Patti to Play 'Dolly' in HELLO, DOLLY! Revival?

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, in a recent Washington Post feature, musical legend Jerry Herman revealed that a Broadway revival of his classic, Hello, Dolly! is on the way.  According to the report, "A revival of 'Hello, Dolly!' will hit Broadway in the near future, says Herman, who plans to be the production's guiding spirit."

The New York Times reports today that Broadway heavyweight Patti LuPone may be the woman in line for the coveted role of Dolly, made famous originally by Carol Channing. The Times writes: "Even as a supporting character in the Broadway musical "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown" Patti LuPone is letting her diva flag fly as the scorned wife and domineering mother Lucia. What next for La LuPone after "Women" closes on Jan. 23? Among the projects that the two-time Tony Award winner ("Gypsy," "Evita,") is considering is a return to the center-stage spotlight as another diva, the title character in the musical "Hello, Dolly!"

LuPone has reportedly been developing the revival with Nederlander Presentations for some time. 

Hello, Dolly! is one of Broadway's most successful shows running for 2,844 performances from January 16, 1964 to December 27, 1970 and winning 10 Tony Awards, a record that remained unbroken for 37 years. The story takes place when the irrepressible matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi is hired to arrange a marriage for the miserly half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder and she finds him the perfect mate - herself! But first she must win the heart of her unsuspecting "husband to be" before he gets hitched to somebody else. This beloved family musical is a delectable treat for musical theatre lovers of all ages, brimming with joyful tunes such as "Before the Parade Passes By", "It Only Takes a Moment", and of course, "Hello, Dolly!". The show features Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart and based on the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder.

To read the full interview with Herman in the Washington Post, click here.

 

 

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos