Hello, Dolly!

ACT I

At the turn of the century, everyone in Yonkers, New York turns to professional meddler and matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi for advice on romance, practical matters, and everything else (“Call on Dolly”). Dolly, of course, is happy to oblige (“I Put My Hand In”).

The town’s miserly half-a-millionaire Horace Vandergelder, a widowed hay & feed dealer, seeks a second wife (“It Takes A Woman”) and hires Dolly to find him a suitable match. Though she arranges for Horace to meet the young widow Irene Molloy, Dolly clearly has her own interest in Horace—and his money. Meanwhile, a young artist named Ambrose Kemper seeks Dolly’s assistance in acquiring the hand of Vandergelder’s niece, Ermengarde.

When Vandergelder leaves Yonkers for New York City to court Mrs. Molloy, his clerks, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, decide to take an unauthorized holiday themselves, vowing to find adventure in the big city (“Put On Your Sunday Clothes”). Meanwhile, in her New York hat shop, Irene wistfully considers pursuing a new relationship, or at least a flirtation, after years of mourning her late husband (“Ribbons Down My Back”).

Barnaby and Cornelius arrive in New York City and excitedly explore the sights. They spot Vandergelder on the sidewalk and hurriedly take refuge in the nearest shop, which happens to be Irene’s millinery. Cornelius and Irene are immediately smitten, but Vandergelder appears at the shop door, and the young men scramble to hide. Dolly, arriving just in time, joins Irene and her assistant Minnie Fay as they distract the irate Vandergelder (“Motherhood March”). Frustrated and thoroughly flummoxed, Vandergelder leaves in a huff.

As partial recompense, Dolly orders the clerks to take Irene and Minnie to the lavish Harmonia Gardens restaurant for dinner. Cornelius, who clearly could never afford such an extravagance, claims he can’t dance, but the versatile Mrs. Levi teaches him on the spot, and soon the two couples are waltzing romantically (“Dancing”). The young foursome runs off to watch a parade, and Dolly – addressing her late husband, Ephraim – reaffirms a desire to move on with her life (“Before the Parade Passes By”).

ACT II

Cornelius and Barnaby, too poor to afford a taxi, persuade the ladies that walking to the restaurant is far more elegant than hiring a hack (“Elegance”).

At the Harmonia Gardens, Rudolph, the majordomo, exhorts his waiters to provide even better and faster service tonight—Dolly Levi is coming back! In a welter of dazzling precision, criss-crossing at breakneck speed, the staff prepares for Dolly’s arrival (“The Waiters’ Gallop”). Cornelius and party arrive and occupy a luxurious private dining booth, complete with drawn curtain. Horace and his date, Ernestina Money, reputed by the conniving Dolly to be an heiress, sit in another. Ernestina, who proves to be less refined than Horace had hoped, soon gets drunk and passes out.

Finally, Dolly makes her grand entrance and the entire restaurant celebrates (“Hello, Dolly!”). Dolly settles down to eat with Horace, talking incessantly and repeatedly rejecting a proposal of marriage… which he never makes.

A dance contest begins (“The Polka Contest”), and just as Ambrose and Ermengarde are declared the winners, Horace discovers he has the wrong wallet; he and Barnaby, through a mix-up, have exchanged them. In the melee that follows, Rudolph calls the police, and the whole party is arrested. In the courthouse, Cornelius admits he’s no playboy millionaire, but it doesn’t matter; he loves Irene and he’ll always have the memory of one miraculous day (“It Only Takes A Moment”). The judge, moved by Cornelius’s sentiment and persuaded by Dolly Levi, Counselor-At-Law, dismisses everyone except Horace Vandergelder. Horace expects Dolly to help him, but instead she chooses to walk away (“So Long, Dearie”).

The next morning, back in Yonkers, a chastened Horace Vandergelder reflects on the recent events in his life and realizes he’s hopelessly in love with Dolly. Dolly enters the store and convinces Horace to take Cornelius as his business partner and allow Ambrose and Ermengarde to marry. Still unsure about marrying Horace, Dolly asks her late husband Ephraim for a sign. Horace, who has hired a fledgling businessman to renovate his home, spontaneously repeats an old saying of Ephraim’s: “Money is like manure. It’s not worth a thing unless it’s spread about, encouraging young things to grow.” Satisfied, Dolly agrees to marry Horace and vows she’ll “never go away again” (Finale: “Hello, Dolly”).

HELLO, DOLLY!
Book by Michael Stewart        Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Based on the play “The Matchmaker” by Thornton Wilder
Original Production Directed and
Choreographed by Gower Champion
Produced for the Broadway Stage by
David Merrick and Champion Five, Inc.

Such credits for all purposes shall be in type size equal to that of any other credits except for those of the producer and star(s) above the title. The credit for the authors shall be in a type size at least 75 percent of the size of the title of the play; and wherever the name of one of the authors appears, the other name(s) shall also appear. In the programs, the credits shall appear on the title page thereof.

The title page of the program shall contain the following announcement in type size at least one-half the size of the authors’ credits:

HELLO, DOLLY!
is presented by arrangement with
TAMS-WITMARK MUSIC LIBRARY, INC.
560 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022

Full Orchestration:

2 Violin I (optional)
1 Violin II (optional)
1 Viola (optional)
1 Cello (optional)
1 Bass & optional Tuba

1 Reed I: Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
1 Reed II: Clarinet & Alto Saxophone
1 Reed III: Clarinet & Tenor Saxophone
1 Reed IV: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet & Baritone Saxophone

2 Trumpet I & II
1 Trumpet III
1 Trombone I
1 Trombone II

2 Percussion I & II:
Timpani (2 Drums)
Bass Drum
Snare Drum
Cymbals, Suspended & Hand
Vibraphone
Xylophone
Glockenspiel
Bell Plate
Wood Block
Cow Bell
Slide Whistle
Ratchet

1 Guitar & Banjo
1 Piano & Celeste

Piano-Conductor’s Score sent with rehearsal material.

Orchestra parts are cued so the score may be played with the following minimum number of parts: 3 Reeds, 2 Trumpets, 1 Trombone, 1 Percussion, Bass and Piano. Add parts in the following order to build the full orchestra: Reed IV, Trombone II, Trumpet III, Cello, Violins, Viola, Percussion II and Guitar-Banjo.

2       Piano Conductor’s Scores
20     Libretto/Vocal Books

Optional Additional Materials

1       Stage Manager’s Guide

Medium-Voice Transpositions for the role of Dolly Levy

As sung on the original cast album by Carol Channing, the keys for Dolly Levi’s nine numbers are too low for many singers. The Medium-Voice Transpositions provide a comfortable range for most soprano “belters.”
The computer-engraved transposition books contain complete musical numbers and playoffs, if necessary, to make rehearsals and performances as smooth as possible. The Medium-Voice Transpositions are specially made to accommodate Dolly’s role; all the other musical numbers remain in their original keys. The transpositions are carefully crafted to minimize range adjustments necessary for the other singers in ensemble numbers. Performing HELLO, DOLLY! with the Medium-Voice Transpositions requires both a complete set of the original performance materials and the transposition materials.

The set of materials includes:

Piano-Conductor’s Score for the transposed numbers.
Chorus-Vocal Books with transpositions for each of the principals and the chorus.

Orchestra parts with transpositions for each orchestra player are available at an additional charge.

Dolly Keys: Original (Channing) vs. Medium-Voice Transpositions

Principals

(5 female; 4 male)

Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi — an indefatigable meddling matchmaker; a widow in her middle years
Mrs. Irene Molloy — a millineress with a hat shop near 14th Street in New York City
Minnie Fay — a young girl who works in Irene’s Shop
Ernestina — a heavy-set girl in need of Mrs. Levi’s services
Ermengarde — the 17-year-old niece of Horace Vandergelder
Horace Vandergelder — proprietor of a hay and feed store in Yonkers, NY and a client of Mrs. Levi’s
Cornelius Hackl — Vandergelder’s chief clerk, 33 years old
Barnaby Tucker — an assistant to Cornelius, 17 years old
Ambrose Kemper — a young artist seeking to marry Ermengarde

Supporting (from the Chorus)

Mrs. Rose — sells vegetables from a street cart, a friend of Mrs. Levi’s from years before
Coachman — non-speaking
Horse — two chorus/dancers
Rudolph Reisenweber — the Prussian major-domo of the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant
Stanley — a young waiter
Fritz, Harry, Louie, Danny, Manny and Hank — Harmonia Gardens waiters; non-speaking chorus/dancers
First Cook — Harmonia Gardens employee with a German accent
Second Cook — Harmonia Gardens employee
Judge — white-whiskered, red-nosed, New York night court
Policemen — several New York City officers; only one speaking
Court Clerk (Recorder) — male chorus member
Paperhanger — non-speaking

Ensemble

Townspeople of New York
Yonkers Band
Lodge Members
Feed Store Customers
Harmonia Gardens Customers
Polka Contest Contestants
14th Street Parade Ensemble

Suggested: 8 female dancers, 8 female singers, 6 male singers, 12 male dancers.

(Can be done with fewer)

The original Broadway production had a cast of 45 performers, including chorus. Some doubling was employed in the minor parts.
The 2017 Broadway revival has a cast of 33 performers, including chorus. Again, some doubling is employed.

HELLO, DOLLY! opened on Broadway on January 16, 1964 at the St. James Theatre. Opening with Carol Channing in the title role, the show ultimately played for 2,844 performances, making it – at the time – the longest-running Broadway musical in history. The West End production ran for 794 performances at London’s Drury Lane Theatre.

HELLO, DOLLY! has been revived several times on Broadway, and is slated to return in 2017 with Bette Midler in the starring role.

Awards (1964)

10 Tony Awards for Musical, Actress, Author, Producer, Director, Composer/Lyricist, Musical Director, Scenic Designer, Costume Designer and Choreographer
The New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Musical

Awards (1968)

2 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Actor and Actress
The Theatre World Award (Jack Crowder)

Awards (1970)

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance (Ethel Merman)