Cast and Creative Team Announced for Starlight's HELLO, DOLLY!, Runs 8/19-9/5

Opening in less than two weeks at Starlight Musical Theatre's stage is Hello, Dolly!, the classic Broadway musical tale of Dolly Levi and her mischievous matchmaking ways. For Starlight's 3rd and final summertime show, Starlight has brought aboard a fantastic cast and creative team to ensure the season ends with a resounding "bang". Not to mention a brand new set designed by Tony award-winning designer, John Iacovelli.

Directing/choreographing Starlight's production will be Dan Mojica, who returns after directing Annie last year. Mr. Mojica's numerous credits include being part of the original creative team for Disney's Beauty & the Beast on Broadway and acting as assistant choreographer/director. Additionally, he has supervised and mounted over 16 productions of the show around the world, including three US national tours; Victor Victoria, Me and My Girl, and Camelot, as well as productions for Universal Studios Hollywood to name a few.

Leading off the title role of Dolly will be none other than San Diego's own Melinda Gilb, who ironically had her own co-creation of Suds: The Rocking ‘60s Musical open up the 2010 season at Starlight.

Mr. Mojica exclaims, "...and I couldn't be luckier to have Melinda Gilb, Starlight and San Diego favorite, playing my brassy leading lady, Dolly Levi. A gifted actress, amazing singer, and all around great lady. I've had the pleasure of directing her in last year's production of Annie. We were talking last year and I told her if I ever did a production of Dolly again, I wanted her to play the part; in this case, my wishes have come true."

Her disgruntled love interest, Horace Vandergelder, will be performed by returning Starlight alum Douglas Bilitch. Cornelius Hackly and Barnaby Tucker, Mr. Vandergelder's store clerks, will be played by Ryan Fahey and Clay Stefanki, respectively. Their love interests of Irene Malloy and Minnie Fay will be performed by Alexis Grenier Zimmerman, a newcomer to Starlight, and returning alum Karla Ruth Gilbert, respectively.

Ambrose Kemper (Jeremy Shull), Ermengarde (Sydney Blair), Ernestina Money (Clare Solly), Rudolph (Devin Collins), Judge (Eric Von Metzke) and Mrs. Rose (Lana Hartwell) complete the supporting cast. The ensemble will comprise of Debbie Nicastro, Lauren King, Richie Valenzuela, Jessica Couto, Natasha Grach, Sarah Suhonen, Zach Guzik, Bryce Nicastro, Patrick Williams, Maggie Jo Turner, Kaylyn Marie Hopkins, Katie Whalley, Molly O'Meara, Marco Puente, Joaquin Gamboa, Sebastian Montenegro, Derrick Diazoni, Travis Spackman, Lou Rasse and Emma Rasse.

Starlight is also proud to welcome a brand new set, designed by Tony-award winning designer John Iacovelli, to their stage. "Carlos (the artistic director) had the idea of creating towers that open up to reveal the different sets, like a pop-up book unfolding; the effect is quite magical. I decided this show is really a love letter to the New York of 1900. I have this great book in my library called ‘Bicknell's Victorian Buildings' which has line drawings of buildings of that period and I based the look of this show on that book. Light and airy like the music, with a dash of fancy. So the show has an illustrated look with a certain limited, water-color palette, the kind of thing you might see in hand-tinted greeting cards from 1900. This color palette is what I call a ‘Jerry Herman palette.' I like to think of my set for Starlight's 2010 Hello Dolly! as a tribute to Jerry Herman, Oliver Smith, and the great tradition of the American theatre," states Mr. Iacovelli.

Hello, Dolly! is without a doubt 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!". Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart and based on the play The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder

Creative team on Starlight's revival will include Dan Mojica (Director/Choreographer), Justin Gray (Musical Director/Conductor), Mish Kretowicz (Costume Designer), Peter Herman (Wig Design), Benjamin Loverin (Stage Manager), Jason Bieber (Lighting Designer) and Mike Gustafson (Sound Designer).

Featured Cast Bios:

Melinda Gilb (Dolly Levi) was last seen at Starlight as Miss Hannigan in Annie, before that as Mrs. Lovet in Sweeney Todd for which she won San Diego's Craig Noel award. New York credits include - Original Broadway cast of "Singin In The Rain". Off Broadway - "Back To Bacharach And David" and "Suds", which she co-wrote and co-starred. 1ST National tour of Joseph Papps, "The Pirates Of Penzance", with Jim Belushi. Locally Melinda has appeared at The Old Globe Theatre as Mama Who in, "How The Grinch Stole Christmas and as Marge in Suds. At the San Diego Rep - "Always Patsy Cline", "Six Women With Brain Death" and "Miss Witherspoon". The Welk Resort - "Thoroughly Modern Millie". North Coast Rep., "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee", "Smell Of The Kill". Cygnet Theatre - "The Receptionist". "The Melinda And Steve Show", with Steve Gunderson - New York, Los Angeles and San Diego. Television - Featured on the BBC-1 series, "The Full Wax". Co-starred on the CBS comedy "Becker" with Ted Danson. Melinda's favorite role is Mom to her 6 year son Knight.

Douglas H. Bilitch (Horace Vandergelder) has directed and produced numerous productions and is founding Producing Artistic Director of the Performing Arts Co. of Jackson Hole, WY and a founding member of the Mechanicals Theatre Group. He is a producer, presenter and director with both Husmann Entertainment, and The Gourmet Detective. He has appeared in several national television commercials and performed leading roles in numerous regional theatre productions including Guys and Dolls, Annie Get Your Gun, Joseph and the Amazing..., Evita, My Fair Lady, Crazy for You, Singin' in the Rain, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma!, Singin' in the Rain and Urinetown-for which he received the 2006 San Diego Theater Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Leading Actor Mr. Bilitch holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Southern California and is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actor's Guild.

Ryan Fahey (Cornelius Hackl) is thrilled to be a part of this show with a fantastic cast and a wonderful creative team. He hails from somewhere further than Yonkers...in Newfoundland, Canada but is proud to now call San Diego his home. Previous theatrical credits include: Rooster in "Annie" (Starlight Theatre), The Balladeer in "Assassins" (Cygnet Theatre), Tulsa in "Gypsy" (Tada Productions), Lt. Joe Cable in "South Pacific" (Sunshine Festival), El Gallo in "The Fantastiks" (Sunshine Festival), to name a few. Much love to his San Diego family and friends, as well as to his family back home. He hopes you enjoy watching "Dolly" as much as he's enjoyed being a part of it.

Alexis Grenier (Irene Molloy) is a recent graduate from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and is thrilled to be making her Starlight debut as Irene. Having received both her Bachelors and Masters degrees, she moved home to her native San Diego. Recent opera/theatre roles have included Lilly in Swingtime Canteen, Adina in L'elisir d'amore, Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief, and Mére Marie in Dialogues des Carmelites. Besides winning the La Jolla Young Artist Competition in '07, Alexis also placed in the Carmel Music Society's bi-annual vocal competition. She is currently singing backup with the award winning Laura Roppé Band and writing original music. www.alexisgrenier.com. Alexis would like to dedicate this performance to the HMLA 369 "Gunfighters" who put their lives on the line everyday for our freedom.

Clay Stefanki (Barnaby Tucker) is excited to be joining the Starlight family. Credits include: Oklahoma! (Dream Curly), 42nd Street (dir. Jon Engstrom), Guys and Dolls (dir. Nick DeGruccio), White Christmas, Cabaret (chor. Jane Lanier), Anything Goes (chor. Peggy Hickey), Homer in Cyberspace (dir. Mel Shapiro). Training: UCLA Ray Bolger Musical Theatre Program; La Jolla Playhouse. Special thanks to Dan and Carlos for this awesome opportunity!

Karla Ruth Gilbert (Minne Fay) is delighted to be returning to the Starlight Bowl! Most recently she was seen as Gertie Cummings in Oklahoma! at the Moonlight Amphitheatre. Favorite Credits: CATS, Moonlight Amphitheatre (Demeter); JOSEPH...,Moonlight Amphitheatre (Wife/Potipharette); THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, Welk Resort Theatre (Gloria); MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, Musical Theatre West; NINE, Starlight Theatre (Lady of the Spa); AIDA, Starlight Theatre; BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, Court Theatre (Corie Bratter); DAMN YANKEES (Lola). Karla holds a B.A. in Musical Theatre and is from beautiful Whidbey Island. Karla would like to dedicate this performance to her best friend and hero, her mother Sandra Faye. "This one's for you! Love your, Minnie Fay." www.karlaruthgilbert.com

Located in beautiful Balboa Park, Starlight Musical Theatre has been a unique San Diego tradition for 64 years. Starlight audiences can enjoy top notch San Diego professionals while sitting under the stars in a 4,200-seat outdoor amphitheatre. Built for the 1935-1936 California-Pacific Exposition, the Starlight Bowl became the home of Starlight Musical Theatre in 1946. Since that time, Starlight has presented over 133 musicals and is one of the oldest continuously-producing musical theatre companies in the United States.

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