Hello, Dolly!

presented by Queanbeyan Players

Let’s talk about the main character, Dolly Levi, she’s a widower and meddling matchmaker. Her love interest is Horace Vandergelder, who owns a feed store and is a half-a-millionaire. Next we have the cast of characters that are the objects of Dolly’s matchmaking: Cornelius Hackl, Barnaby Tucker, Irene Molloy, Minnie Fay, Ambrose Kemper, Ermengarde, and Ernestina Money.

In typical musical theatre fashion, the story is full of intrigue and drama. The premise of the story is Dolly’s work as a matchmaker, and her desire to marry Horace. Basically, everyone ends up with his or her desired partner. There’s some intrigue when they all have to go to night court for trouble they cause at a restaurant, and Dolly meddles with everyone else’s business: typical musical theatre drama.

Then there’s the climax, when Dolly finally gets Horace to marry her. She needs to know from her long deceased husband it’s OK to move on. He was known for helping people (with money), and Dolly wants to do that again, only now with Horace’s money. In a sign that her late husband gives his blessing, Horace quotes him, with what became one of the more memorable lines in musical theatre: ‘money, pardon the expression, is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread around encouraging young things to grow.’

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes inclusive of a 20 minute interval

LOCK OUT: Latecomers will not be admitted into the auditorium until there is a suitable break in the performance.