HELLO DOLLY Will Open 4/19 at SCERA Center

One of the most successful musicals to ever play on Broadway is coming to the SCERA Center for the Arts this month for a three-week run April 19 through May 11.

In 1964, the year it premiered, the wildly popular "Hello, Dolly!" swept the Tony Awards with 10 prizes including Best Musical, and made a legend out of Carol Channing on stage, and later, Barbra Streisand on film. It tells the story of a meddling matchmaking, Dolly Levi, who as part of her plan to match couples, has a master plan to land a mister of her own.

Ready with her own interpretation of the adventures of the irrepressible turn-of-the-century widow is Melissa Swingle, whom director Jerry Elison calls "delightful, quick-witted and clever" as well as a fine actor and singer. "She is definitely up to the challenge of playing one of the most iconic characters of the musical stage," he adds.

"This is a great musical for a talented ensemble," he adds. Elison, who has become legendary in Utah Valley for his large casts, found "Hello, Dolly!" a perfect vehicle for his directing style with three grand production numbers in the first act that full of singing and dancing.

"I'm fortunate to have Penny Colvin, a former BYU folk dancer, for my choreographer," he says. "She works every single detail out and never tries to do it off the cuff. It is delightful to have someone so artistic come completely prepared. She has designated 16 dancers for specialty dancing, but she involves the entire cast. I'm delighted, as always, with Martha Glissmeyer, my music director, and Julie Nevin, a stage manager you really can't beat. I have worked with set designer Teri Griffin, since she was my student in junior high school, and with Brandon Moss as my lighting designer, I must say I have a superb staff."

He also lauds a cast that includes Eric Johnson as the miserly half-millionaire (and object of Dolly's affection) Horace Vandergelder; Lauren Anderson as Irene Malloy, Emily Pelo as Minnie Faye, and Jacom Clarkson and Marshall Madsen as Cornelius and Barnaby - two couples whose comic romantic entanglements - courtesy of Dolly - add to the fun.

The story takes place in turn of the 20th century New York and creates an old-time charm, with memorable songs adding to the musical's appeal. "I want the audience to have a good time and leave singing the songs from the show." Elison says. Among them are "It Only Takes a Moment," "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," "Ribbons Down My Back," "Before the Parade Passes By," "Elegance." "So Long, Dearie and, of course, the title song, "Hello, Dolly."

The show album of the original cast was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.

The Tony Award-winning musical will play Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:30pm. Reserved-seat tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for children (age 3-11), seniors (65+) and students (w/ID) and are available from 10am-6pm weekdays and Saturdays from 12Noon-6pm at the main office at SCERA Center, 745 South State, Orem, by calling (801) 225-ARTS, online at www.scera.org or at the box office 30 minutes prior to each show.

"We chose this show to close our indoor season based on a patron survey," says SCERA President & CEO Adam J. Robertson. "People love it because it's full of personality, show stopping dance numbers, happy songs and fabulous characters to laugh with and root for."

The plot for "Hello, Dolly!" was taken from an 1835 English play called "A Day Well Spent" and had an earlier, successful adaptation with "The Matchmaker" in 1955. When it debuted on Broadway, "Hello, Dolly!" ran for 2,844 performances and for a time was the longest-running musical in Broadway history.