Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Hello...

Dolly!

Hello, Dolly! is one of my favorite films. Not only does it star Barbara Streisand, Walter Matthau(The Odd Couple), and Michael Crawford(Phantom of the Opera), plus the fabulous Louis Armstrong,  it's funny, entertaining, and features fantastic music and songs. I have been enjoying this film for decades.

While I've seen the movie dozens upon dozens of times, I've never seen the play. And I love a play almost as much as I love watching a musical from my cozy couch in the living room. My mother grew up in Queens and has seen her fair share of plays and musicals and passed that love on to me. She's also been the benefactor of me being able to see such fantastic productions of Singin' In The Rain, Camelot, Cats, and Annie Get Your Gun, just to name a few. And while we both adore Hello, Dolly!, it's not one either of us have seen.

The movie (1969) is actually based on the stage play (1964) which in turn is based on a play by Thornton Wilder which he adapted from a one-act farce written in 1842). There was an earlier film version made, but I think most people think of this one when they hear Hello, Dolly!.  If you're not familiar with the plot, here it is: A meddlesome (matchmaker) widow (Dolly Levi) arrives in Yonkers to find a wife for the "half a millionaire" Horace Vandergelder (though she plans on marrying him herself).  She sends him to New York (City) to meet Irene Molloy, who owns a hat shop. She then puts it into the heads of his clerks, Cornelius and Barnaby, that they two should go to New York. They do and meet Irene and her assistant, Minnie.  A series of mishaps follows and the end of the evening finds everyone in court. To find out what happens to everyone you need to watch the film :)

Now we come to the crust of this post. There are several decent places where I live to see theatrical productions. Sometimes they cost an arm and a leg and you just don't bother. Sometimes the prices are reasonable but it's not a production you're interested in. And sometimes the prices are reasonable and it sells out before you can get a ticket. Which is what happened in this case. Hello, Dolly! is playing this weekend at one of the places close to me. With Sally Struthers as Dolly. Sally Struthers! I really wanted to go, but it sold out before I could get a ticket. My mother volunteers there (she's "working" tonight and gets to see the show with Buddy) and is going to be "working" on Saturday, so she'll get to see it.

Well, I didn't think anymore about it. Come to find out, my FIL bought my MIL and me tickets for a show on Friday night! I couldn't believe it! I'm still in a bit of shock, hence this rambling post. lol. I can't wait for Friday!!!! I'm already singing songs in my head! (not out loud...that's just pure torture for anyone in the listening range!)

1 comment:

  1. Hello, I stumbled across your blog on I'm an Organized Junkie. I also love Hello, Dolly! My favorite part is when she turns up at the Harmonia Gardens, everyone stops to stare and just as she starts down the stairs the band starts playing. I wish, just once, a band would start playing as I begin walking. =)

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