Bette Midler Takes Center Stage as Hello, Dolly!  Officially Opens on Broadway

The new revival also stars David Hyde Pierce, Gavin Creel, and Kate Baldwin. 

Bette Midler is officially back where she belongs.  The highly anticipated revival of Hello, Dolly!  celebrates its opening night April 20 at the Shubert Theatre, marking the star's first leading role in a Broadway musical.  The production, directed by Jerry Zaks and produced by Scott Rudin, began performances March 15. 

Midler takes on the iconic role of Dolly Gallagher Levi; joining her are Tony winner David Hyde Pierce as Horace Vandergelder, Kate Baldwin as Irene Molloy, Olivier winner Gavin Creel as Cornelius Hackl, Will Burton as Ambrose Kemper, Beanie Feldstein as Minnie Fay, Melanie Moore as Ermengarde, Jennifer Simard as Ernestina, and Taylor Trensch as Barnaby Tucker. 

The revival features choreography by Warren Carlyle, sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Natasha Katz, and sound design by Scott Lehrer.  Andy Einhorn serves as musical director. 

Rounding out the company are Cameron Adams, Phillip Attmore, Giuseppe Bausilio, Justin Bowen, Elizabeth Earley, Taeler Cyrus, Leslie Donna Flesner, Jenifer Foote, Jessica Lee Goldyn, Stephen Hanna, Michael Hartung, Robert Hartwell, Aaron Kaburick, Amanda LaMotte, Analisa Leaming, Jess LeProtto, Ian Liberto, Kevin Ligon, Nathan Madden, Linda Mugleston, Hayley Podschun, Jessica Sheridan, Michaeljon Slinger, Christian Dante White, Branch Woodman, Ryan Worsing, and Richard Riaz Yoder. 

Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker, the 1964 musical features a score by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, both of whom won Tony Awards for the work on the original production.  The staging won eight additional Tonys, including one for Best Musical and one for star Carol Channing, who went on to reprise her performance as the titular matchmaker in two subsequent Broadway revivals of the show—most recently in 1995. 

This new revival broke the record for highest pre-show advance of any Broadway production.  To purchase tickets, click here .  The Shubert Theatre is located at 225 W. 44th Street, New York City. 

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