Musical Theatre Melodies Celebrates The 60th Anniversary of HELLO, DOLLY!

The next Musical Theatre Melodies broadcast, hosted by Rob Morrison on 96.5 FM on Tuesday, January 16 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Jerry Herman musical Hello, Dolly! (based on the Thornton Wilder play The Matchmaker) from the original 1964 Broadway cast recording starring Carol Channing and David Burns, with Eileen Brennan, Sondra Lee, Jerry Dodge, Igors Gavon and Charles Nelson Reilly.

This will be preceded by an interview with original Broadway cast member Sondra Lee, who will share her memories of the production in which she created the role of ‘Minnie Fay', and other aspects of her performing career.

The programme will conclude with a tribute to Hello, Dolly! by Jerry Herman, Karen Morrow and Lee Roy Reams recorded “live” in cabaret in New York in May, 1989; plus additional songs added to the score performed by Ethel Merman and David Hyde Pierce.

Jerry Herman's second Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! (with a book by Michael Stewart based on the Thornton Wilder play The Matchmaker) opened at the St. James Theatre in New York City on January 16, 1964 and ran for a then record-breaking 2,844 performances. 

With music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, the show was directed and choreographed by Gower Champion and was nominated for eleven Tony Awards, ultimately winning ten in the categories of Best Musical, Best Composer and Lyricist, Best Book, Best Actress in a Musical for Carol Channing and Best Direction (Musical) and Best Choreography for Gower Champion, amongst others.

The broadcast of Musical Theatre Melodies will be heard on January 16 in the US at 5 a.m. – 7 a.m. EST in New York = 2 a.m. – 4 a.m. PST Los Angeles time, and 9 - 11 p.m. EDT local Melbourne time; (= 10 a.m. – 12 noon GMT in Britain.)

For those listening in via the Internet on 96.5 Inner FM's website the webpage link for the Inner FM Web Radio player is http://right-click.com.au/rcPlayer2/index.php?c=innerfm or go to the Inner FM homepage at www.innerfm.org.au and follow the links from "Listen Live" on the top menu.

For those who are unable to tune in “live”, a podcast will be available to listen to posted on the webpage at https://innerfm.org.au//shows/musical-theatre-melodies/ and https://omny.fm/shows/musicaltheatremelodies within 15 minutes after the conclusion of the broadcast. (The podcast of Musical Theatre Melodies has recently been ranked amongst the Top 10 Australian Theatre Podcasts by Feedspot at https://podcasts.feedspot.com/australian_theatre_podcasts).