The touring production of Jerry Herman’s wildly popular musical, Hello, Dolly!, which begins its journey through Southern California with a one-week engagement at Segerstrom Hall  in Costa Mesa and the moved to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood has moved again. Starting onTuesday, the Tony Award-winning revival will play in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Theatre. The show runs through March 17th.

No one planning this tour could have imagined that it would open here so closely on the heels of the passing of Carol Channing, who originated the party of Dolly Levi when Hello, Dolly! first opened in 1964. Taking on the role of the title character is Tony Award winner Betty Buckley (Cats.) In addition to playing Grizabella in CatsBuckley has appeared on stage in such shows as Carrie: The MusicalTriumph of LoveSunset Boulevard1776 and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

In the show, whose book was written by Michael Stewart, Dolly Levi is a matchmaker. (The show is based on Thorton Wilder’s play, The Matchmaker.)  It’s been ten years since the death of her beloved husband, Ephraim, and Dolly has decided to return to the world of the living. So while she pretends to be finding the perfect wife for millionaire Horace Vandergelder (Lewis J. Stadlen,) she’s really positioning herself to be his new bride.

Hello, Dolly! is perhaps the most crowd-pleasing show in the history of Broadway musicals. In addition to its well-known title song, Herman’s score includes “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and “It Only Takes a Moment” (known to anyone who has watched the Pixar film, Wall-E.)

This production is directed by Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. The show was designed by Santo Loquasto.

Go here our interview this week with Betty Buckley.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

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