Hello, Dolly! to be presented at the OA Theatre

The Owego Apalachin Music Department, including over 50 students in the cast, stage crew and pit orchestra, are excited to present the Tony Award winning musical Hello, Dolly. Performances will take place on Friday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m. in the Owego Apalachin Theater located at the Middle School at 3 Sheldon Guile Blvd. in Owego. 

First produced on Broadway by David Merrick in 1964, Hello, Dolly! is based on the comedy The Matchmaker, by Thornton Wilder. Jerry Herman, creator of the musicals Mame and La Cage aux Folles, composes music and lyrics.  

Hello, Dolly! won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, a record held for 37 years until The Producers won 12 in 2001. The show has become one of the most enduring musical hits, with four Broadway revivals, most recently starring Bette Midler in the title role. In 1969, Barbra Streisand starred in the film Hello Dolly! that was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and won three.  

The musical takes place in the 1890s in New York City. Widow Dolly Levi (Ellie Casterline) is a bold socialite turned matchmaker. Her latest clients seeking assistance are the argumentative “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder (Nic Hulbert) and a young artist named Ambrose (Andrew Clark), who is in love with Horace’s niece, Ermengarde (Abigail Murtha).  

Dolly’s scheming soon involves Horace’s employees, Cornelius and Barnaby (Camden Dyer-DeCator and Colby Selover), as well as a New York milliner Irene Molloy (Abigail Dove) and her friend Minnie Fay (Olivia Holt). Dolly uses these other schemes to cover up her own romantic desires.  

Megan Burrell and Mike Meaney co-direct the cast of 50 students in support of Dolly’s schemes, while Katherine Gould has choreographed entertaining numbers. Under the technical direction of Nate Brown and artistic direction of Christine Crossgrove, the stage is transformed with beautiful Victorian sets.

Colleen Dewey-Wright will have the cast in full costume to add to the story. Well-known songs Put on Your Sunday Clothes and Hello Dolly uphold the story, played by the wonderful pit orchestra directed by Nicholas Olesko. 

Tickets are $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for seniors and students. You may reserve tickets before Feb. 7 by calling 687-7301, ext. 4, or online at https://goo.gl/forms/DRpzK2tmTuLi12P63. Your tickets will be waiting in the lobby at Will Call the day of the performance. Tickets will also be available for purchase in the lobby, starting one hour before of the performance time. Ticket purchases can be made by cash or check.  

Theater doors will open 30 minutes prior to show time. Concessions will be available for purchase (cash only).