Hello, Dolly!

Note from the Dramaturg “But there comes a moment in everybody’s life when he must decide whether he’ll live among human beings or not — a fool among fools or a fool alone. As for me, I’ve decided to live among them.” — Dolly Levi, The Matchmaker Hello, Dolly! is the product of over a century of literary and theatrical exploration. What began as a farcical one-act by John Oxenford soon evolved into an Austrian play about a “merchant of Yonkers” and a “matchmaker” who “go on a spree” and eventually into a musical experience bursting with plenty of “razzle” — all titles of versions of Hello, Dolly! The musical that made Carol Channing’s career has delighted audiences all over the world and is attributed to Thornton Wilder, of Our Town fame. Of the many things that Hello, Dolly! offers an audience, one theme resonates throughout — we must live our lives to the fullest. As Dolly meddles her way into the love lives of half of Yonkers, she finds that she has isolated herself from the world and must allow herself to live again. Through the adventurous spirit of Barnaby and Cornelius; Mrs. Malloy’s willingness to let love blossom unexpectedly; and Horace Vandergelder’s desire to “encourage young things to grow,” Dolly embraces life again finds a match of her own. Cedarville has approached Hello, Dolly! with three things in mind: energy, elegance, and enthusiasm. On behalf of the cast, crew, and production team, I hope that you gain as much pleasure from this theatrical experience as we have. So sit back, relax, and enjoy Hello, Dolly! — Denise Yvette Serna* Dramaturg * Member of Alpha Psi Omega, Cedarville’s chapter of the National Honorary Theatre Society PLAY ON WORDS, a study guide, has been prepared by the production dramaturg and is available without charge at the concessions booth in the theatre lobby. Funding for PLAY ONWORDS is provided by Alpha Psi Omega, the Cedarville University chapter of the National Honorary Theatre Society.