Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre Presents HELLO, DOLLY!, Now thru 6/23

Coeur d'Alene Summer Theatre (CST) in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho presents Ellen Travolta and Jack Bannon in the revival of Hello, Dolly! as their 45th Anniversary Season opener. CST brings back this smash-hit to Northwest audiences. Travolta and Bannon (real-life husband and wife team) portrayed the beloved matchmaker Dolly Levi and the grumpy Horace Vandergeller during CST's 2000 season.

"We are excited to have Ellen and Jack back in these rolls," said Roger Welch, Artistic Director.  "The last time they did this show, it was a huge hit, and I don't expect anything less this time around."

Ellen and Jack have been long-time favorites of CST for two decades.  They starred in Company, in 1990, which was the first production CST did when they moved to their current location on the campus of North Idaho College.  Even though they have been in shows together, they haven't shared the stage for years.  Strangely, most of the shows that they have been in together, their characters never interact.  Last season, Ellen played the Wicked Witch to Jack's Wizard role in The Wizard of OZ.  "I love to work with Jack; he is such a wonderful actor.  He makes me better" said Travolta about working with Bannon once again.

A few other cast members from the 2000 show will also be making a comeback in this revival.  Krista Kubicek, will once again play Irene Malloy, and Callie McKinney Cabe returns as Minnie Fay.  Both are long-time veterans of CST.

Hello, Dolly!, written by Jerry Herman and based on a book by Michael Stewart, is based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1955.  It was first produced on Broadway by David Merrick in 1964, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical and nine other Tonys.  The show has become one of the most enduring musical theatre hits, enjoying three Broadway revivals and international success. It was also made into a 1969 film, starring Barbra Streisand, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

Hello, Dolly! will be directed by Artistic Director Roger Welch, with musical direction by Steven Dahlke.

Ellen Travolta, last seen as the Wicked Witch in last season's Wizard of OZ, and the evil step-mother in 2009's Cinderella, has been active with CST for over two decades.   Local audiences will remember her in Dames at Sea, The Full Monty, Pippin, Gypsy, Anything Goes, Annie and the title role in Mame.  Her television credits include Welcome Back Kotter, Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi and Charles in Charge.  Ms. Travolta 's film credits include Grease, The Basket, Detour, Mel, Face to Face, Waitin' to Live, Lonely Hearts, with her brother John and the recently released Falling Up.

Jack Bannon is a Hollywood Film and Television veteran best known to TV audiences for his role of Donovan on Lou Grant and as a series regular on Trauma Center.    Mr. Bannon is a CST favorite, who was the Wizard in last season's Wizard of OZ.  His other CST appearances include La Cage Aux Folles, Pippin, Annie, Pajama Game, Gypsy, Man of La Mancha, Cabaret, Crazy for You, Camelot, Guys and Dolls, and Little Shop of Horrors.  His numerous guest appearances include Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Murder She Wrote, Designing Women, Magyver, Night Court, Santa Barbara, St. Elsewhere, Simon & Simon, Remington Steele, and Charlie's Angels.  Some film credits include To the Limit, Little Big Man, LA Heat, Davinci's War, Detour, The Basket and Waitin to Live.

CST's 2012 season line-up includes: Ring of Fire – a musical tribute to Johnny Cash (running July 5-15th); Monty Python's SPAMALOT – lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy, Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail, the show retells to story of King Arthur (running July 26-Aug 5th); and Ragtime – the lives of several diverse families try to make a success in America at the beginning of the 20th Century (Aug 16-26). Season ticket packages and individual tickets are on sale now. Prices: $126.02 for adult packages, $115.42 for senior packages and flex passes are available. For more information call (208) 769-7780, visit www.cdasummertheatre.com or send an email to tickets@cstidaho.com. For more, go to www.cdasummertheatre.com

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