How can one describe the bountiful charms of the Tony-winning revival, Hello Dolly!, which is having its second year wowing audiences at the Shubert Theatre? It can be described as a gift full of riches. Now, with legendary Broadway veteran Bernadette Peters taking over the role that won Bette Midler her deserved Tony last year, the most happiest show in town just got more richer.
Based on Thornton Wilder's 1955 play, The Matchmaker, advicemaker, coupleseeker and widower Dolly Gallagher Levi (Peters) makes a stop up from her established home in 1890's-era Manhattan to upstate Yonkers to find a wife for general store owner Horace Vandergelder (Victor Garber, replacing David Hyde Pierce in the role). But Dolly reveals to the audience that she plans to make Horace his new husband.
In the meantime, Dolly arranges a match between Horace's niece, Ermengarde (Melanie Moore) and artist Ambrose (understudy Ryan Worsing, at the performance I attended), while two of Vandergelder's clerks Cornelius (Gavin Creel, in his Tony-winning role) and Barnaby (newcomer Charlie Stemp) escape from their jobs to spend the day in the Big Apple, where they find romance with Horace's intended bride from Dolly, hat shop owner Irene Molloy (Kate Baldwin) and her assistant Minnie (Molly Griggs). It all leads up to a crazy evening at the Harmonia Gardens where wallets gets mismatched, dates become disastrous and a polka contest ends up with the law being involved.
Veteran director Jerry Zaks has given this already timeless musical a sparkling polish with a touch of shining technicolor, thanks to Santo Loquasto's glittering costumes and first-class sets and Natasha Katz's lighting design. Warren Carlyle's chorography delivers with wonderful razzmatazz. The legendary score by Jerry Herman still deliver many hummable gems, along them are "Before the Parade Passes By", "Put on Your Sunday Clothes", "It Only Takes a Moment" and the title song itself. In fact, you can't help but hum to the score days after you see it.
In a class by herself, the Ozone Park born and raised Ms. Peters is a force not to be ignored. As Dolly, she doesn't copies the styles that Ms. Midler, Barbra Streisand (who did the role for the 1969's film adaptation) and the original Dolly, Carol Channing created with the character. She leaves her own fascinating mark and instantly makes it her own. When she first appears, the whole audience roars wildly and claps with sheer admiration, knowing that they're in the hands of a real professional. Soon to be 70 years old at the end of February, she still looks radiant and sings with that ever-so-cutesy voice. She also proves to be a skilled comedian when she tries to finish her dinner in the courtroom while a crowd looks over her in silence for over three and a half minutes in one of the most funniest moments I've ever encountered in my years of theatregoing. If the Tony Award committee created a new category of best replacement actress in a musical, she would be the one to earn it. You really can't help but love her.
Attention must also be paid to the rest of the terrific cast as well. As Horace, Garber makes a perfect foil to Ms. Peters as well as being the object of her affections. Creel makes a lovable first impression as Cornelius and Stemp gives a classy debut performance proving to be a nice standout and even a first-class dancer too. There's also fine work from Baldwin, Moore, Griggs, Worsing and the rest of the ensemble that help bring the joy of this show to life performance after performance.
If you have one chance to see a stage legend in a classic show, this is definitely it. This revival will leave you with a infectious happy smile and in sweet satisfaction of its Dolly herself. Welcome back, Bernie. It's really so nice to have you back where you belong.
The Buzz on Hello Dolly!:
Rating: **** (Don't Miss It)
Bottom Line: A picture perfect revival in its second year. Bernadette Peters gradually takes over the role with superb finesse and makes it her own.
Recommended Best for: Ages 5 and up. A great, very clean and non-offensive show to bring the family.
Playing at: The Shubert Theatre on 225 West 44th Street (between Broadway and 8th Avenue) for an open-ended run. For tickets, go to telecharge.com, todaytix.com/x/nyc or call 212-239-6200.
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