Dear Guests,
"The world is full of wonderful things" is a sentiment shared throughout Hello, Dolly!
It is a statement that can be challenging to hold on to when you read or watch the news or go through your daily life. But while the world can be a troubling and complicated place, it can be a beautiful and loving place, too. This musical, based on Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker and turned into a musical comedy by Michael Stewart, Jerry Herman, and Gower Champion, has been reminding audiences of that fact for 60 years.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the show's premiere in 1964. At the time, “Hello, Dolly!” provided escapism to a country struggling with political divide, civil unrest, and evolving morals. Sound Familiar? In the face of today's similar climate , this show takes us to a simpler time focusing on universal themes of love and music.
The story of matchmaker Dolly Gallagher-Levi is not only one of romantic love but also a love of life. All of the characters in this show are in search of life, adventure, excitement, and love - many of them at the same time. And while the methods of achieving those goals can be outlandish and farcical, the yearning drive to get them is quite universal. In fact, the show has been led over the years by a diverse group of leading ladies, including (but not limited to) the ORIGINAL, INCOMPARABLE Carol Channing (who in over 5,000 performances as Dolly, only missed one... to accept a Tony Award), Ethel Merman, Mary Martin (who toured the show for the USO in Vietnam), an all-African American cast starring Pearl Bailey, Lee Roy Reams (yes, as Dolly), and most recently a hit Broadway Revival and Tour that, in turn, starred Donna Murphy, Bernadette Peters, and Bette Midler (watching HER Dolly is one of the most FUN memories I have as an audience member...EVER)!
Each cast and each Dolly brings something of themselves to the show, and THAT is what we hoped to capture with this particular production. What you are about to see is a culmination of the work of over 100 high school students and staff members representing different races and ethnicities, experiences, and ability levels, but all with the same love of music and theatre. That work, combined with the support and love of our community, school, and families is what puts Hello, Dolly! on the stage for us today.
So, I invite you today to enjoy the laughter, the music, and the love . . . and take it back into the world with you. Do that thing you have only dreamed of doing. Tell that person you love that you love them. Take that trip. Try that food. Do that dance. Say you're sorry. Life is an amazing opportunity, so live large and exhaust every possibility. Do it before your parade passes by, and you will find that the world IS full of wonderful things.
Sincerely,
Mr. Velazquez
Director
