Beth Leavel, left, and Klea Blackhurst portray America’s favorite matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi in two very different productions of Hello, Dolly!
What kind of fool goes to two different productions of the same show in two weeks? A musical theater fool.
I recently saw two productions of Hello, Dolly! The first was at the Cape Cod Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts, starring Tony-award winning actress Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone). The second was in East Haddam, Connecticut at the Goodspeed Opera House, featuring Klea Blackhurst in the title role. Two very different productions, but great fun for this Dolly fan.
If you love Downton Abbey (and let’s face it, you either love it or you haven’t seen it), watch this very clever and lovely “Sneak Peek” of Episode One of the upcoming season, staged at 54 Below in New York.
Kudos to writers: John Walton West, Jason Michael Snow, Greg Monteith, Kevin Duda, Lisa Lambert, Simon Pearl, David McCall.
Performers: Christina Bianco, Jane Blass, Ron Bohmer, John Bolton, Catherine Charlebois, Alison Cimmet, Lewis Cleale, Rick Crom, Matt Doyle (fan favorite), Kathy Fitzgerald, Randy Graff, Jeremy Jordan, Mike Kelton, Leigh Ann Larkin, Christiane Noll, Laura Osnes, Jane Pfitsch, Tory Ross, Brian Sears, Tony Sheldon, Craig Schulman, Jennifer Smith, Elizabeth Stanley, Mary Stout, Tony Tillman, Rosie Colosi, Nikka Lanzarone, Adam Lendermon, Jess Patty, Nick Spangler, and Ryan Worsing.
And of course the Inimitable Imitator himself: Colin Mochrie
This is BRILLIANT! So good, I’d really like to see this production!