessential New York woman to play one, and with her powerful voice, deft comedic timing, and gregarious personality, the Divine Miss M. is ideally suited to embody the charmingly meddlesome matchmaker. In addition to thanking their lucky stars for the opportunity to see this award-winning actor, singer, and dancer perform on stage, New Yorkers owe a debt of gratitude to Midler for her efforts to revitalize abandoned parks, gardens, and open spaces in all five boroughs through the New York Restoration Project, a nonprofit organization that she founded in 1995.

Whereas: In addition to Bette Midler’s star turn as Dolly, this thrilling production’s accomplished cast includes David Hyde Pierce — another remarkable New Yorker — in the role of Horace Vandergelder, a crotchety widower and Dolly’s romantic interest. As the orchestra starts playing all of your old favorite songs from this wonderful musical, Chirlane and I join in applauding the show’s cast, musicians, crew, designers, and producers for their efforts to enrich New York’s dynamic performing arts landscape, strengthen our city’s economic vibrancy, and captivate our diverse residents and visitors through the power of musical theater. On the occasion of its triumphant return, I am pleased to welcome Hello, Dolly! back where it belongs — on Broadway!

Now therefore, I, Bill de Blasio, Mayor of the City of New York, do hereby proclaim Friday, April 21, 2017, in the City of New York as: Dolly Day."

Directed by Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, Hello, Dolly! began preview performances on March 15. In addition to Midler, who leads the cast as matchmaker Dolly Levi, the cast stars David Hyde Pierce as Horace Vandergelder, with Kate Baldwin as Irene Molloy, Gavin Creel as Cornelius Hackl, Jennifer Simard as Ernestina, Beanie Feldstein as Minnie Fay, Taylor Trensch as Barnaby Tucker, Melanie Moore as Ermengarde, and Will Burton as Ambrose Kemper.

Based on Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker, Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! first premiered on Broadway in 1964, starring Carol Channing in the title role. The most recent revival, in 1995, starred Channing in a return appearance. In addition to Channing, the role has been played by Pearl Bailey, Phyllis Diller, Betty Grable, Martha Raye, Ginger Rogers, Ethel Merman (in her last appearance on Broadway), and Mary Martin, who led the West End company.

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