John R. Emens Auditorium celebrated 50 years of laughter Tuesday night as smash hit musical “Hello, Dolly!” filled the building with comedy, love and music.
Audience members, including university president Jo Ann Gora, were taken back to New York City in the late 1890s to experience the story of matchmaker Dolly Levi, who played matchmaker while in search of her own happily ever after.
For more than 50 years, “Hello, Dolly!” has entertained international crowds on a variety of platforms. It was first produced on Broadway in 1964 and won 10 Tony Awards. The show album, “Hello, Dolly! An Original Cast Recording,” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. It was also made into a film in 1969, which starred actress Barbra Streisand.
Matt Wolfe, who portrays the character of Cornelius in the show, described “Hello, Dolly!” as one of the best-written and best-crafted musicals there is.
“Anyone who comes to see [the show] I think ends up being surprised at the depth that is actually present in it,” Wolfe said. “There is a lot of fun and classical music numbers, razzmatazz, sparkle and shine to it but underneath it, there is a story of a woman who is trying to live again.”
Wolfe has worked with the show before, but he said it is exciting to come back and work with it after a few more years of experience in theater. To him, Dolly is one of those characters that audiences just fall in love with right away.
“Dolly calls herself a professional meddler, but she is a jack of all trades,” he said. “She’s great at matchmaking, but she’s trying to make a match for herself. Her husband has just died, and she wants to have love in her life and find someone for herself. I guess the irony is she does all this great matchmaking for other people, but she really needs a match of her own.”
Starring in the production was television icon and Emmy-winning actress Sally Struthers. She formerly played Gloria in the sitcom “All In The Family” and Babette in “Gilmore Girls.”
Fans greeted her during the open scene with applause.
After a night of romantic comedy, the show ended with a performance of a reprise of the title song by the entire cast. Performers took turns taking bows and thanking the audience. When Struthers stepped up, she received a standing ovation.
Did you miss “Hello, Dolly!”? The show will next visit the Embassy Theatre in Fort Wayne, Ind., in early November and again in mid-January. Visit HelloDollyOnTour.com for more information and a complete list of tour dates.
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