Goodman Theatre Pairs Up With The Matchmaker

Performances of Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker, presented by Goodman Theatre, start this evening.

The play, which inspired the musical Hello, Dolly!, follows vivacious matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi. Although hired by Horace Vandergelder to find him a suitable wife, Dolly has her own designs on the wealthy but prickly widower. In a farce of epic proportions, social truths are revealed as cases of mistaken identity, outrageous behavior, and spontaneous romance run rampant.

Henry Wishcamper directs Wilder’s play, which presents Tony Award nominee Kristine Nielsen in her Goodman debut. Alongside Nielsen, who plays Dolly Gallagher Levi, is Allen Gilmore as Horace Vandergelder, Theo Allyn as Ermengarde, Behzad Dabu as Barnaby Tucker, Larry DiStasi as Cabman/Rudolph, Marilyn Dodds Frank as Flora Van Huysen, Sydney Germaine as Minnie Fay, Marc Grapey as Malachi Stack, Anita Hollander as Cook/Gertrude, Ronobir Lahiri as Ambrose Kemper, Elizabeth Ledo as Mrs. Malloy, Postell Pringle as Cornelius Hackl, and Ron Rains as Joe Scanlon.

"Effortlessly charming, funny and romantic, The Matchmaker also touches on many issues — economic inequity, diversity and the search for the authentic self — that feel relevant to our current cultural moment," said Wishcamper. "Like the play, I hope our production will capture both levity and emotional depth."

The creative team includes Neil Patel (set design), David Lander (lighting design), Jenny Mannis (costume design), Richard Woodbury (sound design), and Alden Vasquez (production stage manager).

Performances will run through April 10.

For tickets and more information, click here.